Richard Guarasci, the president of Wagner College in Staten Island, will discuss his institution’s focus on learning communities and experiential learning in an address, “On Becoming the Good College…Civic Engagement and General Education,” on Tuesday, November 20 at 12:30 p.m. in Ballroom C in University Commons.  A lunch reception will precede the event in Ballroom B beginning at noon.

Guarasci will speak about “The Wagner Plan for Practical Liberal Arts,” the institution’s four-year curriculum for all undergraduates.  Developed a decade ago, the curriculum combines a substantive liberal arts core with required learning communities that include experiential learning in New York City and its environs.  “The Wagner Plan” has been recognized by the American Association of Higher Education, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and media such as Time magazine and USA Today for its success in increasing levels of student engagement on campus.

The event is sponsored by the American Democracy Project with support from the Faculty Senate.  The American Democracy Project at William Paterson University is part of a nationwide initiative by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) that seeks to increase civic engagement levels of U.S. students attending public colleges and universities in the 21st century.

For additional information, contact the American Democracy Project at 973-720-3430.