Fostering Campus to Community Connections: Radford University’s Scholar Citizen Initiative from Compliance to Embodiment

In 2011, Radford University adopted the Scholar-Citizen Initiative (SCI) as the institution’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), a mandatory component of the University’s Reaffirmation of Accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS COC). The mission of the SCI is to foster students’ development of connections between their personal, professional and civic lives; and to integrate academics with meaningful co-curricular activities in the areas of volunteer service, public scholarship, community partnerships, and leadership preparation. The signature learning experiences SCI supports (for example, advising the city government on emergency preparedness, consulting with a local volunteer fire department on leadership challenges) offer opportunities for Radford to engage more deeply with the community; reflect on the evolution of their learning; develop career readiness skills employers are looking for such as critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and understanding of diversity; and conduct experiences likely to be signature to their whole Radford University campus experience. Following SACS COC’s protocol of a 5-year mandatory implementation cycle, SCI’s official role as the institution’s QEP will conclude on June 30, 2017. In anticipation of this impending milestone, the Radford team seeks to Educate ASA membership about the innovative work being conducted by Radford University students and faculty in Southwest Virginia and beyond; and, to facilitate connections and collaborations with other organizations, groups, and movements as we develop a strategic plan for transitioning SCI from an accreditation activity to an established integrative learning pathway (ILP) and diploma program