In the spring and fall semester, there is an ECG 300 (engagements with the common good) class that students during their junior year can take. Specifically, there is an ECG 300 course taught by professor Catherine Pressimone Beckowski titled Social Change Through Running.
What do students learn about in this course?
According to Cabrini’s WebTMS, “students explore dimensions of food insecurity such as nutrition, access, and cost through field trips, guest presentations, and other experiential learning opportunities.”
“As with all ECG classes, this class combines writing instruction, discussion and analysis of topics relating to the advancement of Social Justice, and community engagement. I have developed my current ECG 300 around some questions that I’ve been thinking about for a few years – how can running be used to promote social justice, and how has running been reflective of or responsive to social and cultural shifts that take place within various communities,” Beckowski said.
Cabrini University was built on the foundation of social justice. According to Cabrini’s website, “Cabrini welcomes learners of all faiths, cultures, and backgrounds and prepares them to become engaged citizens of the world.”
“I love this class. I feel like I am learning more about the world around me than I realized. I feel like each of my classmates bring something different to class discussion, which in itself, is creating a social change,” junior Kateri Drewicz said.
“I do like the class because it is interesting to see how something simple as running can help people in so many different ways,” junior Vanessa Lawrence-Fulton said. It is also cool to see how its used with social justice causes.”
“Throughout the semester, we study a number of situations in which running has helped to support or bring positive change to a particular community. For example, early in the semester we study Girls Run 2, a program that uses running to empower girls in the African nation of Djibouti. This semester, we’re also taking a look at the role running can play in helping to rehabilitate inmates in correctional facilities as well as the ways in which running has influenced the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, which has been characterized by a strong sense of community and solidarity. Through our partnership with Back on My Feet, students get to experience and participate in a creative and dedicated use of running to end homelessness in Philadelphia,” Beckowski said.
