“Life changing,” “empowering,” and “inspiring”: this is how students have described Public Discourse, an innovative approach to civic education at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Strategic planning and assessment led the Communication Studies Department to infuse the core disciplinary concepts of deliberation, democracy, and civic life throughout our curriculum. Public Discourse, created to replace the traditional public speaking course, emerged as a keystone in that curriculum and has revolutionized our approach to civic education. In teaching methods of effective citizenship, Public Discourse has empowered students, energized faculty, and spurred sustainable community change.
