Activation Plan

Below is an overview of some campus activities:

• Health professional programs include advocating for legislative issues that improve the lives of healthcare clients and strengthen healthcare professions in their curriculum.
• The Legal Studies and Social Work programs participate in trips to the NYS Assembly, court visits, and hosting external guest speakers. These activities are aimed at actively learning about and advocating for important social and legal issues. The Legal Studies curriculum promotes civic engagement through mock trial curriculum and courses.
• The award-winning Model UN team addresses issues directly related to civic concerns, such as governance, the rule of law, and sustainable development. Through this, they gain insight into the perspectives of many different nations.
• The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences regularly hosts external guest speakers with diverse viewpoints. Each year, speakers from abroad share perspectives on how people outside the United States view our politics. Faculty from Criminal Justice and Legal Studies bring guest panels to discuss emerging criminal justice and legal system issues, such as police reform, police accountability, and changing cannabis laws. Mental Health programs invite speakers to discuss topics related to government systems and their impact on mental health.
• Several faculty members serve on the board of or are otherwise affiliated with the Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, collaborating on courses related to the topic.
• The First Year Seminar focuses on helping students navigate communication with diverse groups. All Mercy students who enter as freshmen will be exposed to best practices in engaging in “difficult conversations” within a course that also scaffolds a set of learning outcomes.