Project Pericles is a national organization committed to civic and social engagement based on knowledge of the principles and history of American democracy. As one of the ten founding Colleges, New England College derives an enormous benefit from the association with these institutions and with the founder, Eugene Lang. The other Periclean schools include: Allegheny College , Bethune-Cookman College, Elon University, Hampshire College, Malcalester College, Pace University, Pitzer College, Swarthmore College, and Ursinus College.
NEC's Periclean program has two essential aspects — a theoretical, knowledge-based aspect, in which students examine the philosophical, historical, political and social underpinnings that foster and sustain the principles of our democratic form of government; and a civic engagement aspect, in which students become personally involved in civically and socially responsible service. Both concepts are evident in the history of NEC and our style of education, as stated in our mission: “ We provide an education that develops responsible academic and social commitments responsiveness to ethical and humane concerns” offering “opportunities to achieve these goals through service learning, internships and international opportunities.”
Encouraging Civic and Social Responsibility through Service
In the fall of 2002, the Project Pericles Center was established and began to fulfill three major goals: 1) to coordinate activities for civic engagement, social responsibility and service learning throughout the College; 2) to develop connections between the College and the local, state, national and international communities to provide opportunities for civic engagement and service learning; 3) to integrate concepts of civic and social responsibility into the curriculum and co-curriculum.
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News from the Project Pericles Office
September 2010
Earlier this year, Project Pericles announced their selections to represent the first cohort of faculty members for the Periclean Faculty Leadership Program (PFL). Nationally, only 26 faculty members were granted acceptance into the Leadership program. New England College is happy to announce that Associate Professors Maura MacNeil and Inez McDermott were part of the distinguished group, chosen for their course titled, “Exploring Community in Our Towns: The New Hampshire Town Meeting.”
The Periclean Faculty Leadership Program, which builds on the success of the Civic Engagement Course (CEC) Program, seeks to champion civic engagement in the classroom, on campus, and in the community. Periclean Faculty Leaders are asked to create and teach courses in a wide variety of academic disciplines that address issues of social concern, enrich curriculum, and enhance student social interest and involvement. These faculty members will also organize campus-wide activities and/or prepare an academic paper or project.
Professor MacNeil's and McDermott’s course “Exploring Community in Our Towns: The New Hampshire Town Meeting” perfectly exemplifies the ideals of the Periclean Faculty Leadership program and embodies the mission of New England College. Inspired in part by the stage manager in Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” who believes that what is fundamental about a community is not its heroic deeds or great statesmen, but the quiet, routine acts of everyday life, this course aims to explore the character of New Hampshire towns through the unique ritual of people gathering together each year and deciding their priorities as a community.
As NEC students will learn, the traditional Town Meeting in New Hampshire is disappearing. Today, only one-third of New Hampshire residents live in towns that conduct traditional Town Meetings, Henniker being one of them. For seven weeks during the 2010 fall semester, students will meet once a week to discuss assigned readings which will include various texts, including a history of the New England Town Meeting, political and sociological studies of the tradition, as well as appropriate literary works (e.g. selections from Thoreau and Hawthorne, “Our Town”) and other writings and artistic works that deal with community. Invited guests will include writers, historians and artists who will help educate students about the complexities of town government.
During the 2011 spring semester, students will continue their research as well as map out and plan their individual or collaborative projects that will integrate the concept of the New Hampshire Town Meeting. They will conduct interviews with town officials and residents, or become involved with the community in an area that is appropriate to their interests. As a culmination to the course, the students work will be offered for public presentation and exhibition to the local community.
