On Wednesday, April 11, a Longwood University English 400 class sat down with the Farmville Town Council to discuss the important issues and better the relationship between the town and the school. This was the third year in a row the members had been invited to campus with an English 400 course. Teaching this particular class was Assistant Professor of English Dr. Heather Lettner-Rust, who chose hunger as the theme of the semester. The dinner itself was sponsored by the Longwood Parent's Council.
Students first met with the town council members back in February to get acquainted with all of the members.
Present at the dinner were all the members from the Farmville Town Council, including the Mayor Sydnor Newman and Town Manager Gerry Spates. Each of the members was spread out among the students at various tables discussing the issues of the town, the school and the happenings of everyday life. Longwood alum Jordan Miles was also present at the dinner, reporting for Farmville radio station WFLO 95.7 FM. The class was instructed to touch on the subject of hunger if it came up in conversation, but otherwise there was no actual assignment the class needed to complete once they met with the town council members.
According to Averill Trapani, a student in Lettner-Rust's English 400 class, the class was divided up into different committees to help set up the event. The committees were publicity, menu, parking, invitation and project manager. The project manager of this particular dinner was Dustin Shuman. Shuman commented through email that the amazing leadership, organization and dedication of each person in the class made his job fairly easy.
Lettner-Rust explained via email that she has always stressed the importance of getting to know your stakeholders in an issue and potential audiences for their civic engagement. She said she has required attendance at town council meetings to see how civic leaders operate, speak and act.
A unique aspect of Lettner- Rust's class is she requires her class to participate in civic engagements such as these as opposed to writing a proposal, much like other English 400 classes do. She explained how the dinner allows her students to operate as a group to speak about civic issues to another constituency much like themselves.
She continued to say this imitates much of how civic engagement works as opposed to a single person writing a proposal for an action that requires entry into a civic issue that is already underway with its own audiences, alliances and history.
Lettner-Rust does not require students to complete a formal assignment after the event, but she hopes her students will gain an understanding of civic leaders as approachable people.
In an article currently being reviewed for publication, Lettner-Rust discusses the experience and its importance.
In the article, she writes, "I am left wondering if writing for a social change has left out an important element to the writing contract - the personal relationship."
After the dinner, students were invited to attend the town council meeting to hear some of the upcoming issues the members had to address.
