Grounded in the school's mission to prepare students for a life of meaningful contribution, the St. George's Institute for Citizenship offers dynamic academic lessons and real-world learning opportunities to juniors and seniors who are selected to participate in this prestigious program. Through coursework and off-campus experiences, students grapple with what it means to be an engaged citizen both now and in the future, focusing on the regional, national, global, and environmental interplay.

In addition, the Institute for Citizenship funds a speakers series for all upper school students, allowing them to hear from reknowned citizens who have made a difference in their chosen field.

Launched in 2010 and made possible, in part, by a $50,000 grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation, the Citizenship Institute offers a distinctive curricular option to SGIS students.

The Citizenship Institute is led by a director, Mr. Luther Mercer, who oversees the program and teaches the classes.  Students who apply and are selected participate in an intensive, two year-long course covering civic engagement, current events, and entrepreneurship. A practicum of work, internship, or service in the summer between the junior and senior year is included, and students in the program are asked to focus their Senior Independent Study project, a graduation requirement at St. George's, on some aspect of regional, national, global, or environmental citizenship. 

Questions may be directed to the director of the institute, Mr. Luther Mercer, at lmercer@sgis.org.

Read an editorial by Chris Peck, editor of The Commercial Appeal, about St. George's Institute for Citizenship.

Read a July 2011 story in The Commercial Appeal about the Institute for Citizenship and student trip to Tanzania.