About Civic Character

The chapters below explore cvic character traits both obvious and not.

Joyful

Joy is a deep gladness rooted in meaning, gratitude, and connection, steady even when circumstances are not perfect.

Hopeful

Hope is the resilient belief that better is possible and that our actions today can shape tomorrow.

Colorful rope knot

Trusting

Trust is the confident willingness to rely on others or yourself, built through honesty, consistency, and care.

Older man and younger man sitting on bench

Wise

Wise is the ability to see clearly, think deeply, and choose well, guided by experience, humility, and insight.

Courageous

Courage is the steady choice to move forward despite fear, guided by conviction, hope, and a willingness to grow through challenge.

young man and older woman walking together

Gracious

Gracious is showing kindness, patience, and generosity of spirit, especially when it would be easier not to.

Course Curriculum

6 Chapters · 50 Lessons

  1. 1

    Joyful

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Joyful

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The Essence of Authentic Joy

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Sources of Joy

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      A Joy Mindset

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Happiness and Joy

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Sustaining Joy

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Sharing Joy

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Joy and Faith

  2. 2

    Hopeful

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Hopeful

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The Essence of Hope

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The Culture of Hope

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Losing Hope

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Restoring Hope

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Measuring Hope

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      The Neuroscience of Hope

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Hope Mentoring

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Hopeful Patience

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Hope Lives

  3. 3

    Trusting

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Trusting

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Trust and Society

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The Neuroscience of Trust

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Self Trust

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Trust in Relationships

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Trust at a Distance

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Social Trust

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Trust and Democracy

  4. 4

    Wise

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Wise

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The Essence of Wisdom

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The Age of Wisdom

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Developing and Sharing Wisdom

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Self-Reflection and Wisdom

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      The Wisdom of Silence

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Memories and Wisdom

  5. 5

    Courageous

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Courageous

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The Essence of Courage

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The Essence of Fear

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      The Sources of Fear

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      A Courage Mindset – Part 1

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      A Courage Mindset – Part 2

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      The Neuroscience of Courage

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Developing Courage

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Failure and Courage

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      The Joy of Courage

  6. 6

    Graciousness

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Graciousness

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The Essence of Graciousness

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Graciousness, Gratitude, and Grace

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      A Pathway to Graciousness

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Mindfulness and Graciousness

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Graciousness and Emotional Well-Being

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      The Neuroscience of Graciousness

What People Are Saying

Discover how this course is transforming lives and bringing joy to individuals across the globe.

”
Text-only testimonials are quick to scan and can highlight the value of your product at a glance.
Jessica L.

Las Vegas, NV

The combination of text and imagery make the testimonial feel more personal and credible.
Ashley T.

Working mom

”
Finally, a handbook that makes photography feel simple! It covers everything from camera settings to post-processing in a way that actually makes sense.
Anna W.

Amateur photographer

About the Creator

Jack Byrd, Jr. Rather than present my background in a traditional academic format, I would like to share my career journey, since that is what this course is about. I came to West Virginia University (WVU) from Fairmont, WV. My first memory as a child was being told by my parents that I needed to do well in school because I would be going to WVU. I chose engineering as a major because I liked math. I have never been a social person, and the thought of giving presentations was very frightening. I didn’t want a career where I would be asked to do presentations. I had an internship with Eastman Kodak. The plant employed more people than lived in my hometown (22,000). I loved the work but was disappointed by how little of an impact my work had at this massive site. I decided to continue in school to get my Master’s, largely because our basketball team was going to be great. After finishing my Master’s, I decided to continue on to get a PhD. I never gave much thought to my career decisions. A turning point in my life was when a classmate of mine lost his father unexpectedly. He asked me to take his classes. Although I had a real fear of public speaking, I agreed. I found out that I loved teaching. I was given an opportunity to stay at WVU when I graduated with my PhD, and accepted. I’ve always been very creative, so developing research proposals was something that was easy for me. I was awarded one of NSF’s top awards for young scholars. When I presented my work at a research conference, I had another career epiphany. I just couldn’t imagine a career where the scope of my work was limited to a ballroom of people. Early in my career, I was awarded the first Faculty Merit Foundation honor of being the best college professor in the state. This gave me some freedom to focus my career on teaching. Now in my 7th decade of teaching, I believe I have taught more students at WVU than any other professor. In April of 2019, I found out that I had cancer. Originally, I thought I could resume classes after a summer of treatment, but the treatment was too challenging. Reluctantly, I had to retire. But I couldn’t stop teaching. I taught online classes during the one year of treatment. When my surgeon came to see me the morning after a six-hour surgery, I was grading papers. I told him, “I love what I do.” He just shook his head. I hope that you will find an equally satisfying career and that this course will give you the ability to find your own purpose as I have done.

Explore Civic Character

Enroll now

Enroll Now