Leveraging Community Colleges
for Homeland Security

Homeland Security and Civic Engagement White Paper Report
On February 29, 2004, approximately 140 community college educators and public service agency representatives gathered for the second annual Homeland Security and Civic Engagement Summit sponsored by the Community College National Center for Community Engagement and the League for Innovation in the Community College. This white paper report provides information about current research and practice, as well as strategies and tips for connecting homeland security academic curriculum to civic engagement.

July 2003 Leadership Abstracts
This article reports on recent summits opening a dialogue about the role of community colleges in Homeland Security. What emerged was the clear call for community colleges to step to the forefront with continued and unified training standards and a truly national system for Homeland Security. Read about the results of the summits and the forecast for the future of Homeland Security.

That Is The Terror
Amazed, shaken, worried, angry, and resolved are probably the stages many of us went through watching the events of September 11, 2001. How could anyone commit such a horrible act of terror? How could anyone consider the wholesale slaughter of thousands of innocent people a victory for some sort of cause? This article was the League's immediate response to the events of this tragic day.

Courageous Responses
Firefighters, police officers, construction workers, paramedics, clergy, soldiers, and even bystanders showed true courage in the face of 9/11. One year after the horrific events of that day, League CEO Mark David Milliron shared a perspective on other courageous responses to this terrorism, particularly those that educators are called to champion.

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FEMA's Emergency Management Institute Higher Education Project

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Home Page)

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Undergraduate Scholarships and Graduate Fellowships)

Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (A voluntary association of organizations and individuals, seeking to enhance their effectiveness in coping with disasters and emergency situations, by exploring the opportunity for sharing information and ideas made possible by electronic technology.)

Citizen Leadership Education
The ability of diverse people to collaborate to resolve conflict, accept responsibility for the direction of the community, reach consensus about community problems and solutions, creatively solve problems on behalf of the common good, and restore hope for the future
Debbie Mikolajczyk, Coordinator, Entrepreneurial and Leadership Development; Pam Whitelock, Dean, Lifelong Learning, Gulf Coast Community College (FL)

Connector Program
Established in 1998, the Connector Program is a collaboration between Mesa Fire Department and Mesa Community College. The program is designed to provide social service assistance in the City of Mesa after the initial 911 call. Services include social service referral, elder care referral, homeless shelter needs, transportation, fire victim assistance, financial referral, and motorist assistance.
Larry Thacker, Senior Associate Dean, Career and Technical Programs, Mesa Community College (AZ)

SAFE Projects (Model Service Learning Projects)
Supporting Actions for Engagement (SAFE) programs at community colleges throughout the United States address service learning, civic engagement and homeland security, and domestic preparedness. These programs are funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Learn and Serve America.
Lyvier Conss, Executive Director, Community College National Center for Community Engagement, Mesa Community College (AZ)

By the People: America in the World
By the People, an initiative of MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, aims to energize and enhance the conversation on America's role in the world through a series of nationwide and local broadcasts and events that demonstrate the relevance of foreign policy issues to local concerns. The project includes three national PBS specials, national and local forums for civic dialogue, and an interactive website. Among the goals of the project is to facilitate discussion among diverse groups by providing web-based and other resources that can support and extend the work of local organizations involved in projects focused on community engagement and development. Community colleges are natural partners in this effort, and we are eager to pursue opportunities for collaboration.
Gail M. Leftwich, Executive Director, By the People (VA)

Homeland Defense Journal