Civic Engagement Embedded in the Introductory Communication Course

This article is an exploration of a current practice implementing civic engagement in the general education curriculum. At the university examined in this article, all students complete a civic engagement requirement in the oral communication course. The authors provide justification for why institutional initiatives are not enough to accomplish the goals of civic engagement but must be embedded in a particular course, assignment, and learning outcome. The article uses the personal perspective of the General Education Assessment Coordinator, Director of the Oral Communication course, and a student who completed the assignment to share the successes of this practice.