Expanding the High Road Fellowship Program and Creating a Democracy Fellowship

As a Faculty Fellow in Engaged Learning, Cathy Creighton is scaling up the ILR Buffalo Co-Lab High Road Fellowship Program and creating a “Democracy Fellowship” program. She’s building immersive undergraduate experiences in place-based action learning that engage students by partnering them with a dense network of government partners in Western New York. Through these partnerships, students gain an understanding of government and of possible careers in public service.

“Direct experiences in supporting community change efforts give students a wider view of politics and American civic life — one that instills in them an understanding that governance is a collective and democratic project that transcends politicians and elected offices. Students come to see that participation in civic life neither begins nor ends with voting in periodic elections. It is an everyday practice of envisioning and collaborating to create a fairer society and economy for all.” —Cathy Creighton