Introduction

Don’t be afraid to really embrace your project and do what you can with it. The
more you invest in it, the more you will get out of it. Chances are, no matter what,
you’re going to change something for the better. Brian Simons ‘14

Public Discourse is a significant endeavor. By learning, applying, and honing skills in the
community, you will develop writing, oral communication, critical thinking, argument, problem
solving, and research skills. At the end of the semester, your resultant project will provide a
sense of pride and accomplishment as well as a meaningful indicator of what you are capable.
Your project and portfolio of work drawn from addressing an actual issue will enhance
applications and interviews for internships, jobs, and graduate study.

This text serves as a companion for successful completion of the course and your community
advocacy project. The text focuses on the concepts and skills of argument and public advocacy
and provides a step-by-step guide for both civic engagement and general college success. The
materials on argument, advocacy, and public speaking can and should be employed more broadly
in papers, public presentations, small group conversations, and interpersonal interactions.

Choosing a Problem

Of course, your growth in this course and your ability to use your project in future applications
and interviews depends on the project you choose. Because of the nature of the course, you will
need to make that choice quickly. The
course is designed to help you choose Choose your project intentionally—choose it as a
challenge. What you choose to do is reflective of who you
a topic. This text contains a variety of
are as a person. When you challenge yourself with a
project examples, including an project, you get so much more out of it.
epilogue of student stories. In the Valentina Muraleedharan ‘14
classroom, your instructors and peers
will provide examples and feedback on proposed problems. Public Discourse Night, a student-
led panel in the first week of the semester, also presents an opportunity to learn from previous
students and ask them questions to help guide your choice and your project as a whole.

As you choose your project, challenge yourself. Take on a project that is worthy of your time,
will make a real difference in the community, and will result in a significant and meaningful
experience that you can talk about in interviews and application letters. Choose something that is
actually a problem and has not been or is not being fully addressed by another individual or
group at this time. Choosing an “easy” problem or one about which you are not passionate will
limit your success and growth in the course.

Consider the communities of which you are a part. Are there problems that come to mind? What
problems have you faced and what problems does the community discuss? What could be
enhanced in your community? As you envision your life beyond college, where do you see
yourself involved in the community? In those areas, identify problems you can start addressing
 Introduction 2

now in your local community. If you are unsure about relevant and appropriate problems, check
out community websites and local newspapers for ideas. Talk to community members,
particularly those who are involved in community organizations or government. What problems
do they face or see in the community? What problems are not discussed by the community and
should be? Do they know other community members who might have other ideas?

What general problems are of

interest to you? If you are concerned Don’t go for something that could be fixed. Go for
about the environment, is there a something that you want to be fixed. Find something you
are passionate about. That was my biggest motivator and
pressing environmental problem in
drive forward to complete work. Mackenzie McCann ‘15
your community? Perhaps your
community needs to increase recycling, reduce water consumption, decrease pesticide use, or
enhance green spaces. Brainstorm, be creative, and find something about which you care.

Overall, as you think about your communities and possible problems, consider what will look
more impressive on a graduate or fellowship application or to a potential employer—taking on a
campus concern or tackling a problem in your home community? Graduate schools, fellowship
competitions, and employers are flooded with applications from over-involved college graduates
with high GPAs. Choose a project that makes your application stand out.

To be successful in this course, you do not need to completely resolve a problem in one
semester, but you will need to undertake thorough research, complete extensive analysis, and
take appropriate action to attempt to address a significant problem in your community.

The Project

Readings, assignments, and exercises are designed to take you through a deliberative, systematic,
and successful process with your problem. Through that process, you will learn as much as
possible about the problem and community involved.

First, you must research thoroughly before coming to a conclusion about the problem and what
needs to be done. Certainly, when you choose your problem, you will have some idea about what
it is and what needs to happen. Hold loosely to those ideas. The research process will bring you
into contact with a variety of perspectives on the problem and introduce you to other
communities with similar problems. In that process, you may find out that your initial ideas
about the problem were incorrect or your thoughts about how to address it were inappropriate.
That’s great. Determining that you are mistaken before you state an opinion or take action is
always better than after.

Mareka was concerned about the number of strip malls in her city, a suburb of Minneapolis. She
was certain that the city needed a plan and new laws to decrease strip mall development. Before
addressing the city council, the course assignments required her to do detailed research into strip
malls and the situation in her hometown. In her research, Mareka found that her hometown was
actually a national model for city planning and zoning laws that controlled the development of
strip malls and protected downtown businesses. This information changed her project. After
 Introduction 3

researching the current situation and laws in her city and other cities, she presented to the city
council a plan for minor changes to further strengthen the existing zoning laws.

Initially as you consider problems, you will not know about causes and possible solutions and
should question what you do know until you are able to verify it with evidence. A thorough
research process will guarantee that when you do make an argument and take a stand, you will
do so as an expert who has considered all perspectives on the problem. Although some people
may not agree, they will have to respect that your stance is supported by sound research and
analysis.

Second, the course assignments provide steps that will prepare you for action in the community.
The research process and your increasing expertise will form a foundation for the other steps—
knowing the problem, being
aware of possible ways to Something that I would advise or suggest is keep talking about it.
address that problem, Talk to your roommate, talk to your friends, talk to your teacher,
talk to people, and see how they feel. Say, “Hey this is what I’m
considering the best way to
doing,” and when you talk about it more it gets you excited, it gets
address the problem in your you passionate, and it reminds you “Oh yeah this project is really
particular community, and cool.” So keep talking about it. Blia Xiong ‘13
ultimately taking action. Each
step will build upon the others, and the course materials and assignments will support that
process. By the time you take action, you will do so with expertise, confidence, and passion.

Finally, the process you use in the course is an effective method for future civic engagement as
well as for projects in college and your life beyond college. Whatever your major and whatever
you do in the world, you will need to be able to research a problem fully, understand differing
perspectives, collaborate with others, write and speak clearly and effectively, consider a number
of alternatives, choose among those alternatives, and ultimately act. The project and the learning
are exemplary of a liberal arts education. You will learn humility of knowing that you alone do
not know everything about a situation, but also gain the confidence of knowing that in any given
situation you have the skills to work with others to fully understand, carefully evaluate,
effectively advocate, and enact change.

The purpose of the course is to immerse you in a real community problem in order for you to
gain important skills that will serve you in this course, your college career, and your life beyond
college. Choose a problem that will challenge you, allow you to gain and hone these skills, and
be worthy of your effort throughout the semester.

From the beginning of the semester, it seems like such a big task that you cannot complete, but as
the semester goes on, you find people who are willing to reach out to you and are willing to help
you, and it all just comes together with your work and the work of others. Michaela Holm ‘14
 Introduction 4

As you choose your project for the semester, consider the following project guidelines. The
evaluation of every assignment will be based on the guidelines.

Project Guidelines

A successful project (one worthy of a passing grade) must meet the following guidelines. These guidelines will
be used in grading your action and final project.

1. Community-Based. The project derives from a problem in a community (not solely a personal concern).
Also, the research, the approach, and the process must be centered in the community and developed around its
concerns in coordination with community members. A thorough understanding of the problem results in insight
that leads to effective, collaborative, and sustainable solutions.

Local. Successful projects are rooted in a community of which an individual is a part and involve a problem
in which an individual is invested. Projects attempting to solve a perceived problem for another community
or group of people to which one does not belong do not meet the local requirement and violate a number of
other guidelines (community based, deliberative, and ethical).

Collaborative. The project must involve others in the community. Researching or acting alone without
involving others is not an option. Collaboration is a key communication skill and required for effective action
in any community.

Sustainable. The plan must be sustainable. A one-time event to raise money or awareness does little to
address a problem long term and may do more harm than good. Sustainability is an important test for
determining how best to address a problem.

Appropriate. The problem and the eventual plan to address that problem must be appropriate to the context
and adapted to the specific community audience. A successful project is a substantial undertaking, something
worthy of a semester-long project and of the community’s needs and support. Actual change is not a measure
of success, but taking a significant step to address the problem is required.

2. Deliberative. Perspectives from all sides of the problem, including voices not at the table or not often heard,
are essential for developing a full understanding of the problem and possible ways to address it. Solely utilizing
library research or one or two experts in the community is not sufficient to move forward with a successful
project. The problem must be fully explored to determine how it influences people throughout the community
and to develop a plan that best honors the diversity of viewpoints.

Evidence-Based. Civic advocacy must be based in the best available community-based and library research.
The description of the problem and a viable plan to address the problem must be supported by available
research. Prior to taking a stand on the problem or developing a plan to address the problem, thorough
research is imperative.

3. Ethical. Of course, all pieces of the project must be pursued ethically. Research must be accurate, be correctly
cited, and include all points of view on the problem. The action must be undertaken in a way that takes into
account other voices, particularly those not often considered. Overall, no portion of the project (research,
assignments, or action) should harm others or put anyone at risk.

Reflexive. A successful project demonstrates thoughtfulness and reflection throughout. Both failures and
successes should be acknowledged and analyzed. Failures and mistakes will happen; how they are handled is
much more important. The entire project should provide insight into personal growth and development.
 Introduction 5

Past Projects

Problem Action
Researched other communities’ responses to
Adult fitness and obesity concerns in adult fitness needs. Presented plan for fitness trail
hometown to the Park Board and helped implement it.

Collaborated with high school officials to

implement an education program on the
harms/potential consequences of underage
Party buses and under-aged consumption in drinking on party buses. Also worked with a
a local community community group and testified in front of the
Minnesota State Senate Transportation and
Public Safety Committee.

Researched ways that other schools addressed

similar issues and collaborated with a local
Achievement gap for students of color in organization to develop a plan for local middle
hometown high school and high school students. Presented the plan to
the school board.

Interviewed business owners, mayor, and local

residents to determine concerns. Coordinated
Concerns about the economic and social with local businesses and the new school to
impact of the closure of the local high create incentives for students and faculty to
school patronize local businesses in towns that lost
schools due to school consolidation.

Worked with school counselor, high school

principal, school district superintendent, and
Lack of support for GLBTQ individuals at students to start a GLBTQ support group.
a high school Coordinated with a local university to implement
teacher training on GLBTQ issues.

Discussed concerns with employees and

managers and researched local organizations that
Communication difficulties between could provide language-training support.
managers and employees who are non- Proposed plan to local and district managers, and
native English speakers. English classes were included in the orientation
process at restaurants.
 Introduction 6

Past Projects (continued)

Researched methods to address racism and

presented a plan based in inter-group dialogue to
Racist incidents and tensions at a high the principal. Worked with a local university to
school implement a program in inter-group dialogue at
the high school.

Worked with local agencies to develop a plan to

provide additional low-income housing. Met with
Lack of low-income housing in hometown the mayor and presented the plan to the city
council.

Coordinated with school and community

organizations to develop and promote a
Frustration and guilt experienced by
support/discussion group for siblings of children
siblings of children with disabilities
with disabilities.

Collaborated with police, social service agencies,

and former victims of domestic violence to
Domestic violence in a local community develop an outreach day to promote the resources
available in the community.

Presented a plan to the principal and the school

board, who both agreed to support a student-led
Bullying at a high school
bullying prevention and awareness program.

Worked with the school to develop a Latino-

Cultural barriers for Latino students and parent support group to facilitate involvement in
families in the school system teacher conferences and school meetings.

Researched a successful plan used by another

community to disinfect the beach and reduce the
Unsafe levels of E. coli in a large regional
geese population and presented it to the city
lake
council.

Presented an alternative to synthetic turf and a

Outdated and dangerous football field/track
plan to pay for it to the athletic director and
turf at hometown high school
booster club representatives.
Met with school officials and students to develop
a student group to facilitate interaction between
Social isolation of special education
special education and standard curriculum
students in a school district
students.