The IGC’s Mission

At its inception, Macalester was founded upon a dual dream: on the one hand, to encourage students to develop themselves through rigorous study and critical self- reflection; on the other, to educate students for the condition of freedom and the vocation of leadership. Consistent with this founding impulse, the Institute for Global Citizenship (IGC) was created.

Our mission is to encourage, promote, and support:

• Rigorous learning that prepares students for lives as effective and ethical “global citizen-leaders”
• Innovative scholarship that enriches the public and academic discourse on important questions of global significance
• Meaningful service that enhances such learning and scholarship while enriching the many communities within which Macalester is embedded.

The IGC’s Constituent Units

The International Center handles Study Abroad, the Faculty Development International Seminar, Macalester-sponsored international programs, and the Faculty and Staff Visitor and Exchange Program.

The Civic Engagement Center connects all members of the Macalester community with community-based initiatives and supports student civic leadership programs.

The Internship Office develops and administers structured off-campus learning/work experiences that enhance professional skills and heighten career awareness.

The Lilly Project examines the broad questions of values, ethics, and vocation. Its programs combine reflection and action to bring to life those pivotal questions about the meaning and purpose of our life's work.