A new Central Michigan University School of Public Service and Global Citizenship seeks to bring diverse courses together in one place, giving students new opportunities to earn a certificate in a certain emphasis.
“The certificates are a grouping of courses that will make a student more competent,” said Pamela Gates, dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, where the new school is housed. “If you do business in southeast Michigan, where there’s a large Arab population, you might want to have some knowledge of that population and get a certificate in Middle East and Islamic studies.”
The cultural and global studies program is the only program of its kind in the state.
“Other Michigan universities offer international studies programs,” said David Jesuit, director of the School of Public Service and Global Citizenship. “But none offer the option of combining a certificate in area studies with the over arching interdisciplinary minor.”
The new school brings together new programs with existing programs that previously had no home. Courses of study in the new school include women and gender studies, East Asian studies, and museum studies.
“I predict Middle East and Islamic studies will be popular. It’s a great example of a course that belongs in an interdisciplinary setting,” said Jesuit. “The complex challenges of that region can’t be understood simply through political science. In order to have the most in-depth understanding of that region, you need an interdisciplinary setting.”
Jesuit envisions students who study these courses pursuing careers in business, public service, foreign service and the nonprofit sector.
“A certificate in civic engagement makes a student more valuable in the workforce,” Jesuit said. “Employers want people who can work in teams, who are engaged in their communities.”
Along the way, students in the new school can become better people, he said.
“Being a good citizen is much broader than voting on election day,” Jesuit said. “Public service, community engagement — these are the things that enrich our lives. It’s about learning to connect with your community, advocating with your community, working for justice. It helps students decide who they are on their way to being happier, healthier adults.”
