Hobart and William Smith Colleges

20 May 2011 Gearan Reviews Big Citizenship

An article by Hobart and William Smith Colleges President Mark D. Gearan was published in the spring 2011 issue of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas. In his article, Corps Values, Gearan reviews Alan Khazeis book on social entrepreneurship called Big Citizenship.

An unstated theme in Big Citizenship is that good intentions arent enough. Social entrepreneurs need to be willing to undertake the hard, messy work of politics, Gearan writes. Even as political victories can bolster the service movement, the movement can in turn influence our politics, in a virtuous cycle that can inculcate the spirit of civic engagement in the American public.

The books author, Alan Khazei, is known in the service movement for his leadership in co-creating City Year, the innovative service program for young people that became the model for Bill Clintons AmeriCorps Program.

In addition, Gearan details Khazeis role in many of the social entrepreneurship movements more historical moments and Khazeis reflections on them as written in the book.

Gearan indicates there are questions Khazei could have answered in the book, providing greater guidance as to how to achieve its objectives, but calls the books shortcomings minor and says it is a vital entry in the service movement literature.

More than just a recounting of past episodes, Khazei clearly intended his readers to learn from the history of social entrepreneurship, Gearan writes. The book even includes a useful appendix that has a timeline of the Save AmeriCorps campaign, which successfully reversed a proposed 80 percent funding cut in AmeriCorps, and the strategic decisions and tactical steps supporters made to ensure adequate funding.

Currently chair of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National Community Service, Gearan has guided and expanded Hobart and William Smiths commitment to public service. He headed the Peace Corps before accepting the HWS presidency in 1999, and currently serves on the boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and The Partnership of Public Service. He is also a member of the Leadership Council of ServiceNation. He is the past chair of both the Annapolis Group and the National Campus Compact.