by Payton Bell

Civic Engagement Ambassador Shaniah Taylor hosted a week of civic action at Greensboro College. This week had three events for students and faculty to get involved with, all to learn more about local resources and different ways to get engaged with the community.

 The week began with Dialogue Day which meant to teach students how to have difficult conversations about advocacy and discuss difficult subjects such as immigration, the environment and homelessness. The second event, the Civic Action Fair, benefited not only  Greensboro College but also local organizations such as Reading Connections and Backpack Beginnings. The last event was Planning a Civic Project where students got together to plan a donation-based event.

The Collegian asked Taylor how she thinks these activities will influence students’ future civic engagement. Her response was, “It allows students to learn more about civic engagement and organizations, which is important because I think a lack of knowledge is half of the reason that society does not know how to take the first step to become civically engaged. That is why I connected with people directly and educated people on how to advocate for these issues that people care about.”

With the first event of the week, students were able to discuss sensitive topics happening in society right now. Taylor’s objective with this event was, through the creation of a judgement-free zone, to teach students how to handle difficult conversations and inform them about the importance of having these conversations in the first place.

The Civic Action Fair was a great way for local organizations to reach out to college students and provide them with resources or volunteer opportunities. When asked how the community organizations felt about their participation, Taylor said, “Many organizations were excited for this opportunity and offered to come by again. They were happy to get out and spread the word on what their organizations offer. It was also interesting seeing the organizations talking amongst one another how their organizations could possibly work together.” With the school year winding down and students having to find different engagement opportunities, this fair was a great tool for students to engage with the community and learn about volunteer opportunities for the summer.

The last event’s, Plan a Civic Event, essential purpose was to give people the opportunity to take action. This event was unique particularly because it allowed students to have control on how the civic donation drive goes. This event provided skills of creativity when designing donation boxes, the time it takes on what items are being selected and making promotional material.

The Collegian asked Xypher Pino, the head of the Civic Leadership Program, about his thoughts on Civic Action Week. He said, “The idea behind the week was amazing. Shaniah and I knew coming in that planning this set of events tailored to a niche audience would be the main problem, which was evident throughout the week. Nonetheless, I am really proud of her for what she did during that week and for educating many students.”

Many events that the Civic Leadership Program did for the 2024-2025 school year are planned to be done again for 2025-2026 school year. Pino added, “I am looking forward to improving Civic Action Week for next year and working with Taylor further to find more ways to improve, whether we do that by improving the promotion of the event or changing specific details about the events. Overall, her project was still great and definitely something to look forward to next year.”

Once the fair closed, many students and faculty saw a difference when leaving the Alumni Dining Room. Incorporating different organizations on and off campus allowed students to reach out and ask questions. Giving students the chance to sign up for clubs and non-profit organizations on campus that give back to the community in different ways.

Civic Action Week provided a thorough week of civic education and opportunities for involvement. Without a doubt, students walked out of the events feeling more knowledgeable about their civic identity and much more confident to start a civic life. Thank you to Shaniah Taylor and the Civic Leadership Program for this amazing week.