Keene State College’s Student Empowerment and Activism course encourages students to get involved in their communities, while understanding the history of activism in America, according to those who have experienced the class.
KSC Education Lecturer, Elizabeth Dubois, has taught the Integrative Studies Program [ISP] course since she created it in 2009.
Dubois said she has used her life-long passion for activism to teach and inspire her students to work for what they believe in.
“I’m a child of the sixties, it’s always been a passion of mine. So when the chance came to develop this course I thought it would be fun, and it would tie into the colleges mission,” Dubois said. According to Dubois, a major aspect of the Student Empowerment and Activism course is a project that builds throughout the semester. The major assignment for the class is centered around students becoming activists. The class syllabus illustrates the classes major project in which students are asked to become activists by creating a purposeful plan to implement in the community or with an organization.
Dubois said she is very pleased with the effort her students put in to the variety of causes they contribute to.
“Having grown up in the late sixties and early seventies, I had this perception that it was my generation that was the activists and what’s wrong with college kids today, but boy was that a misconception. These students are really involved and interested and getting out there to do things,” Dubois added.
Scott Dyer is a junior at KSC who has created a new organization on campus for his activism project. Dyer said he has worked with the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws (NORML) to create the Keene Cannabis Coalition (KCC). The KCC is a student group that is working to legalize marijuana for recreational use. “Our goal is to pursue and raise awareness of legalization efforts in New Hampshire,” Dyer stated.
According to Dyer, the KCC has grown to 18 members. Dyer expressed that he already has plans to bring speakers to campus to raise awareness. “My main goal for the semester is to bring NORML to campus for a presentation. It would be very educational for a lot of people including our own organization and all of Keene State,” Dyer said.
“I want this to be something that lasts long after I graduate next year,” Dyer shared.
Dubois commented on the personal connections students create with their projects.
“A lot of students have a personal connection to their projects,” Dubois stated. Other projects have included everything from EMT, or Firefighter training, to working with animal shelters, Dubois said. Dubois explained that these projects even included organizing events such as Relay For Life. Dubois indicated that she has stressed a difference between activism and volunteerism to her students.
A student of the empowerment and activism course, Courtney Musty, said, “Activism involves follow-through and being directly involved with a cause. Volunteering is participating, like doing one event. Activism is much more involved.”
Musty, a KSC senior and history major, said she is impressed with the course. “She [Dubois] is one of the best professors I have ever had, and I don’t say that lightly. It is great to see a full class of twenty-five students, and no one is on their cell phone,” Musty explained.
Not only does the class push students to become actively involved in the community, it also covers the history of American activism starting in the 60s through the present. “We look at the Civil Rights era and Vietnam protests, as well as gay rights, women’s rights and environmentalism,” Dubois said.
According to Dubois, the course analyzes the history of American activism through reading, discussion, guest speakers and protest songs. Dubois said she draws from national figures as well as local New Hampshire activists. Doris Haddock, better known as “Granny D,” is a fixture in Dubois course. Dubois explained, “Granny D. lived in Dublin, New Hampshire, and when she was eighty-nine she walked across the country for campaign funding reform.” Dubois noted that Granny D. completed her 3,200 mile walk in February of 2000. Dubois said the majority of students who take the class, which runs in both spring and fall semesters, are not education majors, but come from all disciplines.
David Walsh can be contacted at dwalsh@keene-equinox.com
