Citizenship

For more than 180 years Furman has been preparing bright young people for lives of leadership and service in their communities.  Promoting citizenship at every level—on the campus, in the community, across the state, and around the nation and the world—is one of the university’s top priorities. 

A Public Mission

Furman is a private university with a very public mission.  It is the first national liberal arts college to develop a substantial statewide presence.  In 2005, Furman created the Hollingsworth Scholarship Program to encourage South Carolina’s best and brightest high school seniors to attend Furman and to assume leadership roles across the state after graduation.  In addition, Furman has launched distinctive “study away” programs in Charleston and Columbia, and new co-curricular initiatives in downtown Greenville.  The Riley Institute hosts Diversity Leadership Academies across the state each year for community leaders and sponsors an annual banquet in Columbia honoring state legislators.  More and more of the state's corporate, political, and community leaders are turning to Furman for ideas, resources, activities, and programs. 

Citizenship is not just a local or state activity; it is also global.  The Furman of the future will be more international in flavor.  Exposure to foreign cultures is a crucial component of the Furman experience.  The university has long emphasized the international dimension of learning, but even more students need to participate in foreign study programs.  In addition, more international students need to be recruited to Furman, and all students will need to be better informed about global issues. And the Asian Studies department is positioned to become the leading program of its kind among national liberal arts colleges.

Promoting Sustainability

Citizenship embodies environmental stewardship as well as international awareness.  Furman encourages its students to reflect upon their impact on the environment and to lead more sustainable lives. Through classroom instruction, laboratory research, public policy discussion and community projects, students are challenged to be responsible members of their local and global communities.

In 2001 Furman’s Board of Trustees committed the university to becoming a leader in promoting sustainable operations and practicing environmental stewardship.  Five years later, Furman designated 2006 as the Year of the Environment and formed a partnership with Southern Living Magazine and the Cliffs Communities to construct “Cliffs Cottage,” a Southern Living magazine “Showcase Home,” to serve as the university’s Center for Sustainability.  The Center will incorporate all of the latest concepts and systems associated with sustainable design, construction, and operations.  The complex will also include an organic garden managed by students.  In conjunction with the construction of the Center for Sustainability, Furman has developed a multi-year plan to restore the natural beauty and water quality of the Furman Lake. In November 2006, the faculty voted to add an environmental awareness course to the graduation requirements for all students.

In 2007, President David Shi signed the Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a national effort involving hundreds of colleges and universities whose goal is to make sustainability a strategic goal on campuses.