Watch out, Boston College. There’s a new student group on campus and it wants YOU! Her Campus BC had the opportunity to speak with Louise Newman, one of the students responsible for expanding Generation Citizen at Boston College. She told us a bit about the organization that aims to empower young people to become engaged and effective citizens in society.
What was the inspiration behind Generation Citizen?
Generation Citizen is a national organization founded during the fall of 2008 by Scott Warren and Anna Ninan while they studied at Brown University. They developed the program after realizing that many local high school and middle school students were uninformed about their local governments and did not have the tools they needed to address problems in their neighborhoods or at school. Generation Citizen uses an action-based program to teach local high school and middle school classes how to make positive changes in their communities.
What is Generation Citizen’s role on and off campus?
College students act as “democracy coaches” and lead the students in a project that combats a problem in their neighborhood. Generation Citizen is a newly recognized community service organization at Boston College. As democracy coaches, BC students spend an hour twice a week leading a class at a local school. It is extremely rewarding and an excellent leadership experience.
Why should students join Generation Citizen?
It offers any BC student the chance to be a teacher and a mentor and it can adapt to every schedule. GC is an opportunity to get involved with and improve the Boston community. At BC, we’re all leaders. GC allows students to take their leadership skills and instill them in a younger generation.
What is the best part of being a part of Generation Citizen?
Watching young students realize that they have voices and the ability to make a difference!
Where can we find out more information about Generation Citizen?
You can apply to be a BC democracy coach here. And be sure to check out our Facebook page here.