Civic Engagement
Seminole State supports and develops civic learning and democratic engagement opportunities for students.
As defined by T. Ehrlich in "Civic Responsibility and Higher Education," civic engagement means "working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes."
Programs focus on the following outcomes to move students across the civic engagement continuum:
- Increase student awareness of community needs through exchange of views, open forums such as deliberative dialogues, workshops and speakers.
- Educate students on societal impacts on community issues, such as importance of recycling, hunger among students/children and college readiness for middle/high school students, as well as political processes.
- Develop motivation and skills to make positive difference in communities such as planning, implementing and evaluating community service and political action events; cultural competence; leadership development; and ethical reasoning.
- Provide opportunities for students to take civic action, such as community service projects, planning projects, voter registration and the Civic Scholars Program.