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Listen "MCCE – A Champion for Civics, Civility, and the Law"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode of Working Towards Nine, our Secretary Kristina Bilowus sits down with the Michigan Center for Civic Education (MCCE) Ellen Zwarensteyn to discuss the role of MCCE, its impact on civic engagement, and opportunities for pipelines to law.
Ellen Zwarensteyn serves as the Executive Director at the
Michigan Center for Civic Education (MCCE). The Michigan Center for Civic Education is Michigan’s K-12 civic education non-profit organization dedicated to providing meaningful professional learning and student engagement opportunities for civic and law-related education. A few signature programs include Mock Trial, We the People, Project Community, Civic Dialogue, and so much more.
Ellen comes to MCCE as an educator. A teacher and administrator, Ellen has coached nationally top ranked policy debate teams and brings almost 30 years of coaching, teaching, and/or facilitating experience. Furthermore, her Masters in Communications focused on how simulated and
experiential educational opportunities, specifically through policy debate, aids civic education and political learning by fostering personal and civic efficacy through agency and voice.
In her role with MCCE, Ellen partners with various stakeholders working to advance civic education. A founding member of the MiCivics Coalition, MCCE continues to seek champions and input for our next steps for more vibrant civic education experiences. Also at MCCE, Ellen works with all schools who wish to enhance and advance civic education. MCCE also partners with numerous state and national organizations, including iCivics, Center for Civic Education, the National Constitution Center, and more. She is also a graduate of several MCCE programs (including We the People and Mock Trial) and can speak to the experiences from organizational, administrative, teacher, and student perspectives.
MCCE works with students, teachers, administrators, and
community members to motivate students to impact their civic communities. MCCE continues to expand its goals to ensure that each and every student has an authentic and meaningful experience in learning about and engaging in civics and law. MCCE hopes that, with additional capacity and resources, one day soon every student in every school will be energized by authentic civic learning while every teacher, administrator, and stakeholder values and re-prioritizes civic education as the bedrock of all learning, as the core of our shared civic identity. This identity would permit us to recognize historical inequities while relishing Constitutional possibilities and proposing civic remedies.
Kristina received her JD from Cooley Law School, and her LLM from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. She received her BA from Madonna University. She currently serves as an Assistant Director at MSU College of Law, where she advises, provides career counseling, and offers professional development assistance for law students and new attorneys. Previously, she practiced family law and criminal defense in metro Detroit.
Kristina is very active in leadership and professional organizations, including serving in organizations like WLAM (Secretary), ICBA DEI Committee (Co-Chair), OCBA DEI Committee (Co-Chair), SBM YLS (prior Chair), SBM BOC, SBM Strategic Planning Committee , MCCE Board Member, and various leadership roles within the WLAM regions and committees.
Learn more about WLAM on our website and on our social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube,
and Twitter.
WLAM supporters can sponsor the Working Towards Nine Podcast. Sponsorship includes a 30-second promo, either audio created by the sponsor or ad copy read by the producer and the sponsor’s name cited in the show notes. Check out our website here to learn more and purchase a sponsorship.
WLAM wants the WTN Podcast to be accessible to all
who listen. If you would like a free transcript of an episode, please email [email protected].
Ellen Zwarensteyn serves as the Executive Director at the
Michigan Center for Civic Education (MCCE). The Michigan Center for Civic Education is Michigan’s K-12 civic education non-profit organization dedicated to providing meaningful professional learning and student engagement opportunities for civic and law-related education. A few signature programs include Mock Trial, We the People, Project Community, Civic Dialogue, and so much more.
Ellen comes to MCCE as an educator. A teacher and administrator, Ellen has coached nationally top ranked policy debate teams and brings almost 30 years of coaching, teaching, and/or facilitating experience. Furthermore, her Masters in Communications focused on how simulated and
experiential educational opportunities, specifically through policy debate, aids civic education and political learning by fostering personal and civic efficacy through agency and voice.
In her role with MCCE, Ellen partners with various stakeholders working to advance civic education. A founding member of the MiCivics Coalition, MCCE continues to seek champions and input for our next steps for more vibrant civic education experiences. Also at MCCE, Ellen works with all schools who wish to enhance and advance civic education. MCCE also partners with numerous state and national organizations, including iCivics, Center for Civic Education, the National Constitution Center, and more. She is also a graduate of several MCCE programs (including We the People and Mock Trial) and can speak to the experiences from organizational, administrative, teacher, and student perspectives.
MCCE works with students, teachers, administrators, and
community members to motivate students to impact their civic communities. MCCE continues to expand its goals to ensure that each and every student has an authentic and meaningful experience in learning about and engaging in civics and law. MCCE hopes that, with additional capacity and resources, one day soon every student in every school will be energized by authentic civic learning while every teacher, administrator, and stakeholder values and re-prioritizes civic education as the bedrock of all learning, as the core of our shared civic identity. This identity would permit us to recognize historical inequities while relishing Constitutional possibilities and proposing civic remedies.
Kristina received her JD from Cooley Law School, and her LLM from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. She received her BA from Madonna University. She currently serves as an Assistant Director at MSU College of Law, where she advises, provides career counseling, and offers professional development assistance for law students and new attorneys. Previously, she practiced family law and criminal defense in metro Detroit.
Kristina is very active in leadership and professional organizations, including serving in organizations like WLAM (Secretary), ICBA DEI Committee (Co-Chair), OCBA DEI Committee (Co-Chair), SBM YLS (prior Chair), SBM BOC, SBM Strategic Planning Committee , MCCE Board Member, and various leadership roles within the WLAM regions and committees.
Learn more about WLAM on our website and on our social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube,
and Twitter.
WLAM supporters can sponsor the Working Towards Nine Podcast. Sponsorship includes a 30-second promo, either audio created by the sponsor or ad copy read by the producer and the sponsor’s name cited in the show notes. Check out our website here to learn more and purchase a sponsorship.
WLAM wants the WTN Podcast to be accessible to all
who listen. If you would like a free transcript of an episode, please email [email protected].
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