The 2021-22 Campus Theme is Responsible Citizenship.
Political polarization. Civil unrest. A global pandemic. Climate change. Economic inequality. These challenges require respectful dialog; openness to change; active engagement; and complex, interdisciplinary perspectives. Central’s mission calls upon its community to help students “[develop] values essential to responsible citizenship,” preparing them for “service in local, national and international communities.” How will we respond to today’s challenges? Anticipate those of tomorrow? Have difficult conversations? Act with empathy for those around us? Work toward a just society?
The theme for 2020-21 Academic Theme was selected to be Diversity and Inclusion.
What is “an inclusive academic institution,” as Central’s Welcome Statement calls us to create? How do we sustain “an atmosphere that fosters openness, mutual respect, and diversity” for us to embrace in our midst other people, other abilities, and other beliefs and perspectives? How do we create a thriving academic culture in which critical questions are asked and answered out of mutual respect? How does diversity open new ways of thinking for all of us? In what ways do we celebrate the fact that everyone is valued, and everyone has something to contribute?
The theme for 2019-20 is Civic Engagement. “[W]orking to make a difference in the civic life of our communities” instills in us the capacity to “participate in activities of personal and public concern that are both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community.” How do we develop the skills and values necessary to engage with others in our community? What does it mean to act on behalf of others in addition to – or instead of – for ourselves toward a common goal? How will these actions benefit us as individuals as well as the common good? Join us this year as we investigate our call to Civic Engagement.
The theme for 2018-19 is Living in Community. Communities are more than a place to live; they can be groups of individuals with shared principles. As such, communities help shape our identity and inform our values and behaviors. While no two communities are alike, all possess shared attributes in order to function.
What does it mean to live as part of a community? What connects members of a community, and what separates us from each other? How do we create communities that are good for everyone?
Water, water everywhere. As a resource, water nourishes: the food we eat, our bodies, the earth around us. As an image, water stirs our memory, reminding us of experiences we’ve had and places we’ve been. As a metaphor, it speaks to us in profound ways. In its essence, water is a part of who we are, and in understanding the many aspects of water, we begin to understand our own humanity. Join us this year as we investigate “Water.”
