Activation Plan
Below is an overview of some campus activities:
Swarthmore College has a long-standing commitment to civic engagement and social justice and provides opportunities for all community members ― especially our students ― to learn, practice, and model how to live and work with others who are different from each other. A central goal of Swarthmore Forward, Swarthmore’s newly-launched strategic plan is to create a community prepared for life in a multiracial, multicultural democracy and the world. This goal is being realized through a number of programs and initiatives.
The Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility prepares students to understand and engage issues of civic and social concern and, as active citizens of our democracy, to set their own paths toward shaping a more just and compassionate world. Through programs such as Swarthmore Civic Scholars, which supports first-generation and low-income students, and Debating for Democracy, the Lang Center connects communities with students trained for social change and civic advocacy.
Each semester, in partnership with the Lang Center, the Healthy Equitable and Responsive Democracy (HEARD) initiative brings a cohort of up to 18 undergraduate research fellows together weekly to talk about various aspects of US democracy ― broadly what’s working and what’s not ― while supporting faculty-led research projects.
The Political Science Department advances engagement with American civic life through its annual Constitution Day and Charles Gilbert lectures. Additionally, the department hosts “Lunch with Faculty” events throughout the year to bring faculty and students together for discussion on topical issues.
Courses that encourage open discourse on sometimes sensitive issues include Great Issues in Public Policy and Constitutional Law & Politics: Civil Rights & Civil Liberties.
Since 2023, the Political Science and Philosophy Departments have co-sponsored “Night Owls”, a series of late-night discussions centered on philosophical questions relevant to students, faculty, and staff.
Co-curricular programming includes Swarthmore’s Get Out the Vote (GOTV) committee—comprising students, faculty, and staff—partners regionally to promote ethical engagement and social responsibility. GOTV activities include voter registration events, voting machine demonstrations, election-related programming, and election-day initiatives.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) advances inclusive community-building through several initiatives:
- In partnership with the Constructive Dialogue Institute, Swarthmore was selected as one of 10 institutions to implement dialogue training through the Perspectives program. In fall 2025, approximately 80 students, staff, and faculty completed training, with plans to expand participation in future semesters.
- ODEI’s Community Conversations series fosters listening, dialogue, and empathy through shared reflection on lived experience. The 2025–2026 series will focus on “Healing and Re-building Community.”
- The Lunch & Learn series offers opportunities to engage with experts on inclusive practices. Recent sessions, led by the nonprofit Creative Praxis, included “Moving Through Conflict with Clarity and Care.”
Highlights:
Swarthmore values the enrichment of its community through engagement with diverse experiences and perspectives, extending beyond campus to neighboring communities such as Chester and Philadelphia and to the broader higher education landscape. The College prioritizes partnerships grounded in mutual learning, shared expertise, and reciprocity.
Swarthmore has received Insight Into Diversity magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for eight consecutive years, recognizing outstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across recruitment, retention, programming, and hiring practices.
Since 2019, Swarthmore has been designated a “Voter Friendly Campus” (VFC) by the Campus Vote Project, reflecting coordinated efforts among administrators, faculty, and student organizations to promote civic and electoral participation and reduce barriers to student engagement in the democratic process.
The Swarthmore Summer Scholars Program (S3P) recently received an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Academia for its commitment to inclusive excellence and belonging. The four-week, fully in-person summer program supports incoming students who are first-generation, from low-income backgrounds, or who have experienced opportunity gaps, with 16 students participating annually since the program’s launch in 2015.
Swarthmore’s Athletics Division has strengthened its commitment to inclusive team cultures by participating in Team IMPACT’s annual fellowship summit, which supports student-athletes’ development in leadership, community engagement, public speaking, and professional readiness.
The Lang Center, in partnership with the Chester–Swarthmore Fellows Council, was selected as one of four recipients of Campus Compact’s Excellence in Civic and Community-Engaged Partnerships Award, recognizing sustained, reciprocal partnerships that advance equity, justice, and shared prosperity.
An economic impact analysis of Lang Center–sponsored work in Chester found that during the 2024–2025 academic year, nine programs—supported by approximately $136,545 in funding—enabled 133 students to contribute 7,280 hours of service to local organizations. Using Pennsylvania’s 2024 estimated volunteer rate of $32.28 per hour, this service represents $256,303 in community value, yielding an estimated 87.7% return relative to program costs.
Related articles:
Below is an overview of some campus activities:
Swarthmore College has a long-standing commitment to civic engagement and social justice and provides opportunities for all community members ― especially our students ― to learn, practice, and model how to live and work with others who are different from each other. A central goal of Swarthmore Forward, Swarthmore’s newly-launched strategic plan is to create a community prepared for life in a multiracial, multicultural democracy and the world. This goal is being realized through a number of programs and initiatives.
The Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility prepares students to understand and engage issues of civic and social concern and, as active citizens of our democracy, to set their own paths toward shaping a more just and compassionate world. Through programs such as Swarthmore Civic Scholars, which supports first-generation and low-income students, and Debating for Democracy, the Lang Center connects communities with students trained for social change and civic advocacy.
Each semester, in partnership with the Lang Center, the Healthy Equitable and Responsive Democracy (HEARD) initiative brings a cohort of up to 18 undergraduate research fellows together weekly to talk about various aspects of US democracy ― broadly what’s working and what’s not ― while supporting faculty-led research projects.
The Political Science Department advances engagement with American civic life through its annual Constitution Day and Charles Gilbert lectures. Additionally, the department hosts “Lunch with Faculty” events throughout the year to bring faculty and students together for discussion on topical issues.
Courses that encourage open discourse on sometimes sensitive issues include Great Issues in Public Policy and Constitutional Law & Politics: Civil Rights & Civil Liberties.
Since 2023, the Political Science and Philosophy Departments have co-sponsored “Night Owls”, a series of late-night discussions centered on philosophical questions relevant to students, faculty, and staff.
Co-curricular programming includes Swarthmore’s Get Out the Vote (GOTV) committee—comprising students, faculty, and staff—partners regionally to promote ethical engagement and social responsibility. GOTV activities include voter registration events, voting machine demonstrations, election-related programming, and election-day initiatives.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) advances inclusive community-building through several initiatives:
- In partnership with the Constructive Dialogue Institute, Swarthmore was selected as one of 10 institutions to implement dialogue training through the Perspectives program. In fall 2025, approximately 80 students, staff, and faculty completed training, with plans to expand participation in future semesters.
- ODEI’s Community Conversations series fosters listening, dialogue, and empathy through shared reflection on lived experience. The 2025–2026 series will focus on “Healing and Re-building Community.”
- The Lunch & Learn series offers opportunities to engage with experts on inclusive practices. Recent sessions, led by the nonprofit Creative Praxis, included “Moving Through Conflict with Clarity and Care.”
Highlights:
Swarthmore values the enrichment of its community through engagement with diverse experiences and perspectives, extending beyond campus to neighboring communities such as Chester and Philadelphia and to the broader higher education landscape. The College prioritizes partnerships grounded in mutual learning, shared expertise, and reciprocity.
Swarthmore has received Insight Into Diversity magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for eight consecutive years, recognizing outstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across recruitment, retention, programming, and hiring practices.
Since 2019, Swarthmore has been designated a “Voter Friendly Campus” (VFC) by the Campus Vote Project, reflecting coordinated efforts among administrators, faculty, and student organizations to promote civic and electoral participation and reduce barriers to student engagement in the democratic process.
The Swarthmore Summer Scholars Program (S3P) recently received an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Academia for its commitment to inclusive excellence and belonging. The four-week, fully in-person summer program supports incoming students who are first-generation, from low-income backgrounds, or who have experienced opportunity gaps, with 16 students participating annually since the program’s launch in 2015.
Swarthmore’s Athletics Division has strengthened its commitment to inclusive team cultures by participating in Team IMPACT’s annual fellowship summit, which supports student-athletes’ development in leadership, community engagement, public speaking, and professional readiness.
The Lang Center, in partnership with the Chester–Swarthmore Fellows Council, was selected as one of four recipients of Campus Compact’s Excellence in Civic and Community-Engaged Partnerships Award, recognizing sustained, reciprocal partnerships that advance equity, justice, and shared prosperity.
An economic impact analysis of Lang Center–sponsored work in Chester found that during the 2024–2025 academic year, nine programs—supported by approximately $136,545 in funding—enabled 133 students to contribute 7,280 hours of service to local organizations. Using Pennsylvania’s 2024 estimated volunteer rate of $32.28 per hour, this service represents $256,303 in community value, yielding an estimated 87.7% return relative to program costs.