Page 350 - Keys to College Success

get practical

ACT AS A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN OF A COMMUNITY

Complete the following on paper or in digital format.

First, generate a list of communities to which you belong. This includes but is not limited to your family, cultural, neigh-
borhood, religious, spiritual, educational, organizational, and social communities.

Next, if there are any ways in which you have already helped any of these communities through volunteer service,
service-learning, internship, or employment, list them.

Finally, plan to carry out your obligation as a local and global citizen—to make things better in some way—in one
community from your list. You may plan to continue service you have performed in the past, or you may decide to do
something totally new.

1. Name the community you will focus on.
2. Describe your goal for how to make things better.
3. Next, identify:
a. A specific action or set of actions
b. A date on which, or by which, you intend to accomplish action(s)
c. A person with whom you can partner to check on you to make sure you have taken action
d. A list of potential issues requiring cultural awareness and competence that could arise from this experience
(differences in values or ethics, gender roles, family interactions, and so on)

4. Take practical action. Write down your goal and action(s) in a calendar. Communicate with the person who will
check on you. Then carry out your plan.
5. Evaluate the experience afterward. Write a paragraph or two that answers the following questions: Did you accom-
plish your goals? How did you feel? Would you take action again in a similar way? Would you do something differ-
ent? How will you make a difference in the future?

focus is becoming more and more problematic as the connections among all living
things grow stronger and more visible. Although global citizens should not ignore their
own needs, they should broaden their decision-making processes to consider the needs
of others in the global community. The benefit of this consideration will be shared
across the board.
When you risk your time and energy and act with an awareness of the needs of
others, your actions can bring rewards for the community. For example:
■ Reusing water bottles means fewer plastic bottles in bodies of water all over
the globe, resulting in less money spent on cleanup and greater survival of
marine life
■ Tutoring a foreign student in English helps improve his chances for success at
school and at work, making it more likely that he will earn a steady income, Thriving in a Diverse Global Community
which can in turn improve the lives of his family members
■ Donating to an organization working to prevent HIV infection in southern Africa
helps to improves the health of citizens there, allowing those countries to allocate
more resources for the growth and development of industry and education

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