By Lucy Bowman
On Oct. 28 the Educational Policy Committee approved a new major: Social Justice and Advocacy. According to Dr. Becki Bowman, the head of the Communication Department, a freshman at the college presented this concept as a Student Designed Major. After beginning to research the major, the team realized that McPherson College has all the classes necessary to provide the major, and that it would be a terrific opportunity for all students on campus. Through the help of the anonymous student and collaboration with the sociology department, the interdisciplinary Social Justice and Advocacy major was born. This major includes classes from Communication, Sociology, English, Art, and Political Science.
The Social Justice and Advocacy major is an amazing addition to the McPherson College campus – it is the first undergraduate Social Justice major in Kansas! Not only will this enhance the recruiting efforts of the College, but it is also a great opportunity for students already on campus. The major requires 53 hours of course credit (including four General Education requirements) which means it would be the perfect candidate for a double major. Students who adopt this major could find themselves in a career in social services, nonprofit work, political campaigns, victim advocacy, and so much more. Put simply, this would be an ideal degree for students who want to become change makers in their communities. Due to the service nature of the major, it wholly supports the mission of the college: to develop whole persons through scholarship participation and service. It also aligns with the service emphasis of the Church of the Brethren.
The Social Justice and Advocacy major will provide students with an opportunity to examine some of the social justice issues that are extremely prevalent in the status quo. Students will learn to think critically about how to address these problems and advocate for the needs of all people in society. Because of this, the entire campus will benefit from this major.
