The Middletown Government Participation Guide was developed in collaboration between the Wesleyan Sustainability Office and the Middletown Sustainability Team with the goal of demystifying the process of getting involved in local government. It helps Wesleyan students and the broader Middletown community to figure out where to start, how to participate in meetings, and how to sustain long-term involvement. 

The Guide was first conceived to address the misconceptions or gaps in information that keep people from participating in local government, with particular concern to those disadvantaged by that lack of information.  Since work on it began in Winter 2020, it has undergone a rigorous revision process with input from Middletown residents, City staff, and Wesleyan's Jewett Center Community Partnerships. 

The Guide was last updated in November 2021.

The Sustainable Middletown Team and Interns have facilitated collaborations between Wesleyan professors and individuals in Middletown on civic engagement projects broadly related to sustainability and environmental justice. By integrating Middletown-focused projects into classes, Wesleyan students become more engaged with their community and simultaneously support initiatives that may otherwise lack the necessary resources to be completed.

Wesleyan is currently investigating options to more effectively create and share project ideas between faculty, students, and community members.  

Past projects include:

• GIS solar panel mapping: As part of the course E&ES 280: Introduction to GIS (Fall 2020), students mapped ideal locations for city-owned solar panels in GIS.
  Course taught by Kim Diver, Associate Professor of the Practice in Earth and Environmental Sciences and Board Member of the Middlesex Land Trust.
  Community partner: Michael Harris, Energy Coordinator, City of Middletown
• Mobile Solar Generator: As part of the course IDEAS 170: Introduction to Design and Engineering (Fall 2019), students designed and built a solar-powered roving generator, a sustainable alternative to non-renewable generators. 
  Course taught by Greg Voth, Professor of Physics, and Daniel Moller, Assistant Professor of the Practice in Integrative Sciences
  Community partner: Jen Kleindienst, Wesleyan Sustainability Director and Chair of Clean Energy Task Force
• POCD Input: As part of the course ENVS 197: Introduction to Environmental Studies (Spring 2019), students reviewed Middletown’s draft 2020 Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD) and made recommendations in several areas relating to sustainability.
  Course taught by Rosemary Ostfeld, Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
  Community partners: Stephen Devoto, Professor of Biology, Wesleyan University and Chair, Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission; Joseph Samolis, Director of Planning, Conservation, & Development, City of Middletown

The Jewett Center for Community Partnerships (JCCP) offers volunteer and work-study opportunities to build and strengthen community. Before getting involved in community service or civic engagement, review the Cardinal Community Commitment.

The JCCP has 19 student-run volunteer programs in a variety of areas, including some focused on sustainability and environmental justice. These programs vary in level of commitment, with most being a weekly commitment. We strongly encourage longer-term commitments to help foster stronger connections with our community members.

A wide array of courses are offered through the Center for the Study of Public Life each semester. In addition, students can select from a range of service-learning courses across Wesleyan’s three academic divisions, organized through the service-learning center.  Several courses in the Sustainability & Environmental Justice Course Cluster include civic engagement components, too.

The Community Impact Residency is a two-semester for-credit program that brings together Wesleyan students interested in the practice of civic engagement and a cross-section of community stakeholders committed to creating just, equitable, and sustainable communities.  

Want to go further? The Civic Engagement Certificate allows you to integrate academic work in civic engagement with volunteer experiences and a community practicum.