Community Engagement News

March 12, 2018

In This Issue:

Registration for Community Engagement Symposium Underway

Student Leader Jasmine McKee Selected for Newman Civic Fellowship

Barry Student Named a Campus Election Engagement Fellow

College Brides Walk Organizers Pay Tribute to Stoneman Douglas Victims

Large Group from Barry Attends Educational Research Conference

Forum Focuses on Status of Women in Modern American Society

Service-Learning Books Available in Community Engagement Library

Deadline for D.C. Internship Applications is Tuesday, March 13

Registration for Community Engagement Symposium Underway

Registration for Barry University’s Fifth Annual Community Engagement Symposium is underway. The event will be held on March 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Barry’s main campus in Miami Shores.

The symposium agenda consists of a short opening session set for 9:30 a.m., a morning workshop and a lunch-hour seminar by the lead presenter, and a concurrent session featuring peer-reviewed presentations. The poster session is scheduled for 2 to 3:30 p.m. in Andreas 112.

Nadinne Cruz, former director of the Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford University, will be the lead presenter at the symposium. She will lead a 10–11:15 a.m. workshop on the topic, “Doing Justice, Making Peace in a Divided World: Creating a Life of Doing Good while Engaging with Differences about the ‘Greater Good’” and a 12:30–1:45 p.m. seminar titled “University–Community Partner Collaboration as if Our Lives Depended on It: Community Engagement as Epistemic Justice and Democratic Practice.”

Five concurrent presentations are listed at the registration site. They include “Collaboration with Community Partners: Oral Histories of Virginia Key Beach – ‘The Colored Beach.’” The other presentations are titled as follows: “Educational Initiatives of the Barry University Nursing and Education International Learning Partnership,” “Gender Differences in Attitudes towards Experiential Learning,” “Humanitarian Protection for the ‘Dreamers’ in America,” and “Promoting and Evaluating Youth Empowerment through Face-to-Face Social Learning and the videoRehearser Media Platform.”

Here is a link to the registration site for the symposium: <http://www.barry.edu/community-engagement-symposium/?bypass=true>.

For additional information regarding registration, contact Marie Colom in the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) at mcolom@barry.edu or 305-899-3696.

Student Leader Jasmine McKee Selected for Newman Civic Fellowship

Campus Compact has selected Barry University student leader Jasmine McKee for its 2018–2019 Newman Civic Fellowship.

McKee is one of 268 “community-committed college students” receiving national recognition by being awarded the one-year fellowship.

A junior majoring in history, McKee is deeply involved in Barry's Campus Democracy Project, a nonpartisan initiative aimed at promoting civic learning and democratic engagement through voter education, registration, and mobilization. A first-generation college student, she has been a mentor to middle-school students at the Lillie C. Evans K-8 Center in LibertyCity, one of Miami's underserved neighborhoods, where she has encouraged early interest in civic engagement through political institutions and processes.

Currently a Barry Service Corps Fellow, McKee participates in a program designed to cultivate civic-mindedness and to prepare students for future roles as agents of positive social change. As part of this program, based in the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI), she serves on a team of student leaders who support the work of Miami's PACT (People Acting for Community Together). She has also supported the efforts of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to improve the quality of life for farmworkers.

“As a student leader, Jasmine has demonstrated the motivation and potential for sustained civic engagement in the spirit of Frank Newman, for whom the fellowship is named,” said University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, O.P., Ph.D.

In July 2017, McKee was a member of the PACT delegation to a conference in Cincinnati,Ohio, where she benefited from training and development in community organizing to address social issues. She has set her sights on a continued role in helping to bring people together across racial, religious, and socioeconomic lines to pursue justice in their communities.

“I appreciate the process used by PACT to address issues like immigration, gun violence, and affordable housing,” McKee said. “And I am committed to getting more students involved.”

McKee is a 2017 winner of Barry’s Community Impact Award. The university president nominated her for Campus Compact’s Newman Civic Fellowship on the recommendation of the CCSI.

“I am confident that she will be an exemplary Newman Civic Fellow and will remain resolute in pursuing a life of engaged citizenship,” Sister Linda said.

The Boston-based Campus Compact is a national coalition of approximately 1,000 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. The fellowship honors the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, described as “a tireless advocate for the role of higher education in preparing students for active and engaged citizenship.”

The students awarded the fellowships represent Campus Compact member institutions in 40 states and Washington, D.C., as well as Mexico and Greece.

“The 2018 Newman Civic Fellows are an inspiring group of community-committed students who are already making an impact in communities where they live, learn, and serve,” said Campus Compact Program Manager Michaela Grenier. 

Grenier said the one-year fellowship “supports the next generation of public problem solvers in their personal, professional, and civic growth.” The fellows will have access to exclusive virtual and in-person learning opportunities and will be invited to a national conference.

The Newman Civic Fellows, including McKee, are profiled at the Campus Compact website.

Barry Student Named a Campus Election Engagement Fellow

Barry undergraduate Maurice Morrison has been selected as a Campus Election Engagement Fellow. He is one of only four Florida students selected by the organizers of the Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP) mainly to assist their peers in participating in this year’s midterm elections.

Maurice Morrison is a 21-year-old sophomore majoring in political science. He is an active member of both the Barry Model UN and Black Student Union. After graduation, he intends to further his studies in law school and ultimately to run for the highest political office in Jamaica.

The other students from Florida institutions selected as fellows are from Florida InternationalUniversity and MiamiDade College’sHialeah and Homestead campuses.

“These four superstars will be working to register voters and plan voter registration drives on their campus for the spring semester,” said Monica Matteo-Salinas, the Florida director of CEEP.

Morrison will support Barry’s Campus Democracy Project (CDP). He will be supervised by Dr. Sean Foreman, professor of political science and Barry’s CEEP liaison.

CEEP is a national non-partisan project that assists U.S. colleges and universities to get as many of their 20 million students as possible to register to vote as well as to volunteer in election campaigns, educate themselves, and turn out at the polls. CEEP fellows receive stipends or academic credit to work with college staff and student leaders in implementing the project’s nonpartisan approaches, the organizers said.

College Brides Walk Organizers Pay Tribute to Stoneman Douglas Victims

Nearly 1,000 students, faculty, staff, and community members supported the 8th Annual College Brides Walk on February 23.

In the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman DouglasHigh School in Parkland, Florida, the organizers paid tribute to the 17 persons who lost their lives. The organizers showed the link between dating and domestic violence and mass shootings, especially those in schools across the country.

During the opening session in the Broad Auditorium, some attendees donned graduation caps and gowns and held signs acknowledging the youth who will never graduate because they were victims of dating violence or other forms of violence.

Dr. Laura Finley, the event coordinator, described that session as “deeply emotional for all who attended.”

University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, O.P., Ph.D., gave the opening remarks.

The walk itself was from the Barry’s Miami Shores campus to Johnson & Wales University in North Miami.

Dr. Sheila McMahon, assistant professor of social work, led a bystander intervention training session for non-walkers.

Among the attendees were representatives of the Forget Me Not Advocacy Group, Miami DadeCollege, MiamiNorthwestern High School, Miami Women's March, NancyCotteman Center, No More Tears, Nova Southeastern University,St. Thomas University, Women of Tomorrow, and Young Women's Preparatory Academy.

The event was supported by Barry's Campus Ministry, Center for Community Service Initiatives, Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, Center for Human Rights and Social Justice, Department of Sociology and Criminology, FEMALES, and Student Government Association as well as by Amnesty International.

Large Group from Barry Attends Educational Research Conference

More than 20 Barry University faculty members and doctoral students attended the 41st Annual Conference of the Eastern Educational Research Association (EERA) recently. Many of them presented papers and posters on various topics of original research and also participated in roundtables and panel discussions.

Among the panel discussions was one titled “The Virginia Key ‘Colored Beach’ Experience: Oral History, Critical Race Theory, and Social Justice.” The presenters were Dr. Ruth Ban, a professor in Barry’s Adrian DominicanSchool of Education (ADSOE), and Ph.D. students Valerie Scott and Liliam Dominguez.

Doctoral student Geneva Barnes-Green made a presentation on “Grades as Predictor of Student Performance on the End of the Year Assessment in Reading in a High Poverty School.” Nicholas Young, also a doctoral student, facilitated a roundtable on the topic, “How a Beach Fostered Unity in Diverse Times.”

Other Barry presenters were Maitham Al-Lami, Courtney Brown, Dr. Olena Drozd, Brittany Lee-Wright, Stephanie Lipp, Valerie Scott, Dr. Eric Smith, Dr. Gerene Starratt, Dr. Mehmet Türegün, JoAnn Vilella, Clarence Walker, and Xiaoxi Dong.

EERA is an organization for educational professionals interested in conducting and disseminating research that improves education for all in both formal and non-formal settings. EERA is affiliated with the American Educational Research Association. The conference was held at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort Hotel inClearwater, Florida, on February 7–10.

“The conference wouldn’t have been the same without the Barry bunch,” declared Dr. George Watson, EERA president elect and conference program chair.

“Going to the EERA conference with my colleagues and students is the type of experience that provides us an opportunity to bond as a community of practice that focuses on education research,” Dr. Ruth Ban said. “It warmed my heart to see my students work so hard and shine so brightly.”

ADSOE Associate Professor Dr. Gerene Starratt said: “I enjoy traveling with students to EERA.  For many students, this was their first time attending a research conference. Most were presenting their own research for the first time in a peer-reviewed venue. They planned well, engaged in serious preparation, and were terrific ambassadors for BarryUniversity. As a faculty member, it was an extraordinary opportunity to facilitate and share this learning experience with them.”

Valerie Scott, a Ph.D. student, said it was “wonderful to see so many members of our Barry University family at the conference.”

Forum Focuses on Status of Women in Modern American Society

The most recent forum in Barry’s Deliberative Dialogue Series drew attention to the status of women in modern American society. Titled “Feminism Today: Inclusive Modern Movement or Outdated Relic?” the forum engaged participants in examining the extent to which a women’s rights movement is needed in today’s society.

Students, faculty and staff members, alumni, and community members considered different perspectives on feminism. They generally agreed that feminism is still relevant because of gender inequality and the need to promote a more inclusive community.

The dialogue and deliberation generated several suggestions for creating a culture in which women and girls are valued in all aspects of society. Among the suggestions: Promote women’s political rights and encourage more women to run for public office; support efforts to address persistent pay inequality; deal with gender inequality at the family level; challenge gender roles in society; create safe spaces for dialogue and the opportunity to share multiple perspectives on issues; include more gender- and diversity-related courses in the curriculum; and stop street harassment and catcalls.

The panel of lead participants at the forum included Dr. Leah Hutton Blumenfed, an associate professor of political science and a member of the Miami-Dade County Commission for Women. Noting that “feminism seeks to promote the social, political, and economic equality of women and men,” she argued that men should be allies because gender equality is beneficial to men as well.

Also on the panel were Jasmine McKee, a Barry Service Corps Fellow currently taking Blumenfeld’s Sex, Power, and Politics course; Lily Medina, a school counselor and former Florida education director for the Anti-Defamation League; and Barry School of Social Work alumna Bianca Rudge, who serves as a sexual assault and domestic violence victims advocate.

Others who lent their voices to the discussion included Sister Mary Frances Fleischaker, adjunct professor of theology; Liz James, experiential learning coordinator; and Barry Service Corps Fellow Paola Montenegro.

Dr. Laura Finley, an associate professor of sociology and criminology, facilitated the forum.

The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) organizes the Deliberative Dialogue Series as a civic engagement event. Each forum in the series focuses on a current social issue.

Service-Learning Books Available in Community Engagement Library

A collection of books on service-learning is available in the Community Engagement Library managed by the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI). Authors of those books include Robert Bringle, Susan Cipolle, Janet Eyler and Dwight Giles, Barbara Jacoby, and Edward Zlotkowski.

In addition, a series of 15 monographs on Service-Learning in the Disciplines is available in the library. Each monograph is focused on why and how service-learning can be implemented within a particular discipline.

All service-learning books, including the monographs, may be checked out for brief periods.

For further information, contact CCSI Administrative Assistant Marie Colom at mcolom@barry.edu or at extension 3696.

Deadline for D.C. Internship Applications is Tuesday, March 13

The application deadline for DC Internships’ Summer 2018 Institute on Philanthropy & Voluntary Service in Washington,D.C., is Tuesday, March 13.

Focused on community leadership and service, this comprehensive program includes academic credit, an internship placement, and fully furnished housing in the heart of Washington, D.C.

From June 2 through July 27 this year, students may work as interns with social entrepreneurs to develop community programs; contribute to operations in a community-based urban food system; and lead enrichment activities for at-risk youth to propel future successes. An intern may also support victims of domestic violence as they rebuild safe and stable lives; raise awareness and money to combat diseases that affect millions; research nonprofit policy and report on agency program; provide hands-on training to jobseekers facing barriers to employment; or reclaim and revitalize urban green spaces for the local community.

DC Internships, the institute organizer, welcomes students of all majors, freshmen through graduated seniors, and offer scholarship funding for strong applicants.

Sponsored by The Fund for American Studies, the Institute on Philanthropy & Voluntary Service is an academic internship program for undergraduates active in service and leadership on their campuses and in their communities.

More information on programs offered by DC Internships may be found at www.DCinternships.org/IPVS. Questions may be directed to Kayla Anderson at kanderson@tfas.org or 202-986-0384.