ALAMOSA – The Civic Engagement program, a new one to Adams State University, aims to help students gain experience outside of the classroom or “world experience” as Katherine Lewis, assistant director of Civic Engagement and Career Services, would say. The program is in its infancy right now and is being designed to be highly individualized so that anyone pursuing any major could participate in and broaden their horizons.

“Place-based Learning could be another name for the program as it is not only about working with the community and gaining experience and exposure outside of the classroom, but also takes what you learn in the classroom and puts it into practice to solve real community based problems. For example, you could be organizing and participating in a voter registration campaign, working on a community research project like studying water samples in conjunction with the San Luis Valley Eco System Council, or assisting in any local project,” Lewis said. “It is a way to learn through engagement with the community.”

The program is designed as hands-on experience, which will assist students when they enter the job market after graduation from Adams State. “Employers are finding that recent college graduates lack outside the classroom skills that are required in many jobs today,” Lewis added. “Many of the skills that college students are lacking, such as critical thinking, problem solving skills, attention to detail and communication skills are the skills the Civic Engagement program hopes to develop.”

For more information about the Civic Engagement program contact Lewis at 719-587-8300.