A new honor society called Honos Civicus will spotlight graduating seniors who have accomplishments in both the academic and active citizenship arenas.
The Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service is finishing up gathering applications for the society, which aims to create a bridge between student experiences in the classroom and various communities. The program's Latin name means "civic honors."
"[The society's] intention is to honor graduating seniors who have accomplished a lot in the world of civic engagement and have matched that activism or that civic engagement with their academic work," Tisch College Program Coordinator Rachel Szyman said.
Applications are due tomorrow at noon and can be found on the Tisch College's Web site.
Students who are inducted into the society will profit from networking opportunities through the Tisch College. They will also receive a pin, a certificate and an invitation to a special banquet in April.
"Benefits of the program are that students will have a way of connecting on a different level to the Tisch network," Szyman said. "It will help to build their networks and make sure that the work they have done is honored and communicated to other people."
The application requires an academic and a co-curricular résumé, as well as an essay that expresses how a class prepared the applicant for community work.
Coursework could include studies in areas ranging from public policy to theory, for example, while co-curricular activities could include participation in Engineers Without Borders or a volunteer trip to New Orleans, according to application materials.
"The core pieces are acknowledging that we know that students find many ways and things that get them inspired," said Nancy Wilson, director and associate dean of Tisch College. "It may be something they do with a sports team that gets them out into the community ... or a soil chemistry class."
The concept for the new society came from a diverse array of minds, including students, faculty and staff, over a series of discussions that began in fall 2007.
"Gradually, over these meetings, and as the different conversations went on, and the work and research about what such a society would look like was done, [they] came up with a name ... and created what the heart would look like," Szyman said.
Many members of the Tufts community contributed their thoughts, including the co-presidents of the Leonard Carmichael Society; staff from the Experimental College, the "Group of Six" and Office for Campus Life; and the staff directors of the International Relations and peace and justice studies programs, according to Wilson.
"We wanted to be sure that we didn't have such a narrow view, that we really didn't miss out on some group or another who is active," Wilson said.
This semester will serve as the society's pilot run, and administrators hope to improve and expand it in the future.
"We are looking at this to be a starting point and that the program will not only evolve and develop here at Tufts, but be brought to other campuses," Szyman said.
In the future, the program may also expand to Tufts' graduate schools.
Senior Malek Al-Chalabi applied for the society.
"I think that this honor society is a great and new innovative group that has the potential to recognize seniors that have contributed or done civic work in a variety of forms," Chalabi said. "I think it is a great program that has the potential to go far, not just at Tufts, but nationally as well."
