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Speakers, candidate forums highlight democracy in action
September 9, 2004 | |||||
KOKOMO, Ind.—Two candidate forums, six presentations on U.S. political and social issues, and an exhibit of presidential campaign memorabilia put the democratic process front and center at IU Kokomo this fall. All events are free and open to the public.
Presented under the series title, “Building Character, Building Community,” the activities are coordinated by IU Kokomo students, faculty and staff as part of the campus’ American Democracy Project (ADP). (See calendar below for times and locations.) More than 150 U.S. college campuses, including all eight Indiana University campuses, are participating in ADP. The project aims at encouraging undergraduates to explore civic activities vital to the life of a democracy, such as voting, volunteerism and advocacy of social justice. “ADP is not about campaigning for one political viewpoint or another,” said Coordinator of Programming and Applied Learning Aimee Sadler. “We want to institutionalize how a university introduces democratic principles and civic engagement, so students can knowledgeably make up their own minds. We’re bringing in speakers who will work with our students to build fact-gathering and organizational skills that students need both as professionals and as responsible citizens. That’s value-added education.” The “Building Character, Building Community” events tie directly to many IU Kokomo classes, such as the methods course for future social studies teachers taught by Professor of Education Margo Sorgman, Ed.D. “These events show ways of becoming conscious of national issues and how to present them as teachers,” said Sorgman. “There are multiple points of entry for faculty to make ties to class content,” said Assistant Professor of Political Science Todd Bradley, Ph.D., who co-chairs the campus’ ADP committee with Sadler. National perspectives will be provided by guests lecturers Robert Schmuhl, Ph.D., speaking September 22 on “The Splendid Misery of the American Presidency,” and Carlos Cortés, Ph.D., addressing “How the Media Teaches About Diversity” on October 19. Professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame and director of its John W. Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy, Robert Schmuhl is a respected teacher and author on the subjects of American communications, political culture, and contemporary national affairs. He is a frequent contributing writer for such publications as Commonweal, USA Today and the Washington Post, and a commentator on CNN, NPR and the BBC. Drawing from his first-hand experiences and scholarly observations, Professor Emeritus of History for the University of California Riverside Carlos E. Cortés, Ph.D., has written and spoken widely on the growth of the multicultural education movement in the United states from the 1960s to the present. Cortés has consulted on the issue with government agencies, school systems, and media outlets, including Nickelodeon’s cartoon series “Dora the Explorer.” For more information on any program, contact Aimee Sadler at (765) 455-9203, aesadler@iuk.edu, or Todd Bradley at (765) 455-9538, mtbradle@iuk.edu. Weekday guests to campus who do not have an IU Kokomo parking pass are asked to park in the lower level of the parking garage, located on the south end of campus. Parking is free.
Building Character. Building Communities.
September 22
September 27–30
October 1–November 7
October 6
October 12
October 13
October 19
October 20
October 27
November 2
November 19
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