Engaged Citizenship
What is engaged citizenship?
An engaged citizen, through respectful discourse, will take an active role in civic
life, pursuing meaningful service to enhance local communities and society at large.
An engaged citizen advocates for policies through actions, which positively affects
communities, by embracing differences and new ideas as a lifelong learner.
Developing Engaged Citizenship
Examples could include:
- Welcomes and includes global citizenship
- Inclusive Learning Experiences: Students can participate in several different extracurricular activities throughout the year from a variety of perspectives, viewpoints and sociocultural contexts to enhance their global knowledge of the world.
- Study Abroad: Students will fully immerse themselves in new cultures, learn about different customs and traditions and develop a deeper understanding of cross-cultural dynamics through meaningful interactions and exchanges.
- Student Mentorship: Through mentorship programs, students can support incoming first-year students from a variety of backgrounds and help them acclimate to campus life.
- Respects and emphasizes the value of dignity and healthy discourse
- Networking with Diverse Stakeholders: OSU offers students several opportunities to network with industry leaders, community constituents and local citizens to develop and expand their leadership skillset.
- Community Impact Groups and Organizations: OSU has many student-led organizations focused on community impact. By joining these groups, students can participate in discussions, events and activities aimed at promoting understanding and acceptance among diverse communities on campus.
- Unique Perspectives: Exposure to different perspectives encourages students to consider various viewpoints and ethical considerations, enabling them to make decisions with integrity by prioritizing fairness, honesty and moral principles.
- Exercises service to the community
- Co-curricular Learning Opportunities: Students can select classes that incorporate a community engagement/service-learning component – applying theory to practice, learning with community stakeholders, and engaging in transformative practices to address unmet needs and real-world challenges in local, regional, national and international settings.
- Volunteer Initiatives: Students give back to society through volunteering and gain valuable experiences, new perspectives and cultivate a sense of civic responsibility that enriches their personal and professional growth.
- Community Events or Fundraisers: Students can build a sense of belonging and unity through their involvement in philanthropic efforts, designed to make a positive impact in the community.
- Maintains respectful citizen qualities in the digital sphere
- Professional Development: Students will learn how to steward and be creators of the latest digital technologies and e-communication strategies through various professional development sessions hosted by faculty and staff.
- Online Seminars: Students will learn about responsible online engagement, respectful communication and how to navigate the digital space ethically to contribute to a positive, inclusive, online community.
- Online Discussion Forums or Groups: Participating in online forums or discussion groups allows students to engage in respectful dialogue with peers, exchange ideas and practice communication skills.
Explore the competencies
In addition to engaged citizenship, learn more about each of the additional competencies
that make up the Ideal Graduate.