CIVCOM Minor
Penn State's Intercollege Minor in Civic and Community Engagement, instituted in 2004, is now offered at six campuses: University Park, Delaware County, Erie, Schuylkill, Greater Allegheny, and Beaver. The minor allows Penn State students to integrate academic and creative discovery with their interest in serving the public good through the diffusion of their work as scholars, artists, and artisans into communities beyond the classroom.
Based upon public scholarship theory and practice, the 18-credit minor distinguishes between ethical volunteerism and the complexity of learning and practicing democracy. Through courses, labs, and studios, community field work, and a capstone project, students integrate their scholarship and creativity with democratic principles of contribution to others. While the minor is an excellent conduit to careers in public service, public policy, government, the non-profit and advocacy sectors, social activism, and education, it also increases student awareness of public consequence and public accountability in intended careers in their disciplines.
Students seeking further information and/or wishing to declare the CIVCOM Minor should contact their campus CIVCOM representative listed below:
At University Park:
Dr. Mary Lou Zimmerman Munn (CAMS), Asst. Director of the Laboratory for Public Scholarship and
Democracy, Senior Advisor for CIVCOM mzm10@psu.edu
Dr. Constance Flanagan (Youth Civic Development), Co-Chair of the CIVCOM Minor cflanagan@psu.edu
At Penn State Delaware County:
Dr. Laura Guertin (Earth Sciences), Co-Chair for the CIVCOM Minor uxg3@psu.edu
At Penn State Erie:
Dr. Dawn Blasko (Psychology) dgb6@psu.edu
At Penn State Schuylkill:
Dr. Elinor Madigan (Information, Sciences, and Technology) emm17@psu.edu
At Penn State Greater Allegheny:
Dr. Kathleen Brown (Communications) ktb2@psu.edu
At Penn State Beaver:
Dr. JoAnn Chirico (Sociology) jxc64@psu.edu