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May–June 2020 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
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Students Log 2,700 Hours Serving Community in Spring Semester Service-Learning Courses ‘Enriching experience’ for finance students at elementary school Students taking designated service-learning courses last semester provided approximately 2,700 hours of service to the community. The students were enrolled in theology, sociology, psychology, social work, nursing, communication, finance, marketing, biology, mathematics, and chemistry courses, reported Dr. Heather Johnson Desiral, project assistant for Barry’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Major service projects and events, such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in January, took place before the coronavirus outbreak began to take its toll in the United States. The newly created Community Science Academy made its mark at St. Mary’s Cathedral School, where Barry students facilitated hands-on activities for middle grades and discussions of the real-world relevance of various science topics. (See separate story in this issue.) As part of Dr. Stephanie Bingham’s biology courses, students served as tutors for the Saturday Academy at Gratigny Elementary School in North Miami. They also provided science activities at the Miami Brain Fair. Sociology students were among those participating in the College Brides Walk in February. The course instructors were Dr. Laura Finley, Dr. Lisa Konzcal, and Aurelie La Torre. As part of the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), Dr. Stephen Morrell’s finance students presented three 80-minute financial literacy sessions at William H. Turner Technical Arts High School in the spring semester. Approximately 50 Turner Tech students attended each session, SMIF leader Martina Muñoz reported. In addition, SMIF students conducted an exploratory financial literacy class session at Shenandoah Elementary School. The students had “an enriching experience,” Morrell said. Meanwhile, Dr. Samuel Doss had his digital marketing students create Google advertisements for nine community partners. “Working with our nonprofit organization has been a great opportunity for me,” one student said, “because I really got to see what it’s like to take on the marketing side of a website and working with Google ads.” Students taking the service-learning and social work practice course with Dr. Michael Alicea engaged in “meaningful projects,” Johnson Desiral reported. Theology service-learning faculty included Fr. George Boudreau, Rev. Richard Clements, Sister Mary Frances Fleischaker, Dr. Christopher Jones, Fr. Jorge Presmanes, Dr. Alex Schlich, and Fr. Cristóbal Torres. Other course instructors included Dr. Pamela Hall (Psychology), Dr. Ricardo Jimenez (Computer Science), and Dr. Katherine Nelson (Communication). Barry’s QEP is focused on personal and social responsibility. All designated service-learning courses carry both “SL” and “PSR,” indicating that they meet the criteria for both designations. |
College of Arts and Sciences Establishes Afterschool Program Focused on Science in Everyday Life Barry’s College of Arts and Sciences has established an after-school program to foster understanding and appreciation of the utility of science in everyday life. Targeted to middle-school students, the program, named the Community Science Academy (CSA), was launched earlier this year at St. Mary’s Cathedral School in Miami. Students in the 6th to 8th grades participated in weekly sessions during the first part of the spring semester, until the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused the cancellation of other sessions. With guidance from faculty, Barry students taking chemistry and other courses presented hands-on activities, including experiments, to children in the middle grades. The college students also guided St. Mary’s students in recording and interpreting data. Air quality, nutrition, energy usage and climate change, water quality, and microorganisms were among the topics covered in the spring semester. Discussions addressed the real-world relevance of specific topics. “The goal was to demonstrate that science is interesting, hands-on, fun, and useful for solving problems that may exist in students’ lives or in the community that surrounds them,” said Dr. Tamara Hamilton, a CSA director and professor of chemistry. “Each week we asked the middle-schoolers to help identify concerns in their community, and to record pictures of their home surroundings, and interviews of parents or neighbors related to the experiment topic,” Mathematics, biology, and sociology students and faculty participated in the CSA sessions at St. Mary’s. Barry faculty members involved included Dr. Zuzana Zajickova, professor of chemistry and chair of the Department of Physical Sciences; Dr. Sanja Zivanovic, associate professor of mathematics; Dr. Karen Callaghan, professor of sociology and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Leticia Vega, professor of biology; and Dr. Christoph Hengartner, associate professor of biology. St. Mary’s faculty and administrators supporting the academy were Felicia Ellington, the middle-school science teacher; Principal Eduardo Flor; and the assistant principal (middle school), Katrina De La Fe. Sociology students conducted research, identifying assets in students’ neighborhoods and generating community maps with information on crime, environment, food, libraries, museums, and parks. The plan was to use the asset maps to begin dialogue with the middle-grades students about their experiences related to community well-being. “It was hoped that, through this mapping exercise, students would integrate the knowledge learned from the chemistry, math, and biology portions of the program into their experiences and eventually identify a problem that could be improved through a combination of scientific knowledge and civic action,” By then, CSA faculty and students had met for six weeks, and there was “a steady attendance of 18–24 enthusiastic middle-schoolers, who were consistently engaged and eager to learn,” In written reflection assignments, chemistry students taking part in the program described it as “a fulfilling and joyful experience.” They emphasized their appreciation of the opportunity to build relationships with the younger students, who were more excited and interested than the undergraduates expected. “Indeed, many undergraduates chose to return to the CSA after their service-learning obligations were complete,” Hamilton noted. “They appreciated being able to use knowledge learned throughout their college studies to design a project that had real consequences for others, and having a chance to communicate science information in an accessible way.” She added that the college students also recognized the importance of being science role models for younger students with backgrounds similar to their own. Hamilton, who is also an associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, thanked Dr. Heather Johnson-Desiral, project assistant for Barry’s Quality Enhancement Plan, and Liz James, experiential learning coordinator, for conducting an orientation session for Barry’s CSA students. She also thanked Community Science Mentors Michaela Reyes and Caomie Archelus, who were assigned to the CSA through the Barry Service Corps, and CCSI Program Facilitator Brittney Morales, who assisted with their supervision. The CSA directors, together with the school administration, plan to continue the sessions at St. Mary’s “as soon as public health circumstances allow.” |
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First Philosophy Course Added to Designated Service-Learning List PHI 191–HI, Judeo-Christian Doctrine, is now a designated service-learning course. It is the first philosophy course on the service-learning list. Dr. Sean Erwin, associate professor of philosophy, is the course instructor. He was a service-learning faculty fellow in academic year 2018–2019. The course involves a fundamental examination of the Judeo-Christian philosophical tradition, beginning with a consideration of the relationship between religious and philosophical beliefs and justifications. Students will help to address the decline in the study of classical languages, since the 1970s, in the “The motivation to have university students act in the role of language coaches and research assistants is to emphasize the value that they … bring to the language by acting as conduits of a tradition,” Erwin said. “They do this when they practice the elements of the language they have mastered as co-learners in the process of transmitting a classical language to a new generation.” Designated service-learning courses require applied learning, student engagement with the community, and critical reflection. The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) is inviting faculty members whose courses include a service-learning component to apply for the service-learning designation. For additional information, contact the CCSI. |
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Experiential Learning Coordinator Serves as English Language Tutor to Refugee Family Liz James usually assigns students to community sites for course-based service and volunteer civic engagement. And, for more than three years, she has coordinated the partnership activities of Barry’s Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) with a local refugee resettlement agency. As part of the resettlement process, refugees who cannot speak English get the help they need. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, many of those who arrived recently have not been able to get in-person tutoring. When Church World Service South Florida, the refugee resettlement agency, sought assistance with delivering English language lessons to recently resettled refugees, the CCSI added a tutoring opportunity to its remote civic engagement offerings. At the same time, James, the CCSI’s experiential learning coordinator, decided to become a volunteer tutor herself. Since mid-May, the agency has assigned English language learners to her. She has been helping a family develop conversational English skills. The three family members arrived in Miami from Cuba on April 1. Like other bilingual volunteers, James provides about two hours of tutoring via WhatsApp video calls each week. It did not take long for her group of English language learners to master the alphabet, three-digit numbers, and vocabulary for household items. “Through this service activity, I am able to help new Americans on their journey in this great nation,” James said. “When we speak of living out Barry’s core commitment of inclusive community, this is an opportunity to do just that.” She hopes other Barry staff members will join her by volunteering with Church World Service during the summer. |
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Opportunities for Remote Civic Engagement Available Throughout Summer As the United States and the global community continue to grapple with the coronavirus crisis, the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) is offering a variety of remote civic engagement opportunities to students, faculty, and staff throughout the summer. The opportunities address several social issues faced by vulnerable populations amid the COVID-19 pandemic – from hunger and women’s health issues to domestic violence and unsafe conditions for farmworkers. View all current opportunities for civic engagement from a distance on a webpage, and follow @BarryCCSI on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. |
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Book Chapters, Manuscript Submissions Indicate Community-Engaged Scholarship Productivity Dr. Glenn A. Bowen, executive director of the CCSI, is author of a chapter, “Addressing Social Problems Through Service-Learning,” in a just-released book, Social Problems: Sociology in Action. Published as the SAGE book’s appendix, “Addressing Social Problems” includes a research-focused service-learning project example from Prof. Laura Finley’s sociology of violence course. With CCSI Associate Director Courtney A. Berrien, Bowen also has coauthored a chapter in an in-press book edited by Finley. “Educating and Engaging Students as Emerging Agents of Social Change in a Diverse Community” will be a chapter in Difficult Discussions: Issues and Ideas for Engaging College Students in Peace and Justice Topics. The Information Age book will also contain a chapter by Dr. Pamela D. Hall, associate professor of psychology, and others. The chapter is titled “Difficult Discussions: Race Talk and Awkward Dinners.” Meanwhile, Finley and Bowen have begun work as coeditors of a book on experiential learning. Finley is also set to co-edit, with Hall, a book tentatively titled “Coronavirus and Vulnerable People: Addressing the Divide in Harm and Responses and Implications for a More Peaceful World.” Additionally, several FLC members have submitted manuscripts to journals for consideration. Those submissions, as well as book chapter manuscripts being prepared, indicate faculty and staff productivity in community-engaged scholarship here at Barry, a Carnegie-classified community-engaged university. Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in Engaged Scholarship Update (Academic Year 2019–2020). |
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In-Person Presentations at Conference Cancelled in Wake of COVID-19 Dr. Mureen Shaw had planned to head for Abu Dhabi, UAE, in late July for Sigma’s 31st International Nursing Research Congress. Instead, she will participate in a virtual event. The assistant professor of nursing will make a presentation on “Interprofessional Collaboration Between a U.S. University and Community Partners in Dr. Tamara Hamilton, professor of chemistry, was on the list of presenters for the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) National Meeting and Expo in March. “Service-Learning in a Capstone Course for Chemistry Majors” is the title of the presentation she was scheduled to make in The event was cancelled because of COVID-19. ACS has posted presentation slides, including Hamilton’s, to a virtual meeting forum. Also, Drs. Glenn Bowen and Pamela Hall, with community partner Nadie Mondestin, were slated to present at the Campus Compact National Conference in Seattle, WA, in March. Bowen is the executive director of the CCSI, Hall is an associate professor of psychology, and Mondestin is the executive director of the Haitian Youth and |
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Bowen Begins Second Term on International Association Board Barry CCSI’s Dr. Glenn A. Bowen has been named a co-chair of the Scholarship and Publications Committee of the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE). The committee coordinates and promotes engaged scholarship opportunities as well as the production and dissemination of associated publications to advance the association’s mission. Bowen began his second three-year term on the IARSLCE Board of Directors last October. His committee responsibilities are part of his board role. He previously chaired the IARSLCE Board Development Committee. Editor’s Note: This story is reprinted from Engaged Scholarship Update (Academic Year 2019–2020). |
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Students Anastasiia Samokhvalova, Antonio Rodriguez Recognized for Outstanding Service Undergraduates Anastasiia Samokhvalova and Antonio “Toni” Rodriguez are the winners of Barry University’s St. Catherine Medal for outstanding service. Samokhvalova has participated in projects for Days of Service, including MLK Day of Service and International Coastal Cleanup Day, and has been active in the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) in the School of Business. Rodriguez has demonstrated commitment to civic engagement through the Barry Service Corps Fellows Program organized by the Center for Community Service Initiatives. He served as a co-chair of the Campus Democracy Project Committee in academic year 2019–2020, promoting voter registration and voter education. |
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Student Leaders to Continue Co-chairing Organizing Committee for Campus Democracy Project Student leaders will continue to serve as co-chairs of the organizing committee for Barry’s Campus Democracy Project (CDP), the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) has announced. Isaly Ortiz will be the co-chair for the 2020–2021 academic year and Stephanie Torres for 2021–2022. A former president of the Barry University College Democrats, Ortiz is the current chief of staff of the Florida College Democrats (FCD). She previously served as the FCD secretary. Torres is president of the Barry University College Republicans. Both she and Ortiz are fellows in the Barry Service Corps, where they are assigned to the Civic Health Team. The CDP promotes civic learning and democratic engagement, including voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities. During its final meeting for this academic year, on May 20, the CDP Committee congratulated Sirena Register, Mateo Gomez, and Antonio “Toni” Rodriguez on their graduation. “All three were excellent student leaders who represented Barry extremely well,” said Dr. Glenn Bowen, executive director of the CCSI. With Dr. Sean Foreman, professor of political science, Rodriguez was co-chair of the CDP Committee. As a fellow in the Barry Service Corps, Rodriguez served on the Civic Health Team. He created BucsVote during the 2018–2019 academic year to promote student leadership in support of the CDP. “After a successful academic year, during which the Barry Service Corps Civic Health Team and BucsVote did outstanding work, we have decided to retain the faculty/administrator–student co-chair model for the CDP Committee,” Bowen announced after the May meeting.
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Former Student Leader Returns to Serve Community Through National Program A former Barry student leader has joined a University of Pittsburgh grad in a CCSI-based program facilitation role designed to assist the local community in addressing pressing social issues. Gabriel Bouani will concentrate on youth development issues while Kaitlyn Gallagher will continue helping to build capacity to tackle food insecurity. Bouani and Gallagher are AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to “Kaitlyn has been assisting with food security initiatives such as the During her college years, Gallagher gained experience working with community organizations by volunteering with the International Rescue Mission and New Roots, a project that involved refugees in self-sufficient gardening projects in “I decided to become a Bouani graduated from Barry with a degree in sports management last May. He was a Barry Service Corps Fellow for two years, during which time he assisted with the coordination of Barry’s youth-serving community partnerships. After completing his undergraduate studies, Bouani was a youth coordinator intern with the Early Prevention and Intervention program in the City of “I chose to be a “Gabe will promote youth advocacy initiatives in collaboration with The New Florida Majority and Dream Defenders,” noted Liz James, experiential learning coordinator in the CCSI. |
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CCSI Looking for Students Interested in Civic Learning and Leadership Development The CCSI is accepting applications from undergraduates interested in becoming Barry Service Corps Fellows. The select group of students will participate in a yearlong program designed to foster civic-mindedness. In this civic learning and leadership program, the CCSI’s Courtney Berrien explains, “Fellows work directly with community organizations to address social justice issues, including food insecurity, education inequity, economic injustices tied to globalization, community violence, and discrimination against marginalized populations.” For program and application details, visit the Barry Service Corps webpage or contact Berrien at cberrien@barry.edu. |
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Barry Service Corps Fosters Student Contributions to Community Impact Barry students have been helping to create community impact – many through the Barry Service Corps (BSC). Some of the students have been featured in Community Engagement News, the newsletter produced by the CCSI. The BSC fosters civic leadership and commitment to service by providing meaningful opportunities for students to support local agencies and institutions working to address social concerns. BSC members become acquainted with issues affecting neighborhoods and gain experience implementing projects based on approaches used by community partners. The following students have been featured so far: Medjine Presendieu, Brianna Olive, Wills Compere, Jennifer Thomas, Orianna Camargo, Alex Toussaint, Odet Sanchez, Soné Keith, and Terrian Smith. Up next: Doreen Noel, a BSC member who has provided exemplary service at St. Mary’s Cathedral School, Miami. “Students Contributing to Community Impact,” the feature stories, may be downloaded from a webpage in the Community Engagement Management System. |
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Students Being Urged to Get Counted in the Census as Part of Democratic Engagement As part of their engagement in the nation’s democratic processes, students are being urged to get counted in this year’s census. College students living in on-campus housing are counted through their university as part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s “Group Quarters Operation,” which counts all students living in university-owned housing (residence halls). In general, students in colleges and universities temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will still be counted as part of this process. “No matter where you were on Census Day, April 1, you should be counted where you live and sleep most of the time,” students are being reminded. “In most cases, students living away from home – at school, that is – should be counted at school, even if you are now temporarily elsewhere due to COVID-19.” Between May 27 and August 14, census takers will interview householders who have not responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted. Links to two videos about Census 2020 are on Barry’s Campus Democracy Project (CDP) webpage. |
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Save Box Tops Labels to Help Two Schools Raise Funds Please save your Box Tops labels to assist two elementary schools meet their fundraising goals. That’s a request from the coordinators of Barry’s Box Tops for Education Drive. Proceeds of Barry’s Box Tops for After the university campuses reopen, Box Tops clips from various products may be dropped in the labeled box in the CCSI, Adrian 208. Cereals, household-cleaning supplies, paper products, and school supplies are on the list of eligible products found at the following site: <http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products>. |
Community Engagement News
Posted On : June 12, 2020
