Whew! What a semester! Whether you have had an extremely easy semester or you just barely made it, here we are at the end. We wanted to share all the fun activities we did this semester and what to look forward to this coming semester.
The first new event we launched was Citizen Comments, which allowed our community to be closer while all of the Citizen Scholars are spread throughout the country. During the two sessions this semester, students talked about their college experience and topics they care about, whether that’s research projects, Super SmashBros, or The Good Place. Together we discussed self care and how we were doing this semester. These events were a huge success, and we are so excited for them to continue next semester.
We also had our first Citizen Scholars movie night, where students, LaDonna Croffe, and Dr. Stacia Moroski-Rigney watched 13th. We used this informative movie to discuss problems in the criminal justice system and how we could address them in the real world. Dr. Moroski-Rigney also provided an opportunity for Citizen Scholars to write to a woman in a Tennessee prison.
Another weekly event is The Community, which is an event created by intern Hayden Morgan. The Community is a writing place specifically for LGBTQ+ writers and artists who have been displaced by the pandemic. We can’t wait to see what they all write and create!
Next semester we have many exciting events planned, including the AL 491 course for first-year Citizen Scholars. First-year students will learn about the program and experience much of what it has to offer. Plus, they’ll get to know the other members of their Citizen Scholar cohort much better. We will also have more events for Citizen Scholars to build community!
We are so excited to continue to learn and grow with our Citizen Scholars next semester. While going to school online may not be optimal, it does present a new challenge and opportunity for our students to answer the call to serve in their community. Citizen Scholars will continue to exceed expectations and create a world more like the one they want to see.