Swarthmore College, a place of academic excellence and community engagement, is home to three Lang buildings: the Lang Performing Arts Centre, the Lang Music Building, and the lesser-known but deeply cherished Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility. Nestled between the MakerSpace and the Singer building, hidden by trees, the Lang Center stands as a testament to Swarthmore’s commitment to community and engaged scholarship. It’s a space that I have come to consider the heart of campus, embodying the college’s core values of community and intellectual engagement.
The Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility serves as a bridge between academic pursuits and the broader community, offering students the opportunity to engage in meaningful projects and research. Students design comprehensive projects or research combining the three values of the Lang Center, Community, Curriculum, and Campus, for the benefit of their personal growth and the broader community. This center not only facilitates Swarthmore’s dedication to intellectual excellence, but also promotes ethical engagement and social responsibility. Students, regardless of their major, can apply for funding to support projects that connect their academic interests with real-world issues and community needs. The center provides guidance in finding relevant courses, research opportunities, internships, and volunteer activities.
Within the Lang Center, the CoLab stands out as a unique space dedicated to fostering community-led collaborative action. The CoLab’s mission is to support ethical engagement and innovative social impact through partnerships with both local and global communities. It offers a nurturing environment for students, faculty, and staff to design, plan, and implement collaborative projects. The workshops and modules offered at the CoLab equip participants with essential tools and frameworks such as Impact Gaps Analysis, Project Management, Stakeholder Mapping, Design Thinking for Social Change, and the Social Business Model Canvas.
The Lang Center supports students with varying grants to combine the C’s or values of the Lang Center, Community, Curriculum and Campus. The Lang Opportunity Scholarship (LOS) Program is a cornerstone of the Lang Center’s offerings. This prestigious scholarship selects sophomore students based on academic excellence, leadership qualities, and a commitment to civic and social responsibility. Each Lang Scholar receives a $10,000 grant, a dedicated adviser, and access to a network of resources to develop projects that address social needs both domestically and internationally.
As a Lang Scholar this year, I am working on a project focused on economic development in Benin. My goal is to enhance agricultural yield and promote community development to create sustainable solutions in flood-prone areas. This endeavor aligns perfectly with the Lang Center’s mission to merge academic pursuits with impactful, community-focused action.
The Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility is not just a physical space, but a vibrant community dedicated to fostering intellectual and social growth. It makes concrete Swarthmore’s values by providing a supportive environment where students can transform their academic knowledge into tangible social change. Whether through funding opportunities, collaborative projects at the CoLab, or the Lang Opportunity Scholarship, the Lang Center empowers students to make a lasting impact on the world.