Citizen Scholars

In completing the Citizen Scholar credential, you will meet yearly requirements, attain competency in four theme areas, and complete eight credits of core courses and twelve credits of CS option courses. Additionally, you will participate in high-impact learning experiences such as study abroad, study away, and internships, and complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service. The experiences outlied in this badging system are the minimum baseline for achieving the credential. What we hope is that you will participate fully, confidently, and actively in events and interactions on campus, in the community, and in the wider world, through self-motivation and the desire to use your increasing skills and capabilities for the benefit of our local and global communities.

The 4 theme areas are:

Global Leadership -- encourages and tracks participation in cultural activities, policy discussions, and engagement with issues affecting social, political, and economic conditions across regional, national, and cultural boundaries; supports understanding of the effects of political, economic, cultural, and social decisions and policies; initiates assessment of significant social issues, instigates the search for viable solutions.

Professional Networking -- supports active engagement with public professionals and the development of skills necessary for professional life in fields related to the arts and humanities; provides opportunities to establish a broad professional network and practice in the exercise of effective networking strategies and techniques.

Research and Creative Activity -- fosters participation in and original scholarly/artistic contributions to democratic discourse, collaborative engagement with social and cultural challenges, and the connection between academic and civic concerns. Supports the shift from classroom to community, and the opportunity to understand, analyze, and increase public awareness of significant social challenges.

Civic Engagement -- demonstrates significant participation in and contributions to MSU, local, regional, national, and global communities relating to social justice and participatory democracy. Provides training and experience in supporting efforts to increase inclusiveness and equity in a range of social contexts.

In completing these requirements, students build the competencies, skill, knowledge base, and understanding to move effectively outward into and successfully participate within complex social, political, and employment contexts.