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The Honors College

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Civic Engagement

Civic Engagement at the University of Houston

Civic engagement means working alone or together to address issues of public concern. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes. By engaging in public issues, and public service, you can make a difference in the civic life of our communities and government. Being involved helps you develop a combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference. The Honors College supports student applications to multiple opportunities for civic engagement and public service, voter registration and education, and student-led programs, featured below.

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Ballots and Belonging

In partnership with the Annette Strauss Institute and the Houston Endowment, we are holding a civic education program at Austin High School during the spring. Our goal is to increase first-generation citizen representation in voting. Additionally, we hope to foster immigrant student belonging, encourage first-generation citizen voters to cast their ballot, and get students excited about voting and advocating for their families.

Ana Frausto-Leija is a junior majoring in political science and minoring in phronesis and public leadership at the University of Houston's Honors College. Ana has been involved in numerous civic engagement initiatives, both inside and outside the Honors College, and is excited to co-launch this exciting program.

Adithi Nythruva is a third-year undergraduate student, majoring in psychology and minoring in Creative Work and Leadership Studies. Adithi is highly involved in the areas of civic engagement and immigration law and is excited to co-lead this initiative!

Mentor Application

Session Time (Tentative): Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. at Austin High School starting March 24th - April 14th

Social Engagement as Creative Work

Get Honors Credit for Civic Houston Internship Program!

The Hobby School of Public Affairs’ Civic Houston Internship Program (CHIP) offers public service internships to University of Houston students during the fall and spring semesters. Since its inception over 25 years ago, the program has placed about 1800 interns in local offices. Through this program, numerous students have gained invaluable experience and have developed the skills needed to become strong public service leaders as well as influential policy makers. Students are assigned to government offices at the municipal, county, state or federal levels throughout the greater Houston area. There are also opportunities for students to intern with non-profit organizations, campaigns, and the private sector.

This internship course counts as 3 hours of upper-level political science or public policy credit. Juniors and Seniors (any major) with a 3.0 or higher are eligible to apply and are required to work an average of 8 hours per week over the 15-week semester, meet as a class four times, and complete additional coursework and assessment.

To earn Honors (HON) dual credit for this experience, please email Dr. Janet Lawler at jmlawler@uh.edu.


 
Introduction to Civic Engagement

Introduction to Civic Engagement (HON3331)

This Honors class is taught in the Fall semester and is available only to Honors students.

What does it mean to civically engage? What is community and which ones am I a part of? How do I change the world? This course is designed to empower you to chase and answer these questions. You will leave with the confidence, bravery, knowledge and skills to become fully engaged members of your communities, at every level. You will learn more about yourself by exploring what you want and what your community needs. We will work through the ideas and history that created civic engagement. We’ll consider moral, social, and political justifications for why civic engagement is critical to developing your individuality and strengthening our democracy. All of this will prepare you to practice some engagement of your own, both formally and informally. You’ll leave with your own project proposal, which we workshop together from researching an initial idea, to learning from your community members, to developing a plan.

For more information, contact Janet Lawler.

Students

Change! Social Advocacy in Action (HON4397)

This Honors class is taught in the Spring semester and is available only to Honors students.

Social action occurs when everyday people band together to develop their power in order to change policy, whether on their campuses or in their neighborhoods and communities. Advocacy and action have played crucial roles throughout America’s ever- evolving experiment in democracy. This course explores your power and our democracy, both of which are central to “social action” and to creating the next generation of democratic citizens and leaders. We will examine the topics of issue development (for example, healthcare access, environmental justice, or a campus issue, to name just three), change theory, building power, and strategy tactics, as well as campaign planning and implementation. What is unique about this course is that, based on the experiential social action model, students DO social action rather than just learn about it; students choose their issues and lead campaigns for change. They are thereby transformed through their direct experience with democracy.

Civic Engagement Fellowships


Texas Civic Ambassadors Fellowship | UT-Austin Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

In partnership with the Houston Endowment, TCA invites University of Houston students to apply for this competitive year-long fellowship. Fellows gain a team of faculty and professional support, significant funding, and attend leadership events, preparing them to mobilize and enhance civic participation among youth. Fellows can choose from a menu of civic and community initiatives or build a civic engagement project of their own, encouraging voter registration and education in Houston. Ask an Honors College faculty member to nominate you for consideration. Applications for fall fellowships open in the spring.

Asian Texans for Justice Civic Engagement Fellowship

This fellowship is designed to equip the next generation of leaders with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to turn advocacy into action through civic engagement and public service. Applications open early in the spring semester, and all interested individuals ages 18 to 25 are eligible to apply.

As part of the fellowship, participants attend the Civic Engagement Institute, an in-person, all-expense-paid workshop hosted by ATJ in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. During the institute, fellows will strengthen their organizing skills, learn about the unique challenges facing AAPI communities, and connect with a powerful network of community leaders, organizations, and resources.

After the institute, fellows will collaborate with their peers to design and execute a capstone project aligned with ATJ’s legislative priorities. Throughout the fellowship period, fellows will engage in on-going, trainings to build their project management skills, grant writing, and mentorship to bring their projects to life.

Texas Rising

The UH chapter is housed in Houston.

 

For questions about civic engagement opportunities, please email Dr. Janet Lawler, jmlawler@uh.edu. 

 


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