A Proposal for Mandatory Citizen Education and Community Service

Historically, higher education has cast training in citizenship as part of its mission. In this paper, the author discusses the rejuvenation of the campus community service movement in the context of its potential to explore the meaning of citizenship in a democracy. He argues that civic education ought to be an integral part of a liberal education, and that community service holds much promise for preparing students for their role as citizens. A program model from Rutgers University illustrates how service and citizen education can be effectively tied to the academic curriculum