During the first semester of my Freshman year at University of Cincinnati I participated in the honors seminar Exploring Community Engagement. The course was led by Jessica King and she facilitated the discussion of the truths about community within our class. I was one of sixteen students enrolled in the course and each of us brought new perspectives to light regarding community. The first few meetings of the course were conducted in the classroom and were centered around discussing our raw opinions about how communities function and how to define them. The writings of such authors like Peter Block and J. John Palen were incorporated into discussion and used to gain understanding and insight on the definition of community before going into the surrounding areas of Cincinnati. Also, prior to class each week I answered the thoughtful questions posed by the course leader on a blog I set up on WordPress. After each class meeting I reflected on what we completed that week and what I learned.
Going into the semester I really felt a desire to jump headfirst into the Honors program by signing up for an Honors Seminar. Community Engagement seemed like a relevant enough topic for me, considering my involvement with various community groups and volunteering hours. Although there was no direct volunteer service embedded into the course syllabus, the potential for growth and service was always there. During one week we visited WordPlay, where children from around the Northside area can go to learn and be tutored in a safe environment. WordPlay is in need of tutors and mentors and they were more than happy to have any of the class members volunteer. However, what I think impacted me the most about my experience in Exploring Community Engagement was seeing how different communities can be yet still thrive. By visiting various parts of Cincinnati, from Over-the-Rhine to Northside to Walnut Hills I saw how there is no single community recipe. A healthy community doesn't need a specific number of people or percentage of volunteers, but an active group of members to pursue interconnections between people.
This experience truly built on my previous volunteering and community involvement because I can better focus on the positives of a community for its edification. I've been involved with LifeForward, previously known as the Pregnancy Care Center of Cincinnati, for approximately 6 years. I will continue giving my time because I know how large an impact even a single organization can have on the community.
Attached below is my final paper for the Exploring Community Engagement course. It details my development over the semester as well as my own project targeting community engagement that I personally crafted and carried out.
Going into the semester I really felt a desire to jump headfirst into the Honors program by signing up for an Honors Seminar. Community Engagement seemed like a relevant enough topic for me, considering my involvement with various community groups and volunteering hours. Although there was no direct volunteer service embedded into the course syllabus, the potential for growth and service was always there. During one week we visited WordPlay, where children from around the Northside area can go to learn and be tutored in a safe environment. WordPlay is in need of tutors and mentors and they were more than happy to have any of the class members volunteer. However, what I think impacted me the most about my experience in Exploring Community Engagement was seeing how different communities can be yet still thrive. By visiting various parts of Cincinnati, from Over-the-Rhine to Northside to Walnut Hills I saw how there is no single community recipe. A healthy community doesn't need a specific number of people or percentage of volunteers, but an active group of members to pursue interconnections between people.
This experience truly built on my previous volunteering and community involvement because I can better focus on the positives of a community for its edification. I've been involved with LifeForward, previously known as the Pregnancy Care Center of Cincinnati, for approximately 6 years. I will continue giving my time because I know how large an impact even a single organization can have on the community.
Attached below is my final paper for the Exploring Community Engagement course. It details my development over the semester as well as my own project targeting community engagement that I personally crafted and carried out.
exploring_community_engagement_final_paper.docx | |
File Size: | 26 kb |
File Type: | docx |