Motivation to Teach Social Action:
I am interested in this program because I want my students to see social change as something they can actually practice, not just study. In my criminal justice and victimology courses, we talk a lot about harm, justice, advocacy, and community response. I would like to build course assignments that help students take those ideas further by identifying a real problem, listening to the people affected by it, and developing a thoughtful action plan.
I am also interested in bringing this model back to rural Kansas. Many of our communities are working with limited resources, but they also have strong relationships, local knowledge, and people who care deeply about making things better. I think this program would help me design a more hands-on learning experience where students can connect classroom concepts to real community needs in an ethical and practical way. I see this as a chance to strengthen my teaching and create assignments that help students build confidence as advocates, collaborators, and problem-solvers.
Our Civic Learning and Engagement office is sponsoring my participation so I can bring what I learn back to campus and share it with other faculty, staff, and students. I see this as a chance not only to strengthen my own teaching, but also to help support broader conversations about civic learning, student advocacy, and community-engaged course design at FHSU.
Course Description:
This class introduces students to major social justice issues through the lens of policy, power, inequality, and community response. The course asks students to examine how social problems are shaped by institutions and systems, while also exploring how individuals, organizations, and communities work toward change. Students connect course readings and discussions to real-world issues, analyze possible policy responses, and consider what meaningful action can look like beyond awareness alone. The course emphasizes critical thinking, civic responsibility, advocacy, and practical engagement with social change.
Taught By:
Ziwei Qi
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Director of the Center for Empowering Victims of Gender-based Violence
Criminal Justice
Fort Hays State University
Read profile here.