The course is being offered through the Civil Rights Heritage Center at Indiana University South Bend.
According to its website, the Clemente Course in the Humanities “provides a transformative educational experience for adults facing economic hardship and adverse circumstances.” The course is free, and it “empower[s] students to further their education and careers, become effective advocates for themselves and their families, and engage actively in the cultural and civic lives of their communities.”
Indiana University South Bend is now offering the Clemente Course in the Humanities through its Civil Rights Heritage Center, thanks to Darryl Heller, who is the director of the Civil Rights Heritage Center and an assistant professor of women’s and gender studies. According to an article on Indiana University South Bend's website, Heller was able to secure enough grant funding so that the course will be available for free for at least the next two-and-a-half years.
Heller says the course will be beneficial to anyone who takes it. “Discerning critical reasoning skills are fundamentally important to a democratic society. I personally think that everybody should take at least one philosophy class in their life,” he said.
The Clemente Course was first created in 1995, and, according to its website, more than 10,000 people have taken the course since 1996. Students engage in debates, learn how to work in teams, and utilize critical thinking skills. In addition to the course itself being free, childcare, transportation, and course materials are all also provided for free for class participants.
So far, The Clemente Course at Indiana University South Bend has served nine students, and has capacity for up to 25. It is the first Indiana institution to offer The Clemente Course.
For more information about Indiana University South Bend, visit the school’s website.