College education expanded: Park University offers credited courses for citizenship engagement and community service involvement.
Park University Introduces Civic Engagement Portfolio Program
Park University, founded in 1875, has announced a new program aimed at rewarding students for their community service efforts. The Civic Engagement Portfolio program, launched in Fall 2020, offers students the opportunity to earn college credit for their civically engaged work.
The program, named CE 200, is designed to prepare students for a variety of service-oriented contexts. Upon completion, students will be able to relate practical experience to interdisciplinary and integrative thinking, and demonstrate the value of service in a global society.
Students can earn a maximum of 9 credit hours for their community service work, with each 120 hours of service equating to 3 credit hours. However, the service experiences must be from the junior year of high school and beyond, and must be within five years prior to attending Park University.
The program includes core courses such as Introduction to Leadership (CA 233) and Leadership for Civic Engagement (CA 493). Upon completion, students will provide documentation illustrating their ability to facilitate service in a wide variety of contexts, including communication, teamwork, and leadership.
The Civic Engagement Portfolio serves as a comprehensive reflection of students' civic participation and learning through real-world experiences. It complements academic studies by integrating service with learning, and prepares students for active, informed participation in society.
For students involved in community or service organizations, or those who have served on mission trips, this program offers a structured way to demonstrate their commitment to civic responsibility. The minor in citizenship and service can be completed in 18 credit hours, with the number of elective credits depending on the credit hours earned for community service.
Michelle Myers, Ed.D., the provost of Park University, stated that the program assigns quantifiable value to the experience of working in service to others. Students can find more information about the Civic Engagement Portfolio and the Citizenship and Service minor on the Park University website.
For more details about the program, students are encouraged to consult Park University's official catalog or academic advising resources. The University's Office of Admissions can be reached at (816) 746-2530, and contact information is available on the University's website.
This program, the Civic Engagement Portfolio, not only rewards students for their community service efforts but also contributes to their education-and-self-development by encouraging personal-growth through real-world experiences. The comprehensive reflection of students' civic participation serves as a testament to their commitment towards personal-growth and education-and-self-development, aligning with the University's mission of preparing students for active, informed participation in society.
