PACE_CENTER

Princeton faculty have a vital role to play in preparing students for active citizenship. Through teaching and mentoring as well as the example they set with their own scholarship, they serve as models for their students.

In its restatement of the Central Purposes of Princeton University, the Wythes Committee noted the importance of "the scholarship, research and teaching of its faculty" in fulfilling the University’s "informal motto: 'Princeton in the Nation's Service and in the Service of All Nations.'" The committee also noted Princeton’s "determination to continue to occupy a position of independence and leadership in ... service to society."

These are a few examples of ways faculty can convey not only academic skills but also the ability and desire to use those skills as active and contributing members of society:

The Community Based Learning Initiative (CBLI) fosters collaborative research projects and summer internship opportunities involving students and community organizations. It seeks faculty willing to participate in this hands-on approach to learning by:

• Incorporating community-based learning into the syllabi, making CBLI research projects part of their courses
  
• Sponsoring an individual CBLI independent-research project
  
• Advising senior theses or junior papers that develop from community-based learning

You can mentor a student completing a public service internship by providing guidance in developing learning goals for the experience and pursuing related course work, follow-up research, or independent work. Mentoring provides another valuable dimension to the internship, and fosters a collegial relationship between the student and faculty member. To learn more about the internships available, browse through the student internships listed in our undergraduate section. To learn more about becoming a mentor, contact the Pace Center.

Some courses directed at the social issues and concerns may be enhanced by including a civic engagement trip during a term-time break. For example, a course focused on immigration issues might benefit from a week-long trip to learn more from institutions and community groups in Miami or Los Angeles, or a seminar studying environmental issues might benefit from a week of field research. Contact the Pace Center to learn more about including a civic engagement break trip in your course.