CCCE ANNOUNCES CIVIC LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

HATTIESBURG - The Mississippi Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) at The University of Southern Mississippi is offering a civic leadership program to students that will reward them with mini-grants for implementing individual civic engagement plans.

Student teams from all of Mississippi's postsecondary institutions are eligible. Ten student teams of three to five members each will be selected to participate, with preference given to teams that include a diverse group of students, such as minorities, honor students and students with disabilities.

The Civic Leadership program is modeled after the Pew Partnership for Civic Change LeadershipPlenty curriculum. It includes training to identify community assets, manage groups, facilitate meetings, find the 'leader within,' manage conflict, build partnerships and effectively evaluate and communicate for change. Students who successfully complete the training will receive a "Certificate of Program Completion" and will be eligible for a $750 mini-grant to implement their action plan. Training will take place during three weekend retreats in November, December, and January.

The Mississippi Higher Education Consortium (MHEC) is a Learn and Serve America program that addresses three primary needs, including strengthening K-8 and postsecondary civic education, expanding and enhancing K-8 after-school opportunities, and building the service-learning capacity of postsecondary, K-8, and community and faith-based organizations. The MHEC is administered by the Mississippi Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE), located at The University of Southern Mississippi. The mission of the CCCE is to strengthen democratic ideals by fostering sustained partnerships that improve educational opportunities and achievement.

For more information, contact Vickie Nudelman at (601) 266-6913 or visit the CCCE Web site at www.usm.edu/ccce. Applications are due by Oct. 24.

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