By Abigail Beckman, Staff Reporter.
For its second year, Change Your World Week is an event that is part of a bigger democracy commitment. Rather than passively accepting the world that has been handed to you, organizer Lisa Lawrason encourages students to become co-creators in the kind of society in which they want to live. Change Your World Week is the perfect way to do so.
There will be displays throughout the halls of campus, and they all have a different focus. However, they will all provide equal opportunities to have a civil discussion and make a change. At every display table, there will be a way to take action, whether it is by being informed, spreading awareness, signing petitions or joining an interest group. The overall goal of Change Your World Week is to prepare students for active citizenship.
After the most recent Change Your World Week, Lawrason conducted a survey asking for feedback on the event. Results came back with 68 percent of students agreeing that this event increased the likelihood of paying attention to current issues. Even better, 85 percent of students involved in the event think that Delta should continue sponsoring events like this in the future.
At the end of the semester, Lawrason’s participating students write reflection papers. Reading them, she says, is the highlight of her experience with Change Your World Week. Lawrason says, “Whatever skill you have can be put to the work of citizenship.”
This semester’s events include:
- Income Inequality Dialogue – Monday March 21 from 10 – 11 a.m. – E-wing Student Lounge: Delta students Angelo Kapp and Steven Davis will moderate a dialogue on income inequality. Participants will raise their voice in a civil conversation on this issue.
- Student Speaker’s Corner – Tuesday March 22 and 23 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – E-wing Student Lounge: Students are invited to step up to the microphone.
For more information about Change Your World Week contact Lisa Lawrason at 989-686-9509 or lisalawrason@delta.edu.