Public Affairs Living-Learning Community: Events and Activities

Events and Activities

One important component of the Social Science & Public Affairs Living-Learning Community is the scheduling of special events and activities focused around public and international affairs, many of which are only available to Community participants. These events help students to learn about the world around them while also helping them to develop their academic and professional trajectories as students interested in the social sciences.

Community members are not required to attend every single sponsored event, but their application to the Community required them to agree to participate regularly in Community events and activities, and their grade in the Public Affairs Colloquium is based in part on attendance at a minimum number of events. This requirement of participation is consistent with FSU's other living-learning communities.

DeGraff Hall

Types of Events

The Broad and Anderson-Ashby Lecture Series

The Broad and Anderson-Ashby Lecture Series are two public lecture series sponsored by the College of Social Sciences (COSS). Together, these programs bring ten visiting speakers to campus each year (five per semester). Past speakers have included academics, government officials, journalists, and others who have had distinguished careers observing and working to solve social and public policy issues. The College regularly updates its schedule of upcoming lectures. As an added benefit of being a resident in the Social Science & Public Affairs Living-Learning Community, immediately prior to most Broad/Anderson-Ashby lectures, two or three Community residents are invited to a lunch at the University Center, hosted by the Dean of the College of Social Sciences, at which the Broad/Anderson-Ashby lecturer presides.

Policy-Oriented Events

Because students who applied to the Social Science & Public Affairs Community expressed an interest in public and international affairs, many of our activities will revolve around current topics in this area. We are fortunate to be part of FSU, which has many leading national scholars who study relevant topics, and Tallahassee is both the Leon county seat and the Florida state capital. Over the course of the year, we will have the opportunity to discuss current political topics (such as elections, wars, and everything in between) with local experts from FSU or from state or local government.

Academic Resource Events

FSU also has many options to offer students with an interest in the social sciences, so the Community will attempt to bring as many of these options and opportunities as possible to students' attention. For example, the Community is run by the College of Social Sciences, which includes many departments that Program participants may be interested in as potential majors or minors; we may try to bring representatives of these departments to talk to us about the options that their departments offer for students. FSU also offers popular study abroad programs through the International Programs office, which will make a presentation about these programs. In past years, there have also been presentations from representatives of relevant student organizations, such as the World Affairs Program, and other organizations that have a presence on campus, such as the Peace Corps, that are likely to interest Community members. Other events have included presentations that assist students in their academic work at FSU, such as a presentation from a member of the library staff focusing specifically on tools for conducting research in the social sciences.

Co-Sponsored Events

On occasion, the Social Science & Public Affairs Living-Learning Community will co-sponsor an event with one or more of FSU's other living-learning communities, or an event may be hosted by one of the other living-learning communities but members of this living-learning community will be invited.

Event or Activity Suggestions

Student suggestions of events and activities are always welcome. Please e-mail the Program Director with any ideas you might have. I will try to arrange events or activities that interest this year's participants in this year's program as much as possible.

Social Science & Public Affairs Living-Learning Community College of Social Sciences Florida State University