Wesleyan University. Diverse institution. Idyllic, open campus. Intellectual, open-minded, compassionate students. Authentic activism.
Wesleyan University. Pretentious institution. Impenetrable bubble. Elitist, wealthy, ultra-liberal students. Performative activism.
What comes to mind when you think of Wesleyan?
While these two portraits of Wes hang on opposite ends of the spectrum, it’s important to acknowledge that there is a spectrum. The internal and external perceptions of the University vary across different points on the spectrum.
In my position as the Allbritton Center’s Civic Engagement Fellow, I continuously reflect on the university-community relations between Wesleyan and Middletown. What do local residents think of us? What do students know about our neighboring communities? There are Middletown residents who judge Wesleyan based on the numerous times they’ve been cut off by student pedestrians in the middle of the road. There are Wesleyan students whose extent of interaction with Middletown is Thursday bar night. Whatever the case may be, the process of community-making (or breaking) and the formation of community relationships can germinate in the most superficial cross-interactions. While community engagement begins with the daily interactions between two communities, it develops through conscious and meaningful collaborations.
The Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life is the hub of civic engagement on campus. The Allbritton Center houses the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships (JCCP), Center for Prison Education, Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Center for the Study of Public Life (CSPL) faculty and courses, and Community-Engaged Learning (formerly known as the Office of Community Service). Although located outside of Allbritton, the Sustainability Office, University Network of Human Rights, and WESU 88.1FM Radio fall under the umbrella of Allbritton’s civic engagement endeavors.
So, what is community engagement? Sonali Chakravarti, the current Interim Director of the Center, defines civic engagement in the context of community building and solidarity.
She believes, “Many of us feel special connections to our friends and family, but civic engagement is about the connections we are forging with neighbors and fellow citizens. These connections are sometimes difficult to make, it is often easier to focus on the people and topics that are closer to us, but, to my mind, the project of civic life is about risking comfort to achieve goals with others, both of solidarity and shared resources, that would be impossible to achieve alone.” Community engagement recognizes our shared humanity and emphasizes collective action. To be engaged civically means to stand in solidarity with community members. There are a myriad of ways students can engage with community. Students may volunteer with one of the JCCP’s local tutoring programs, launch a new internationally-based social venture with support from the Patricelli Center, or work on an environmental justice initiative with the Sustainability Office. No matter how students choose to engage, they should ask themselves why they are engaging and consider how they can engage meaningfully.
The Cardinal Community Commitment defines the Allbritton Center’s philosophy of civic engagement using four principles: (1) learn and recognize the assets and needs of the community, (2) practice ongoing self-reflection, (3) embrace a spirit of humility, and (4) be an adaptable and willing collaborator. Let’s explore each principle. First, an asset-based approach is essential to understanding the resources that already exist within the community. It is important for us to acknowledge the strengths of the communities we work with. Phrases such as “community service” and “service-learning” are grounded in a deficit-based perspective of community. When you focus on the deficiencies of communities, you disempower them. “Community service” centralizes the external partners who enter communities with the goal of “providing services.” The emphasis is on the needs of communities. On the other hand, “community engagement” centralizes mutual collaboration and reframes the idea of service. As members of an institution of power and privilege, we should adopt the perspective that we are not offering services; instead, we are sharing our resources.
The recent name change of the Office of Community Service exemplifies this ethos of community engagement. The office’s new official name is Community-Engaged Learning. Amy Grillo, the current director and Associate Professor of the Practice in the Allbritton Center (among other titles), spearheaded this change. I have had the pleasure of working with Amy as a TA and taking her courses in Education Studies. Her teaching and wisdom have fundamentally influenced my professional and personal growth as a community collaborator. Amy’s thoughtful decision to centralize a community-centered approach to community building not only showcases that we have more learning and unlearning to do; it embodies the spirit of the Cardinal Community Commitment and pushes the Allbritton Center in the right direction.
Let’s return to the second principle of the Cardinal Community Commitment—to practice ongoing self-reflection. The purpose of self-reflection is to question the intentions and goals of your work and to critically analyze your social positionality in the context of the community you are working with. The third principle, embrace a spirit of humility, asks students to trust the wisdom and strengths of the community. Students should expect to learn from community members and be open to criticism. We are not experts or heroes. Instead, we should be flexible and collaborative partners. Similarly, the last principle of the Cardinal Community Commitment is to be an adaptable and willing collaborator. Successful partnerships require trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision. All in all, sustainable community partnerships embrace each other’s strengths through mutual engagement and multidirectional learning.
Now, what comes to mind when I think of Wesleyan is the far-reaching and impactful work of the Allbritton Center. During my undergraduate years, Allbritton was simply a pretty building to study in. When Exley and Olin were jam-packed during reading period and mid-term/finals week, I resorted to the second and third floor lounges of Allbritton. These spaces felt like my best-kept secret, as there was always an available chair or table. But that was the extent of my interaction with the Center. While I had experience with tutoring through various JCCP programs, I did not have a real sense of everything Allbritton has to offer. I didn’t know the administrative assistants, faculty, and staff who had offices there. I didn’t know about the local, national, and global initiatives that the Center supported and funded. I think it’s easy for most Wes students to have this similar experience of never really knowing what the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life truly is. I hope that by reading this, you have gained a general understanding of Allbritton’s mission and insight into the complexity and thoughtfulness of our work.
In the spirit of civic engagement, I ask you to reflect on your relationship with Middletown. I hope that you will explore Middletown (Main St. and beyond), say hello to your neighbors (especially if you live next to residents on streets like Home and Pearl), and share your time, knowledge, and love of learning with others outside of the Wes Bubble. Keep an open-mind and adopt a humble attitude as you collaborate with people from all walks of life. Remember that community members possess wisdom and knowledge that you can glean from. Lastly, I hope that you will engage meaningfully and reflectively with the community you reside in for four years.
Sincerely,
Abigail Maymi
Abigail Maymi ’22 is the Allbritton Center’s Civic Engagement Fellow. She graduated last spring and triple majored in Education Studies, Psychology, and American Studies. As Allbritton’s Fellow, Abigail collaborates with the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships, the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship, the Sustainability Office, and Community-Engaged Learning. She supports each office with community-focused projects and promotes events through multiple channels: the weekly Engage Newsletter, the Monthly Community Newsletter, the Engage Blog, Instagram, and Facebook. Her primary interests include university-community relations, youth development, and the interdisciplinary study of educational institutions. She lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts with her siblings and parents and loves watching The Office and Abbott Elementary.
Abigail Maymi can be reached at amaymi@wesleyan.edu