A civic-minded professional (CMP) is one who is skillfully trained through formal education with the ethical disposition as a social trustee of knowledge and the capacity to work with others in a democratic way to achieve public good. The development, acceptance, and wide dissemination of the civic-minded graduate scale and rubric was preceded by the development of the civic-minded professional construct and scale by Julie Hatcher, former executive director of the CSL. The intent was to create a tool for research on professionals who contribute their time, skill, and expertise to others to achieve the collective good. Understanding the traits of these professionals can ultimately contribute to more informed strategies to sustain and to enhance this practice. This inquiry into the public role of professionals led to the concept of CMP being defined and operationalized into a scale and determined to be a reliable measure and valid scale in particular contexts.
Skills, ethics, and capacity
The civic-minded profession represents the integration of the following three dimensions:
- Self-identity
- Work, career, and profession
- Civic attitudes, civic action, and public purpose
A CMP is one who is (a) skillfully trained through formal education, with (b) the ethical disposition as a social trustee of knowledge, and (c) the capacity to work with others in a democratic way, (d) to achieve public goods.
Characteristics of a CMP
Knowledge
- Volunteer and pro bono service opportunities
- Contemporary social issues and community issues
Skills
- Competency with diversity
- Consensus building across diverse opinions
- Participatory civic skills
Dispositions
- Values voluntary and pro bono service
- Motivated to serve others
- Sense of gratitude
- Social trustee of knowledge
- Passionate about work
- Sense of calling, either civic or religious
- Democratic values
For additional information on research on the CMP, please contact Julie Hatcher.
Citation:
Hatcher, J. A. (2008). The public role of professionals: Developing and evaluating the civic-minded professional scale. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Pro Quest Dissertation and Theses, AAT 3331248.