The health of our democratic institutions depends on graduating students who will be civically engaged leaders. Project Pericles’ mission of developing engaged citizens continues to be critical. Our programs empower college students by giving them the tools they need to solve society’s grand challenges: Climate Change, Education Access, Immigration, Mass Incarceration, Public Health, Race and Inequality, and Voter Engagement.
A Few 2021 Highlights:
- Empowering Students–This past spring, students from campuses nationwide participated in the Project Pericles Debating for Democracy (D4D) on the Road Workshop, “Strategic Action Planning for the Win!” The workshop brought together students from Berea College, Drew University, Macalester College, Pace University, Pitzer College, Ursinus College, and Wagner College. Students focused on building campaigns around a variety of issues including LGBTQ+ rights, race & inequality, student loans, and voter suppression. Programs like D4D encourage graduating students to become civically engaged students. “I am taking away inspiration, optimism, and the desire to work with people across different areas,” stated a student from the D4D workshop.The workshop was facilitated by Beautiful Trouble, an alliance of artists, trainers, and creative campaigners who make, teach and celebrate game-changing creative activism across the globe to advance the struggle for a more just, healthy, and equitable world. The workshops were supported by The Eugene M. Lang Foundation.
- Linking Curriculum and Community–Through our innovative Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program, students at Carleton College participated in a new course, “Radio and News in Spanish” where they connected with the local Latinx Community in Northfield, MN, and discussed pressing topics including educational inequity, mental health, immigration policy, and workers’ rights. The course was taught by Periclean Faculty Leader, Palmar Álvarez-Blanco. Through 2022, Project Pericles is supporting 100 new PFLs and their courses across the humanities, STEM, and social sciences. As we look to an especially uncertain future, it is hopeful to see the potential impact that each course will have on the students, faculty, institution, community, and higher education, more generally. Students noted that the “Radio and News in Spanish” course was, “a valuable experience that entailed building bridges to break through barriers of ignorance, prejudice, stereotypes, and indifference.” The PFL Program is supported by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and The Eugene M. Lang Foundation.