June 20, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Four Western Kentucky University students, along with 12 faculty and administrators, recently participated in the annual meeting of the American Democracy Project in Snowbird, Utah.
The American Democracy Project (ADP) is a multi-campus initiative focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy. The conference allowed participants to highlight WKU’s initiatives to engage students, faculty and staff with complex societal issues in ways that promote open inquiry and deeper understanding.
Sara Ferguson, a junior geography major from Springfield, Tenn., and Hannah George, a senior communications major from Alvaton, represented WKU in the Student Think Tank competition. Teams from different campuses worked together to develop a cross-campus financial awareness program for students. Ferguson and George also presented a poster describing the efforts of GreenToppers student organization to promote environmental awareness and sustainability at WKU.
Sara Herndon and Crystal Kaya, recent graduates from Bowling Green, along with Molly Kerby of the Women’s Studies Program, presented “Women and Kids Learning Together (WKLT) Camp.” WKLT is a two-week experience that focuses on education, the arts, and physical and emotional wellness, in order to help improve the lives of low-income and under-educated women and their children. Herndon, an English major, and Kaya, a psychology major, both minored in Women’s Studies, and served as coordinators for WKLT each of the past two years.
Saundra Ardrey, head of the Department of Political Science and coordinator of the WKU Political Engagement Project, presented “Beyond Civic Engagement to Political Engagement.” The Political Engagement Project is sponsored by AASCU, The New York Times and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Nathan Phelps, instructor in the University Experience Program and coordinator of the WKU 7 Revolutions Initiative, presented “PEP and the 7 Revolutions: The Political Dimensions of Building a Preferable Future.” The 7 Revolutions Initiative is co-sponsored by AASCU, The New York Times and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
John Bruni of the Department of Psychology and Lisa Durham, director of the Institute for Rural Health Development and Research, along with Provost Barbara Burch, presented the results of their study, “WKU Student Civic Engagement” as part of the Deliberative Polling Initiative. The Deliberative Polling Initiative is co-sponsored by AASCU, The New York Times and the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University.
Doug McElroy, coordinator of the WKU American Democracy Project; Alecea Davis, Office of Academic Affairs and graduate student in the Department of Communication; Jenifer Lewis, Department of Communication and Carnegie Political Engagement Scholar; and Barbara Burch presented “Endemism and Inertia vs. Innovation: Cautionary Tales in Civic Engagement.” Bruni, McElroy and Burch also presented “Addressing the Learning and Scholarly Dimensions of Civic Engagement.”
Soleiman Kiasatpour of the Department of Political Science presented “Implementing Politics and in Action: Wolves, Bison and Snowmobiles in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.”
Carl Kell of the Department of Communication presented “The Spirit of Civic Skills: Communication Training, Civic Training, and Community Success.”
Kay Gandy of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction moderated a session entitled “The Use of Community Partnerships to Further Civic Engagement.”
The goal of the American Democracy Project is to produce graduates who are committed to being active, involved citizens in their communities. WKU is one of 229 participating state colleges and universities and has been a part of ADP since its inception in 2003.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Doug McElroy or Alecea Davis at (270) 745-2296.
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