History of Civic House
The Story of Our Building, 3914 Locust Walk
In the late 1960s, African American students, faculty and staff used the building to establish a center on campus that would promote African American history and culture. In 1967, the Society of Afro-American Students moved into the building and named it the “House of the Family”. The House of the Family encountered a challenge early in its operations as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibited public institutions from sponsoring any type of segregated facilities or activities .
To circumvent this obstacle, the House of the Family was converted into a non-profit organization thereby eliminating any direct affiliation with the University. After the House of the Family became a non-profit organization, African American students, faculty and staff as well as West Philadelphia residents formed a board that helped conduct several programs at the House such as daycare services, lectures and other educational and cultural events. In the early 1970s, the growing “radicalism” of the group and its activities prompted University officials to revoke their lease.
Shortly after the House of the People was closed, the University established the W.E.B. DuBois College House in 1972 that sought to provide both a system of support for African American students as well as a “hub” for Afro-American cultural events and activities. Meanwhile, the building at 3914 Locust Walk was converted into the Penn’s Department of Public Safety.
The Penn police occupied the building until the summer of 1998, when Penn’s President Judith Rodin, Interim Provost Michael L. Wachter and Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum announced the plans to establish the “Community Service Learning Center” in the coming spring. The announcement stated that the “new” hub program for students, faculty and staff interested in community service, would be housed at 3914 Locust Walk. The offices for the University’s Program for Student-Community Involvement (PSCI) formed the basis of the new Center.
The Story of Civic House as a Hub of Civic Engagement at Penn
Through the 1980s, student volunteer efforts were coordinated by Penn Extension, an office that had a part-time staff person, and that worked closely with the Penn Volunteer Network (PVN), an umbrella organization for student groups working in a variety of community settings.
In 1990, a committee of students and administrators drafted a set of recommendations for student-community involvement at Penn. These recommendations formed the basis for the Program for Student-Community Involvement (PSCI), a new office that would carry on Penn Extension’s duties, while also playing more of a role in areas including coordination, convening, and training of students involved in volunteer efforts.
PSCI also assumed responsibility for the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project (WPTP) from the Graduate School of Education. The University also increased its commitment through staffing for the new entity, which varied from 1 to 3 full-time people. In addition to strengthening day-to-day support for involved students during its eight-year existence, PSCI was involved with the early stages of the Americorps program, developed the PennCORP pre-orientation program, Alternate Spring Break, and hosted one of the early national conferences for the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness.
In keeping with Penn’s commitment to this work, student energy, and national trends, student-community involvement grew under PSCI throughout the 1990s. In 1997, a group of students recognized that the growth suggested the need for a new organization with more capacity that could better support students’ community partnerships in the years ahead. At the same time, the University was focusing attention on the experience of Penn undergraduates, proposing, among other initiatives, the development of co-curricular, thematic “hubs” on campus. The first such hub was Kelly Writers House; Civic House became the second.
David Grossman, the Director of PSCI, was named the new Director of the Community Service Learning Center which was formally named “Civic House”. In addition, as part of its new ‘”hub” status, Civic House was assigned a faculty advisor. English Professor Peter Conn assumed this position. Joined by Civic House students, faculty, and staff, Dr. Judith Rodin and former President Jimmy Carter signed Civic House’s Charter at Penn’s 242 nd Commencement on May 18, 1998. The following is an excerpt from the Charter:
Civic House, the most recent example of the University’s deep interest in service to the community, will promote service as a means of preparing students for their roles as citizens and leaders. In support of its mission, Civic House assists and administers service projects, offers opportunities to combine action with reflection and analysis, and encourages productive collaboration between the University and Philadelphia’s community organizations.
The establishment of Civic House enabled several longstanding service and advocacy programs to gain increased support, more effectively network with one another, and to grow in terms of membership and impact. In response to student interest and need, Civic House developed a number of programs addressing career opportunities in the public interest, including funds to support students doing community-based internships or scholarship.
Over time and, once again, consistent with national trends in the field of community engagement, Civic House moved from focusing primarily on service and advocacy, to centering its work in social justice education and social analysis, relationship development among stakeholders, and equitable, mutually beneficial partnerships with community members and organizations. While Civic House has historically facilitated student placements in community organizations as volunteers, it now requires all students involved in its programs to participate in training and educational workshops that encourage informed and responsible community engagement. In addition to supporting students and campus stakeholders going out into the community, Civic House seeks to support community-building within its walls. It offers events and programs throughout the school year to provide a comfortable atmosphere for students to meet, study, relax, and be together.