From Classroom to Community: An Assessment and Potential Implications of an Undergraduate Civic Engagement Research and Learning Program

Abstract

Civic education in undergraduate institutions is of vital importance to the civic health of society, but faculty often find it difficult to incorporate civic components into existing courses and lack the resources to incorporate civic outreach into their curriculum. As a result, research has shown that time spend on civic engagement is limited. Additionally, civic engagement is rarely discussed, much less encouraged, outside of political science or other social science classes. In this article, we assess the outcomes of a unique co-curricular civic engagement research and learning program in which undergraduate students are required to work with an external partner, usually a municipal agency or nonprofit, to complete an independent research project. Using quantitative and qualitative student evaluations, we find that students had an overwhelmingly positive experience with the program. They especially appreciated the opportunity to work on “real world” issues in an interdisciplinary setting. They also expressed a desire for a longer program that extended beyond a single semester. We discuss the potential implications of these findings.

Keywords:

• Civic education
• civic engagement
• service learning

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Matt Lamb

Matt Lamb, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University. His research interests include American politics, election administration, Latinx politics, and civic engagement.

Steven Perry

Steven Perry, Ph.D. is a Lecturer in Data Visualization in the Program in Writing and Communication at Rice University. His research interests include political decision-making, political psychology, and effective data communication.

Alan Steinberg

Alan Steinberg, Ph.D. is a former university administrator and the President/CEO of the West Houston Association. His interests include civic engagement, advocacy, and civic leadership.