When I was seriously looking into colleges my junior year of high school Syracuse had always been on the top of my list because I wanted to go to a big school with a lot of spirit, and not that far away from home. But something that made Syracuse my number one choice was the Citizenship and Civic Engagement Major.

Not a lot of people have heard of this major because it is something very specific to Syracuse University, and it is a very new program. The Citizenship and Civic Engagement major is one that very unique. In order to major in this, you also have to pair it with another undergraduate major at Syracuse. The major that you pair with CCE is usually one that is within the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, but CCE has also created several partnerships with other schools like the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and even the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

This major's curriculum mixes the regular discipline social sciences that are taught at Maxwell with the opportunity to work with organizations that focus on issues in the community. The most exciting part about the CCE major is the senior capstone Action Plan project. This is where student conduct research on a social concern.

They do this while working with a community partner that can be in New York or basically anywhere else. This action plan allows you to display everything that you have been working towards for 4 years. It also gives students a way to have real-life experiences within the community as well as receive training in conflict management, and the opportunity to work with elected officials.

Life for students after they graduate with this major includes jobs like a public policy analyst, a community engagement professional, a non-profit manager, and many more jobs in that field.

I think that this is the most underrated major at Syracuse University not only because it's my major and I think more people should know about it, but because I don't think it gets nearly enough credit as it deserves. This major allows you to design so much of what you learn and it truly turns college into one that can give you experiences that will actually benefit you later on in life.

Also, the work that you are doing with this major actually creates a difference in the community. This program is something that I am extremely proud to be a part of because not only am I earning a degree, which will benefit me, I am also working for the community around me and helping those that really need it.