Institute for Citizenship
Grounded in the school's mission to prepare students for a life of meaningful contribution, the St. George's Institute for Citizenship offers dynamic academic lessons and real-world learning opportunities to juniors and seniors who are selected to participate in this prestigious program. Through coursework and off-campus experiences, students grapple with what it means to be an engaged citizen both now and in the future, focusing on the regional, national, global, and environmental interplay.
Launched in 2010 and made possible, in part, by a $50,000 grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation, the St. George’s Citizenship Institute offers a distinctive curricular option to SGIS students. The Citizenship Institute is led by a director who oversees the program and teaches the classes. Students who apply and are selected participate in an intensive, two year-long course covering civic engagement, current events, and entrepreneurship. Examples of recent initiatives include the creation of a non-profit organization for food reclamation in greater Memphis; skyping with students in Southern Iraq to collaborate on the solving of geo-political issues; and a student-led citizen’s interview series focusing on the work of local leaders in the realm of ethics, globalization, and charitable activities.
A practicum of work, internship, or service in the summer between the junior and senior year is strongly recommended, and students in the program are asked to focus their Senior Independent Study project, a graduation requirement at St. George's, on some aspect of regional, national, global, or environmental citizenship.
