Q&A with Ruth Martin Curry, Postdoctoral Scholar at the Center for Civic Engagement
The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) hosts a comprehensive suite of academic and co-curricular opportunities to provide several 'entry points' into civic engagement. This is complemented by graduated opportunities for continued growth that move students forward on a continuum toward active and effective participation in civic life.
Ruth Martin Curry, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar at the CCE, directs programs for graduate students and pioneers new initiatives to connect students to the wider Chicago area.
Can you describe your role within the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE)?
My role at CCE is to direct our programming for graduate students. That means I run our two practicum programs (for-credit courses that place PhD students at community organizations), our two assistantship programs (one of which places students at local archives to preserve and promote Black historical collections, the other of which supports CCE operations), and our public writing workshop, among other things.
What inspired your decision to engage in this work?
I grew up in Chicago and ended up pursuing a PhD at Northwestern (Comp Lit ‘19). I knocked on CCE’s door pretty early in my graduate career because I was desperate to figure out how to connect what I cared about intellectually with the real-world challenges facing my city. Working with CCE (and as a Brady fellow) helped keep me grounded and got me interested in how to reconcile the mission and values of research universities with the needs and assets of the communities that surround them.
What resource(s) can you and your office provide for graduate students?
In addition to the programs we’ve designed specifically for graduate students, CCE offers a number of ways for grad students to get involved in community work. For example, there are paid and volunteer opportunities for graduate students to support our mentorship program with CPS schools, our music education program with incarcerated youth, and our 50-state voter engagement initiative. The best way to keep abreast of opportunities is to sign up for the bi-monthly bulletin we curate for grad students and post-docs.
How can graduate students most easily contact you and/or make an appointment?
I’m always happy to meet with students one-on-one if they’re interested in getting involved locally, pursuing community-engaged research, or exploring public interest careers. (In fact, as part of GSAW, I’m offering 30-minute consultations—and still have a few spots left!) Feel free to email me at ruth.martin@northwestern.edu anytime to make an appointment.
What's one fun fact that you can share about yourself?
I recently discovered contradance—perfect for anyone who loves to dance but wants very precise instructions for how to do it.
Categories: Around Campus