Abstract
Professor of Political Science and former Director of the Feinstein Institute for Public Service at Providence College, Rick Battistoni is a distinguished author in the field of political theory with a principal interest in the role of education in a democratic society. As Campus Compact's Engaged Scholar for Civic Engagement, Battistoni has published a recent volume, Civic Engagement Across the Curriculum, and has been involved with the development of their Engaged Department institutes and toolkit. Battistoni currently directs Project 540, an ambitious new program that gives over 100,000 high school students nationwide the opportunity to talk about issues that matter to them and to turn these conversations into real school and community change (www.project540.org).