Collegiate Times

Virginia Tech continues to focus on international involvement in ways that enrich graduate education. Involvement with an overseas organization called Arab Civitas provides students with a unique perspective from an often-misunderstood area of the world.

Russ Cargo, who serves as the co-director of the Institute for Governance and Accountabilities in the School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech?s National Capital Region campus, also works as a consultant to the board of directors of the Arab Civitas program, an organization that promotes democracy education in Middle Eastern countries.

Arab Civitas, according to a university website, provides resources, teacher training and opportunities to student projects. Arab Civitas is a collection of associations comprised of governmental and non-profit organizations from Jordan, the West Bank of Palestine, Egypt, Morocco Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon and Yemen.

Cargo said that he has done a fair amount of work in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia and Jordan. While doing work with Arab Civitas, Cargo visited Jordan and was able to observe the impact that democracy education advocates have on the region.

?What really impressed me was the courage that is demonstrated in trying to develop democracy education in that area of the world. It is really admirable that they are taking on this task in the face of other groups who openly object to their kind of work,? Cargo said.

Cargo said the work of Arab Civitas is embodies the educational goals of the Institute for Governance and Accountabilities. The institute is interested in understanding how non-profit organizations can help influence and solve the world?s problems.

?Everything from homelessness to the spread of democracy are not solved by one organization. It takes public policy and the cooperation between sectors to understand how all parts can work effectively,? Cargo said.

Cargo?s work as a consultant for Arab Civitas involves developing a structured organization that can expand to meet the needs of the region. Cargo said that he is helping them put together a board of directors that will allow them to raise money and continually promote the program.

For Virginia Tech, Cargo?s work will directly influence his non-profit law and ethics course. Cargo?s graduate students will be able to study how a developing organization can operate and change to deal with the unpredictable region.

?My continued involvement as a consultant will give students the opportunity to see things unfold and figure out how to fix the problems that will arise,? Cargo said.

Cargo said his work is representative of the international focus that the university has embraced to build a competitive graduate program and strengthen its educational experience.

?Virginia Tech is on the leading edge in doing this international work and having the institute in the DC area puts students in direct contact with what is going on, giving them an advantage over other students,? Cargo said.