
English and Spanish alumnus organizes for social justice in Wooster and across the nation
Hans Johnson ’92 chose to attend The College of Wooster because the school gave him an opportunity to connect with a diverse student body […]
Do you want to change the world, but aren’t sure where to begin? Or are you already engaged in activism and want to expand your skills and knowledge? This pathway gives students room to explore the histories and theories of activism and social change movements, the skills required to organize people for social change, and knowledge of the legal, governmental, and economic systems relevant to understanding and participating in efforts to create a more just and equitable world.
Students who choose this pathway may develop knowledge and skills in many of these areas:
Finally, students on this pathway might consider careers in political organizing or campaign work, nonprofit work, or advocacy. They might thus become artists, writers, campus chaplains, politicians, civil rights lawyers, or theatre professionals. Whether you’re new to activism or already focused on specific social change goals, this pathway is adaptable to a wide range of experiences and backgrounds regarding social change and is designed to help you refine your plans for work during and after college.
Associate Professor of English; Activism & Social Change Pathway Co-Liaison (on leave 2023-24)
Henry J. Copeland Interfaith Chaplain and Director of Religious & Spiritual Life
Associate Professor of History; Global & International Studies Department Chair
Pathways Program Coordinator, Global Engagement Office Administrative Coordinator
Hans Johnson ’92 chose to attend The College of Wooster because the school gave him an opportunity to connect with a diverse student body […]
Chantel Massey ’13 has always been a writer and a lover of poetry, but she didn’t always recognize that she could turn her passion […]
The College of Wooster will welcome Reggie Harris, an acclaimed musician, storyteller, and expert on civil rights music for a performance on Wednesday, Oct. […]
Maud Bulman ’23 , an anthropology major at The College of Wooster, started volunteering with Trinity United Church of Christ during the school year. […]
Students will complete two experiences related to activism and social change. Approved experiences should have students in positions of active participation and/or leadership. These might include:
Reflections guide students to articulate meaningful connections between the skills and knowledge they are gaining and the experiences in their coursework, experiential learning opportunities and career goals.Reflections take place along five points in the pathway:
The first opportunity to reflect is when the student declares their Pathway. Responses to prompts asked at this moment establish a baseline from which student moves forward.
At this point in the process, students will explore career and internship resources offered through Career Planning in APEX. They will also craft a career-ready resume.
This reflection offers students the opportunity to connect with professionals who will guide them as they plan their experiential learning for maximum growth and impact.
This reflection takes place after the student has completed an experiential learning opportunity and asks them to consider how the work they have done connects with their pathway.
At this touchpoint, students engage with questions that help them build connections between theory and practice, their career goals, and how they plan to extend their Pathway beyond Wooster.
Students will complete four courses that meet the following descriptions:
These courses are meant to give students an introduction to legal & political perspectives related to activism & social change movements. Courses that meet this requirement will highlight the relationship between law, policy, and justice, identify dynamics of contemporary politics and public policy, and/or examine legal & political foundations of inequalities.
*Course has pre-requisite or requires instructor permission to register
These courses provide opportunities for students in this pathway to strengthen their communicative and expressive skills and imagine how those skills are vital to activism & social change movements. Courses that meet this requirement will discuss the role of communication & expression in decision-making, persuasion & argumentation, collaboration, conflict resolution, or other forms of resistance.
*Course has pre-requisite or requires instructor permission to register
These courses offer introductions to histories of social change movements and strategies for community building. Approved courses for this requirement discuss understandings of the influences of civil & human rights leaders and movements, challenges to dominant cultural and/or intellectual paradigms, and the relationships between historical foundations of contemporary social issues and ongoing forms of resistance
*Course has pre-requisite or requires instructor permission to register