What is your nation of residence? Why are you crossing the border? How frequently do you cross in a month? For what purposes do you cross the border?

The research that the students compiled dispelled a number of common misconceptions about border crossings here, at the most traversed transnational border in the world. Contrary to popular belief, nine out of ten crossings were not by tourists or smugglers, but by commuters who were going back and forth as part of their daily routine.

Faced with this new information, community leaders on both sides of the border suddenly realized that the economies and lives of their two cities were intertwined. Policy makers came together to discuss how they could make border crossing easier for these every day commuters. By the time discussion was through, their efforts had been profiled by papers from The San Diego Tribune to The New York Times, and the United States Congress had passed a bill authorizing expansion of the border to make crossing easier.

This small study with large implications provides important insight into democracy. Democracy, ideally, is a system where people come together to engage in civil discourse a process of participating in informed discussion of how their community looks today, and how they envision it looking tomorrow. Unfortunately, community members often don t have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their community, and there are typically few places in a town or city where people can come together for such discussion.

The San Diego Dialogue, an initiative of the University of California that was the springboard for this cross-border research project, seeks to rectify both of these situations. The Dialogue is the name given to a center based at the university founded to provide the information, public education, and forum for effective civil discourse in the San Diego-Tijuana region.

The Dialogue is led by a group of one hundred regional leaders of industry, government, the media, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations in Mexico and the United States. The group identifies issues of regional significance in three issue areas: regional integration; equity, diversity, and urban development; and globalization. For any particular issue, the progress of promoting civil discourse follows five steps. First, a plenary session is held providing public education and introducing the issue. Second, working groups are formed that include community members interested in the issue. Third, faculty and research fellows from the university provide applied research on the topic to give the working groups information they need to make informed decisions. The fourth key step in the development of civil discourse is the holding of community forums. The Dialogue regularly convenes workshops, roundtables, and community discussions that focus on research findings and regional issues. The group also sponsors a regular forum for discussion of cross-border policy issues that attracts participation from nearly 500 business, government, and academic leaders; and a regular breakfast forum series in which 200-300 business executives and public officials discuss economic issues and trends.

Once discussion of an issue is complete, the last step in the process is the publication of results. These may be published as separate articles available to the community, or as part of the San Diego Dialogue Report, the group s monthly newsletter.

By the time proceedings are published, community members have become involved in the process of sharing ideas that makes democratic communities come to life. Starting with a sociology class that got people talking all over the nation, the University of California, San Diego, has developed a project that has gotten people talking in a much more important venue: their own communities.

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

For more information: http://www.sddialogue.org/

Kalin Gregg and Jennifer Stark at the Center for Service Learning 970.247.7641 or grigg_k {at} fortlewis(.)edu

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Website: http://www.coloradomtn.edu/distlearn/syllabi/soc270whsp02i.pdf

Upon arrival in El Paso in the second week students dug a ditch for a septic tank and began to study one of three subjects: neural tube birth defects, Rio Grande toxin contamination, and waste disposal in the area. These topics were pertinent given the number of factories that set up shop right across the border so as to escape US federal regulations and higher wages.

Students grades were based upon their test scores from the first week, their daily journal entries, and their final research papers.

Contact:Edward C. Lorenz, Associate Professor 517.463.7203. E-mail at Lorenz {at} Alma(.)edu

This information originally appeared in “”Science and Society: Redefining the Relationship”" by Stephen Miller. Published by Campus Compact, 1996.

CultureLinks empowers international students to lead culture-specific presentations and discussions to area K-12 pupils and other groups sponsored by Indiana County human service agencies. Through these presentations and discussions, and their direct interaction with the international students, pupils receive a heightened awareness and gain an appreciation of our global society and their future role as citizens in shaping it. In addition to the culture-specific presentations, special school and campus celebrations, such as Global Village Days, International Day, Unity Day, and Cultural Heritage Days, bring together many of the international students in a multicultural festival setting. International students participating in the CultureLinks Program also volunteer in other capacities, including: visiting dependent care facilities; assisting with blood drives; supporting the English As A Second Language Program, and; mentoring IUP K-6 University School pupils.

Through their participation, IUP international students participating in the CultureLinks Program are given the opportunity to contribute to the community in which they currently are residing. They gain practical knowledge about the United States and our domestic culture while gaining satisfaction and pride in their particular cultural heritage and history.

TEAM Act 101 is a group comprising students enrolled in NCC s Project AWARE/Act 101 program. The goal of the program is to provide students from varied backgrounds with counseling, cultural enrichment, and student leadership development. In return, the students work together to help people in need.

The group raised more than $3,000 to buy medical supplies for residents of Comarca El Canon, a remote area of Managua, Nicaragua. Rather than simply sending the money, the group wanted to “”let the people know we care.”" Then-president of the student organization, Steve Rivera, personally delivered the funds to Nicaragua and spent a week working with Nicaraguan students and doctors at a medical clinic set up by a volunteer team of students and faculty from Northampton Community College.

Rivera describes the deplorable conditions of the residents of the area, and says “”the ultimate goal is to enable the people to become self-sufficient.”" The money raised by TEAM Act 101 was used to vaccinate children at risk for malaria and other parasitic diseases, ensuring the next generation has a chance to move toward self-sufficiency.

TEAM Act 101 organized and completed a successful Carnation and Sweetheart Drive, the proceeds of which were sent to victims of the recent earthquakes in Colombia. This past October, students ran a clothing and money drive for the Caribbean victims of Hurricanes Georges and Mitch. In recognition of their effort, the Red Cross sent the group an invitation to a private reception in 1999. Jose Aponte, Vice-President of International Services of the American Red Cross, will be present to thank the NCC students for their aid.

TEAM Act 101 has also given back to the College community. Members have assisted with fund-raising to create a scholarship honoring Blanca Smith, a counselor at NCC, who recently retired. All monies the group raised at NCC s recent Family Day Expo event were given directly to the Blanca Smith Scholarship Fund, which aids minority students with financial need.

For more information: cbrady {at} northampton(.)edu
Act 101 web site: http://www.northampton.edu/office/st_services/act101/act101.htm

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Contact:
University of Pittsburgh School of Education
Student Service Center
5N Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Phone: (412) 648-2230

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Contact: Office of Outreach and Diversity
College of Engineering, University of Utah
1495 East 100 South, Room 109 KENNB
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-1109

E-Mail: outreach {at} coe.utah(.)edu