ADP promotes civic engagement
With loads on the average student’s plate, staying in the know can be quite difficult. Luckily for Georgia College, the American Democracy Project articulates issues the campus needs to know about.
The American Democracy Project, christened in 2003, was founded by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The ADP operated primarily around the principles of civic responsibility and knowledge. Naturally, the fervor for such duties cascaded onto the student body. As of 2007, the ADP has been a Registered Student Organization. Students taking part has certainly added popularity to the ADP and its cause.
“Over the past five years, the ADP has been involved in planning and implementing over 350 events with more than 20,000 audience participation hours,” Greg Kaufman, instructor and coordinator of ADP, said.
At the commencement of every semester, the ADP members gather to create the initiative for the next four months. A number of events took place this past semester, including forums on health care and the recent elections. This past year the ADP assisted, along with other GCSU departments, in the annual completion of the 2009 Baldwin County Georgia Voter’s Directory. This is crucial to students and locals of voting age to contribute their civic duty.
In addition to these events, the non-partisan ADP sets time aside on a weekly basis to facilitate Times Talk. This is a discussion-based weekly meeting that takes place between the ADP staff and students. During this meeting, the attendees along with mediators debate a topic of choice from The New York Times, which is an ADP contribution to GCSU. After hosting these activities, the ADP continues to put on their staple events.
“This past semester, we were lucky enough to work with the Young Democrats as well as the College Republicans. Working with both gives us a more balanced picture,” ADP Student President Rachel Stephens said. “With that, we were able to host the Financial Literacy Fair and create the Free Speech Board,” Stephens said.
The Free Speech Board has stirred up the average GCSU student’s interests. Across the campus, students are participating in public debate by writing whatever they please on the boards. This captures the essence the ADP’s fundamental purpose in getting the word out.
“If I had to put our mission statement into my own words, it would be that the American Democracy Project is to help promote civic engagement on the GCSU campus. Also, it is our job to enlighten the students of what is going on,” Stephens said. “We try to do anything and everything to get the word out.”
On Dec. 14, the ADP and corresponding GCSU departments are convening to discuss what the American Democracy Project should tackle during the spring of 2010. According to ADP literature about future endeavors and a comment made by President Rachel Stephens the consensus is that the sky is the only limit for the American Democracy Project.
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