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ADP in the News | March 15, 2017 Edition

ADP in the News is a compilation of brief updates about American Democracy Project (ADP) activities at participating colleges and universities and is a semi-regular news feature on our blog. Below you will find the latest edition of this series.

If you have an ADP event you’d like posted in this format, please email adp@aascu.org.

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IUSB’s ADP hosts Forums Designed to Help Identify ‘Fake News’

IUSB’s ADP along with St. Joseph County Public Library is hosting a Civic Leadership Academy over six consecutive Wednesdays starting March 22nd. Events are free and open to the public and speakers will include academics, political advisers, journalists, activists and politicians. Find more information, including specific topics here.

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Georgia College ADP Events

Every Wednesday at noon, the Georgia College ADP organizes a Times Talk and the fist one of every month focuses on issues of diversity, equality and inclusion. On March 15,  the talk is: Africa, Europe and Genocide: The German Genocide in Namibia and the Case for Reparations” facilitated by Dr. Aran MacKinnon and hosted by Dr. Jan Hoffman-Clark. The source article is “Germany Grapples With Its African Genocide,” and the link can be found here. Join the conversation via Twitter using #gctimestalk. Learn more here.

“How to Become an Engaged Citizen” was a brown bag discussion in the campus Black Box Theatre on Feb. 21, 2017 led by guest speakers: Dr. Jan Clark, associate professor of rhetoric; Dr. Stephanie McClure, professor of sociology and Andrew Robinson, president of the American Democracy Project at Georgia College. The discussion contextualized the Theatre and Dance Department production of “Green Day’s American Idiot.” Learn more here.

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UNK Students Present Civic Projects

University of Nebraska at Kearney students will present their civic engagement projects during UNK Talks in early April. UNK Talks are organized by UNK ADP and are inspired by TED Talks. Learn more here.

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AP Quotes MTSU ADP Campus Coordinator and Former Student

Middle Tennessee State University’s ADP Campus Coordinator Mary Evins and former student Brendon Holloway are quoted in an ADP News Brief on “As incivicliy hits new depths, many are working to combat it.” Read more here and here.

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Illinois State University’s ADP Talk focuses on Power of Protest

A March 8th talk by Patrice McMahon focused on the power of protests and movement building. McMahon is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and presented “The Power of Partnerships: Transnational Organizations and Global Women’s Empowerment.” Learn more here.

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Ferris State ADP’s Political Engagement Project: “From Russia, with Love”

A “Trump and Putin: A Permanent Reset in U.S. – Russian Relations” event was part of the Political Engagement Project’s “Passion for the Past” series and was hosted Tuesday, Feb. 21. Elena Gavrilova and Olga Zinnurova, who are professors at Kazan Federal University, joined Ferris history professors Tracy Busch and Christian Peterson in the panel. The Russian guests had their thoughts translated by Ferris adjunct English professor Lilia Caserta. Learn more here.

ADP/TDC Economic Inequality Initiative Updates

By Amanda Adams, AASCU Civic Engagement Intern and Stockton University (N.J.) student

For more information on the joint ADP/TDC Economic Inequality Initiative, go here.

New Economic Inequality Grants
We are excited to announce that thanks to Weber State University’s (Utah) overwhelming generosity under Provost Emeritus Michael Vaughan’s leadership, we are able to offer campus mini-grants of up to $1,000 to ADP/TDC Economic Inequality (EI) participating campuses for the purpose of advancing the work of this initiative.

Applications are due by Monday, October 19, 2015 for best consideration. To apply, EI campuses must complete the following two Google forms:

• The ADP/TDC EI Campus Grant Application Form can be found here.
• The ADP/TDC EI Campus Reporting Form can be found here.

Keene State (NH) Professor Receives Award for Work on Economic Inequality Initiative
Patrick Dolenc, professor of economics, received the 2015 Barbara Burch Award for Faculty Leadership in Civic Engagement from the American Democracy Project, in part for his leadership of the ADP/TDC Economic Inequality Initiative and its Scholars group. Dolenc’s goal for his students is not for them to just graduate and get good jobs, but to care about and know how to make a difference in their communities through civic engagement, one of the many reasons he was chosen for this award. To read more about Dolenc and the impact of this award click here.

Weber State (Utah) Provost Emeritus Michael Vaughan to Study Economic Inequality’s Effect on Democracy
Under Vaughan’s leadership, Weber State University will offer a new course this fall focused on helping students understand economic inequality. A team at Weber University is working on producing educational videos that will be used to promote and circulate information on the topic. Weber State is participating in the ADP/TDC Economic Inequality Initiative and Michael Vaughan is a member of the initiative’s advisory council. Learn more here.

EI Initiative at SUNY Cortland to pose EI Questions on Democracy Wall
SUNY Cortland, an EI campus, is facilitating a community dialogue about democracy and economic inequality via a “democracy wall” — a blackboard that invites community participation by posing questions. Learn more about their efforts here.

Please see also our earlier post on the Economic Inequality and Civic Engagement Conference being held by EI and TDC campus Lone Star College – Kingwood (Texas).

MLK Day the ADP Way: 2014 MLK Day Commemorations on Campus

By Caitlin Reilly, Program Associate, American Democracy Project

We asked our campuses about how they chose to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and the results are in!  Read about how they celebrated the holiday, ADP style.

California State University of Pennsylvania held a day of service and sent two busses full of students to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial in Washington, D.C.

Jacksonville State University (Ala.) organized a series of events on the days following MLK Day.  On Tuesday, January 21, 2014 the local NAACP president, David Baker addressed students and faculty.  His talk “A Good Time to Stand Up” addressed the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s activism and its place in contemporary issues of social justice and change.  The following night, the school hosted a screening of the film, “Mine Eyes Have Seen.”

ADP at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith supported and attended the MLK Community Association Annual Recognition and Awards Banquet held on the Saturday evening preceding MLK Day.  On MLK Day, ADP hosted a campus breakfast for about 450 people, and then led them on a peace walk.  Throughout the morning, ADP registered voters.  The following Thursday, ADP held its MLK Celebration, honoring unsung heroes in visual and performing arts.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis sponsored a day of service, along with a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance.  This featured Wes More, the host of “Beyond Belief,” the Cote Brillante Presbyterian Church Men’s Chorus, a scene from the play “Mountaintop” and a performance of “A Letter to Dr. King.”

The University of Washington Bothell, along with Cascadia Community College (Wash.), organized a day of service for students in honor of MLK Day. Volunteering opportunities included clearing invasive species and planting trees in the UW Bothell and Cascadia Community College wetlands, cleaning  at senior centers or nearby neighborhoods, participating in canned food and clothes drives, writing letters to service members, attending an advocacy workshop, learning about food justice and bowling with disabled children.

How did your campus celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.?  Let us know in the comment section!

ADP in the News │ January 8th Edition

By Caitlin Reilly, Program Associate, American Democracy Project

ADP in the News is a compilation of brief updates about American Democracy Project activities at ADP colleges and universities and is a semi-regular news feature on our blog. Below you will find the latest edition of this information.

If you have an ADP event you’d like posted in this format, please email adp@aascu.org.

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JFK Honored on Campus on Anniversary of his Death

In partnership with the Hulman Memorial Student Union Board, ADP sponsored a viewing of “JFK: Three Shots that Changed America” at Indiana State University.  The documentary covers the assassination of President John F. Kennedy from the president’s final speech to the search and arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald. Read more here.

ADP partnered with University of Northern Iowa’s (UNI) history and political science departments to sponsor a daylong program in honor of the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s death.  The event featured a screening of “Remembering a Tragedy: Reflections on the 50^th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy” and a panel discussion lead by UNI professors.  Read more here.
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Indian Mascots Go on Trial at Weber State

Should college sports teams be able to use American Indians as mascots?  That was the subject of an ADP Issues trial held at Weber State University (Utah).  Attorneys argued different sides of the question, and the verdict was left to audience members to decide for themselves. Read more here.
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Political Science Professors Invite Community Members for Project on Local Issues

California State Fullerton political science professors in association with ADP held a town hall-style meeting with nearly 300 students to encourage them to be active citizens in their local communities.  The event was open to the public and allowed participants to discuss local government issues, including homelessness, local elections and transportation issues.  Read more here.
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Campus Embraces Civic Engagement through American Democracy Project

Illinois State University reflects on its 10th anniversary as a participant in the American Democracy Project. On the Illinois State campus, ADP is a joint endeavor between both the academic and student affairs departments, which some believe has allowed it to thrive there.  The interim director of Illinois State’s School of Communications, Stephen Hunt, is currently the national coordinator of ADP’s Political Engagement Project.  Read more here.
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“Heroes” Event to Feature Crystal Mercer

Crystal C. Mercer of Little Rock, daughter of legendary civil rights lawyer Christopher C. Mercer Jr., will give a dramatic performance as part of “Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Freedom in the Visual and Performing Arts” at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith (UAFS).  The event will also include a student-led panel speaking on “Finding Your Voice in the Arts” and the presentation of the Unsung Hero Award given by ADP at UAFS.  Read more here.
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ADP to Sponsor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program

In conjunction with the MLK Day of Service, ADP invited David Baker, president of the Anniston-Calhoun County Branch of the NAACP to present a talk at Jacksonville State University (Ala.).  The talk is entitled, “A Good Time to Stand Up” and will address the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King’s, Jr. activism, and how his vision and efforts are relevant to contemporary issues of social justice and change. Read more here.