Student Benefits
- Being a part of a cohort of 10 students and collaborating across multiple Civic Impact Scholar cohorts
- Work with local organizations on community-based projects and research
- Professional development training
- A $1,500 Gateway scholarship award to support scholar work
- Work and receive $2,500 and housing for a 10-week summer internship in Meadville after the first year
- Civic Impact scholars will also be eligible for financial support if they secure a community-based project through the Gateway Network program. This will include up to $3,500 for a 10 week commitment and housing.
Student Learning and Development Outcomes
- Knowledge of the local community and its economic, educational, and political structures
- Theories of collective impact and community development
- Understanding one’s sources of identity and there influence on civic values, assumptions, and responsibilities to a wider public
- Integration of knowledge, skills, and examined values to inform actions taken in concert with other people
- Public problem solving and collaborative decision making, including deliberation and bridge-building across differences
- Written, oral, and multi-media communication skills to a diverse group of audiences
- Critical inquiry, analysis, and reasoning
- Gathering and evaluating multiple sources of evidence
Ramona Myers-Cohen ’19
Community and Justice Studies Major, Communication Arts Minor
AmeriCorps VISTA at Crawford County Drug & Alcohol Executive Commission
As an AmeriCorps VISTA member with the Crawford County Drug and Alcohol Executive Commission, Ramona Myers-Cohen ’19 has expanded her skill set while partnering to serve the community. She has learned how to manage grant funds, create materials, seek out donations, and coordinate with multiple social service agencies.
As a student, Ramona volunteered with the Allegheny Food Rescue initiative, which delivers uneaten meals from the College’s dining halls to local nonprofits, churches, and other groups. “Although my post-graduation work is not food justice-related, my involvement with Civic Engagement gave me the context, knowledge, interest, and connections to learn about the VISTA program and choose to continue on a service-oriented path,” she says.
Bennett Gould ’17
Environmental Science Major, Community & Justice Studies Minor
Stormwater Program Support Manager / GIS Manager / IT Coordinator, City of Meadville
As a Davies Community Service Leader, Bennett Gould ’17 developed outreach literature for the city of Meadville’s Stormwater Management Program. Even small changes to stormwater management in Meadville can have a big impact downstream in the ecologically significant French Creek Watershed, he says. Bennett’s experience partnering with the community as an Allegheny student helped to set the stage for his career.
“The greatest takeaway from my experience with Civic Engagement was appreciation for the Meadville community with a realization of our rich local history and promise for the future,” Bennett says. “Ultimately, this led to my pursuing a position in Meadville’s local government, where I continue to make a difference in the community I now call home.”