The descriptions below highlight the academic civic engagement component of each class. Please check the Academic Catalog for complete course descriptions and prerequisites.
American Conversation
AMCON 201 American Conversation- Remaking America: 1865-1945
Eric Fure-Slocum and Judy Kutulas
Students will explore immigration, migration and ethnicity in the early-20th-Century U.S. by examining the impact of immigration and migration in local classrooms during that time period. Working with the Northfield Historical Society, students will develop a curriculum with primary sources that could be used by teachers and students in local schools.
GE
GE 111 Eco-Logic: Consumption and its Consequences
Susannah Shmurak
As part of their final research projects, first-year students enrolled in an environmentally-focused writing seminar at St. Olaf will researched possible actions St. Dominic’s School might take to make their operations more environmentally-friendly and heighten their students’ awareness and understanding of environmental issues. St. Olaf student groups developed classroom activities and presented to students in six different classrooms and to school administrators on the topics of food, waste and energy.
Article: Eco-Logic class takes lessons into community
ECONOMICS
ECON 242 Environmental Economics
Rebecca Judge
The cap-and-trade carbon emissions bill that has recently passed the House of Representatives (H.R.2454 – American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009) will be considered by the Senate this fall. All students enrolled in Econ 242 will be required to provide a critical economic analysis of the act, and to summarize this analysis in a two-page letter to their senators urging whatever action is indicated as a result of their research, basing their arguments on the research. This expression of public scholarship will required.
ECON 232 Environmental Policy & Regulation
Rebecca Judge
Students will be required to analyze and provide comments on both a bill before Congress and a proposed rule under consideration by the EPA. These comments will be entered into the public record. This expression of public scholarship will required and individual. The web site, www.regulation.gov will serve as a resource informing students of both the proposed rules and their comment periods.
Education
EDUC 246 English Language Learners
Heather Campbell
A small group of students from the class will likely participate in conversation groups with Somali women in Faribault in partnership with Rice County Growing Up Healthy.
Independent Study
IS 216 Ideals to Action: Cultivating Social Change
Eric Fure-Slocum
Students will explore social change academically and practically. Students will work on “social change projects” for various community organizations. Specifically, students will be required to create plans for developing, improving, implementing or marketing a program or initiative that would help to foster social change.
Project Titles and Descriptions
Management
MGMT 250 Marketing
Sian Muir
Student teams will develop marketing plans for one major product (or service) for various local for profit and nonprofit organizations. Students will present their recommendations to the community partners at the end of the semester. Students will also complete “Branding Northfield” assignments in collaboration with the Northfield Economic Development Authority and the Northfield Enterprise Center.
Psychology
PSYCH 125 Principles of Psychology
Gary Muir
Introductory psychology students in small groups present some aspect of the course material to local elementary school classes. The project challenges undergraduate students to demonstrate the deep level of understanding required to be able to flexibly communicate the presentation material in an age-appropriate manner to kindergarten through fifth grade students.
Social Work
SW 254 Inclusive Practice with Individuals and Families
Naurine Lennox
Each student in the class will meet with persons at the Northfield Retirement Center that they do not know and engaged in conversation, learned about nursing home/care center, and told a short personal story to engender a reciprocal story from their “partner” elder. Students will participate in a training with Story Circles International and will reflect on their experiences in class.
Sociology and Anthropology
SOAN 260 Marriage and the Family
Ryan Sheppard
Students will explore different facets of family violence in partnership with the HOPE Center and will produce educational materials that the organization can utilize with its clients.