At Wagner, new lessons in civic duty

A federally funded program that taps the brains and brawn of Wagner College students will launch here this fall and could serve as a civic model for schools nationwide.

The pilot program, Civic Innovations, will partner academic departments with local organizations to provide the non-profits with a flow of volunteers and teach students the value of interaction with the community.

A three-year, $550,000 grant from Washington -based Learn and Serve America, which is part of the Corporation for National Community Service, will help get the program off the ground.

Wagner College was one of nine institutions of higher learning selected from the more than 200 nationwide that applied to the government agency.

"This is more than just coming down to serve soup," said the Rev. Terry Troia, executive director of Project Hospitality. "This will give us a core of volunteers on a long-term basis. The ideas and studies that can come from this will raise the quality of life for all Staten Islanders we touch at Project Hospitality."

Rev. Troia said the program will provide for inquiry into the roots of various problems, such as illiteracy and homelessness, with an eye to possible solutions.

During the first year, Project Hospitality will be paired with students of political science and government, while United Activities Unlimited will work with nursing majors. In each of the next two years, two additional academic departments and community organizations will be matched for specific programs.

The goal is to create a long-lasting partnership between the academic departments and their corresponding not-for-profits.

During the program's first year, approximately 200 Wagner students will spend between 30 and 100 hours per semester working with Project Hospitality and United Activities Unlimited to apply lessons learned in the classroom to practical problems. By the third year, it will involve about 1,200 students, the college predicts.

"Wagner College is really a special place, it has strong ties to the community," said Amy Cohen, director of Learn and Serve America. "Their embedded service in the community is already strong and we saw this as an opportunity to move other campuses forward by using [Wagner] as a model."

Ms. Cohen was joined by Rep. Vito Fossella, Wagner President Richard Guarasci and other college administrators, and community leaders at a press conference on the Grymes Hill campus.

"There is no greater contribution a person can make than to give back to his or her community," said Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn). "This program will help prove that each of us holds the power to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

"By bringing together the energy, skills and civic participation of college students, faculty and outstanding organizations like Project Hospitality and United Activities Unlimited, we can help young people achieve their goals and succeed in life."

The program strengthens the college's commitment to town-gown cooperation and will deepen the school's involvement in the borough, said Devorah A. Lieberman, Wagner provost and vice president for academic affairs.

In addition, the grant will allow for the creation of a Youth Advocacy Consortium, which will link youth agencies.

Lieberman explained that the consortium -- facilitated by students enrolled in the college's leadership courses -- will create a forum where youth organizations can come together to hash out the issues affecting them and brainstorm ways to help each other.

Michelle Maskaly is a reporter for the Advance. She may be reached at maskaly@siadvance.com.