Volunteer in an
Appalachian community while earning a Master’s degree... That's
the vision that Future Generations University has been pursuing for the
past 2 years and is now excited to finally begin this fall with a small
pilot class. Working in partnership with AmeriCorps West Virginia and its
associated organizations (Volunteer West Virginia, High Rocks, and the
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area), Future Generations University will craft a
unique learning experience focused on Appalachia while building upon our proven
and tested pedagogy and curriculum...
Volunteerism can be a gateway
to higher education. In exchange for two years of community service with West
Virginia's AmeriCorps, volunteers are now eligible to receive a Master's Degree
in Applied Community Change.
“We’re so excited to share the news that Future Generations
University will leverage AmeriCorps service and the Eli Segal Education Awards
to attract and keep young talent in West Virginia,” said Heather Foster,
Executive Director of Volunteer West Virginia. “As we look to the future,
AmeriCorps provides an important opportunity to continue engaging people of all
ages in solving problems through service and volunteerism.”
In exchange for a year of service, AmeriCorps volunteers receive
an education award of $5800 per year, living-allowance of approximately $12,000,
and work experience. Future Generations University will match the Segal
AmeriCorps Education Award dollar for dollar. With a $23,200 scholarship
possible, AmeriCorps volunteers could complete the program for as little as
$1,800.
West Virginia ranks third in the Nation for
producing AmeriCorps volunteers. Each year over 1,000 individuals serve as
AmeriCorps members in the state. Many AmeriCorps volunteers serve in
their hometowns, while others come from across the country to make West Virginia
their home for the year. AmeriCorps members change lives through mentoring,
respond to disasters -like the June 2016 flooding, increase access to healthy
and local food, preserve historic properties, and many conservation activities
working with state agencies and non-profit entities alike.
“With 25 years of experience building community capacity and
preparing change agents worldwide, Future Generations University is very
excited to extend a one of a kind opportunity to our home state of West Virginia!
Through this innovative partnership with AmeriCorps West Virginia, we are
working with the most dedicated organizations and individuals to offer an
unparalleled education to communities in the greatest need,” said Luke
Taylor-Ide, Regional Academic Director for Future Generations University.
Read on for an overview of the program!
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Curriculum Overview
Introduction to Social
Change—Introduction to various schools of thought regarding community change and development, with a focus on methodologies for local,
sustainable social change.
Volunteer Management—Skills-based
course on effective recruitment, training, and management of volunteers for
project and field managers working in non-profit organizations.
Community Leadership—Exploration
of leadership styles and strategies for application in groups, organizations,
and communities, with an emphasis on leadership development.
Communications for
Community Change—Applied course that surveys various communications
platforms and practices and asks students to cultivate skills for effective and
persuasive communication.
Financial Administration
& Non-Profit Management—Organizational management skills and strategies
for making effective plans & partnerships as well as basic financial
project and program management.
Healthy People, Healthy
Communities—Examine the intersections between poverty, primary healthcare,
and community change, with a focus on finding people-based solutions using
available resources.
Community-based Natural
Resource Management—Couples natural resource management & conservation
methodologies with approaches to promoting sustainable livelihoods & local
ownership.
Advanced Seminar on
Applied Community Change—Examine the challenges and processes of scaling up
positive impact to larger regions and/or populations.
Project-based Research in Community
In order to maximize the
amount of credits associated with each member’s experiences learning by doing
while participating in AmeriCorps service, students enrollment in the MA
program will complete continuous Project-based Research (PRC) in their
host communities with direct mentorship from faculty culminating in a capstone
product that documents their individual learning in an Appalachian community.
· Students complete independently designed
projects and research in community with faculty mentorship
· Each term’s Project-based Research is showcased
in an online ePortfolio demonstrating formative learning process
· Upon completion of the program, students have a
comprehensive portfolio documenting their summative learning journey for their
graduate studies
Term 1: Graduate Study
Foundations—Establishes the conceptual principles and skills
upon which the curriculum
is built. Students discover what it means to be a self-directed learner and
master Learning Management and ePortfolio software—tools for critical thinking,
analytical inquiry, and reflective practice.
Term 2: Social Research
Methods—Demonstrate through project-based research an understanding of and
apply concepts and approaches to both quantitative and qualitative
community-based data collection and analysis.
Term 3: Monitoring &
Evaluation—Conceptual framework and practical skills for monitoring and
evaluating community-based projects, reflecting with peers on circumstances and
parameters related to the assessment of different social and development
projects.
Term 4: Synthesis & Integration—Analyze results of Project-based Research in community from both summative and formative perspectives within ePortfolio. Students are challenged to incorporate lessons learned during their MA studies with experiential-based reflection on AmeriCorps service.
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About Volunteer West
Virginia
An agency of the West
Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, Volunteer West Virginia is the
state’s Commission for National and Community Service. The agency challenges
West Virginians to strengthen their communities through service and
volunteerism by identifying and mobilizing resources, promoting an ethic of
service, and empowering communities to solve problems and improve the quality
of life for individuals and families. To learn more about AmeriCorps in West
Virginia visit http://www.volunteerwv.org.
________________________________________
Visit https://www.future.edu/programs/americorps.html to learn more about this exciting and innovative program. Sound like a good fit for you? Enrollment is still open! Applications are being accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through August 21st.
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