Schedule
Active Citizens Conference February 22, 2025
The Conference will begin and end in Tucker Hall Theatre (127A).
10:00-10:30 Welcome Session
10:40 - 11:00 Dialogue
11:10-12:00 Session I Workshops
Where Are You on the Community Collaborator Continuum?James Madison UniversityRoom 220 The community collaborator continuum helps students understand and deepen their connection to community. Learn how JMU alternative break student leaders utilize reflection on the continuum for their own growth and to encourage the development of student participants. You’ll have an opportunity to consider your own place on the continuum and actions you can take strengthen your civic identity.
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Building Civic Identity Through Student-Led Service ProjectsUniversity of Mary WashingtonRoom 221 COAR (Community Outreach and Resources) is a student-run organization that works to build relationships between University of Mary Washington students and the local community through community-engaged service. Learn about the unique qualities of a student-led service organization and how participating in student-led experiential learning, contributes to the development of a civic identity. We will explore the idea of the Civic Minded Graduate and civic identity formation, and you’ll get to evaluate your own civic-mindedness. |
Better Prepared: Identifying and Addressing Volunteer Training GapsGeorge Washington UniversityRoom 222 Learn how to identify gaps in volunteer preparation related to community-engaged work and then design training in conjunction with community partners and university staff to address those gaps. Participants who are equipped to meet the needs of community partners are more likely to develop reciprocal and sustainable relationships with those organizations, ultimately training the next group of student leaders. |
12:00-12:40 Lunch
12:45-1:00 Critical Reflection
1:05 -1:55 Session II Workshops
For Students, by Students: Forwarding Your Civic Identity as an UndergradShenandoah UniversityRoom 220 Attend this interactive small-group session to learn from Shenandoah University students about the roles of voter engagement, volunteer, and dialogue within their student-led center. Student leaders will also coach you through an action-planning session to brainstorm events for you to take back to your own campus. This session will help you make connections and plans to develop your civic identity and forward social change. |
Mobilizing a Generation: National Service and Civic IdentityServe VirginiaRoom 221 Hear from current AmeriCorps service members about how national service develops civic identity. You’ll also learn about the various AmeriCorps opportunities and explore your own service experiences connected to broader themes. |
Authentic Hope as a Civic Skill for ChangeGeorge Washington UniversityRoom 222 Join us for this interactive workshop as we dive into how we build hope within ourselves and our communities, and why Authentic Hope is a critical skill for social change and building an inclusive democracy. In this discussion-based session, we’ll explore a model of Authentic Hope and its components, factors that can undermine it, and how we can build Authentic Hope in ourselves, our peers, and our communities as an essential component of civic identity. |
2:00-2:50 Session III Workshops
Language, Identity, and Community: Washington & Lee’s ESOL ProgramWashington & LeeRoom 220 Learn about the work of Washington & Lee’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program with a mission to facilitate communication among the diverse language communities, fostering multilingualism and equity. The ESOL program strives to balance English language education while maintaining the dignity of native Spanish speakers. Hear from volunteers about the strategies they use and that you can apply in your own social change efforts. |
Campus Voter Engagement Roundtable
Campus Vote ProjectRoom 221 Join us to brainstorm ideas to keep the momentum around elections from 2024 into 2025. We will be hosting a guided discussion with other innovative, engaged student leaders about what works and what doesn’t when trying to register and turn out other student voters. This is intended for students of all levels of engagement experience, as it will be collaborative with the hopes of building connections across campuses.
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Be The ChangeGeorge Mason UniversityRoom 222 View conflicts from new perspectives and take actionable steps toward meaningful change. Through engaging activities, you will explore connections between yourself and others, learn to define achievable goals, and develop strategies for addressing personal and societal challenges. By the end, you will leave empowered to "be the change" in your communities and daily lives. |
2:55-3:30 p.m. Closing Reflections - Tucker 127a