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The W&M Active Citizens Conference

 

The 2025 Active Citizens Conference will be Saturday, February 22.  Our theme for the year is Civic Identity. Attendees will experience active-learning workshops, speakers, dialogues, critical reflection, and more to further their understanding of themselves as agents of positive social change.

 Conference attendees will explore:

• How does civic identity become a core part of who we are?
• How can we continually deepen our knowledge, skills, and values connected to social change?
• How does critical reflection further our understanding of ourselves as agents of social change?
• How do we build and sustain relationships with those who support and challenge our civic identity?
• How can we encourage others to understand themselves and take action as agents of positive social change?

Register by February 5

Submit a Workshop Proposal by January 13

2025 Workshops to Look Forward to:

Full workshop schedule posted in January.

single column table with example workshops

Building Civic Identity Through Student-Led Service Projects Presented University of Mary Washington Community Outreach and Resources is a student-run organization that works to build relationships between University of Mary Washington students and the local community through community-engaged service. Learn about the unique qualities of a student-led service organization and how participating in student-led experiential learning, contributes to the development of a civic identity. We will explore the idea of the Civic Minded Graduate and civic identity formation and you’ll get to evaluate your own civic-mindedness.

Mobilizing a Generation: National Service and Civic Identity Presented by Serve Virginia Hear from current AmeriCorps service members about how national service develops civic identity. You’ll also learn about the various AmeriCorps opportunities and explore your own service experiences connect to broader themes.

Language, Identity, and Community: Washington & Lee’s ESOL Program Presented by Washington & Lee Learn about the work of Washington & Lee’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program with a mission to facilitate communication among the diverse language communities, fostering multilingualism and equity. The ESOL program strives to balance English language education while maintaining the dignity of native Spanish speakers. Hear from volunteers about the strategies they use and that you can apply in your own social change efforts.

Where Are You on the Community Collaborator Continuum? Presented by James Madison University The community collaborator continuum helps students understand and deepen their connection to community. Learn how JMU alternative break student leaders utilize reflection on the continuum for their own growth and to encourage the development of student participants. You’ll have an opportunity to consider your own place on the continuum and actions you can take strengthen your civic identity.

Authentic Hope as a Civic Skill for Change Presented by George Washington University Join us for this interactive workshop as we dive into how we build hope within ourselves and our communities, and why Authentic Hope is a critical skill for social change and building an inclusive democracy. In this discussion-based session, we’ll explore a model of Authentic Hope and its components, factors that can undermine it, and how we can build Authentic Hope in ourselves, our peers, and our communities.

 

The  Active Citizens Conference

Join students from across the country to learn about  effective community engagement and contributing to positive social change.  Students, faculty/staff, and community leaders facilitate active-learning workshops on a range of civic skills, frameworks, and resources.

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