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February 5, 2018 | ||
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Implementation of University’s Civic Action Plan in Progress Community Partners Participate in Impact-Focused Workshop Competition to Test Students’ Knowledge of QEP Gets Going Service-Learning Designation for Higher Education Course University Supporting Black History Month Event in Hollywood Deliberative Dialogue to Explore Issue Women’s Rights Organizers Urge Support for Box Tops for Education Drive Student to be Featured in Next Issue of Newsletter
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Implementation of University’s Civic Action Plan in Progress
Implementation of a major plan to deepen and strengthen civic engagement is underway throughout the university.
Barry’s five-year Civic Action Plan includes the engagement of community partners in program planning and course delivery; accelerating the development of the Barry Service Corps as a high-quality, innovative program; and implementing the Campus Democracy Project more intentionally to deepen students’ understanding of political issues.
The plan also calls for the implementation of a community garden project; increasing university participation in the work of PACT (People Acting for Community Together); and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion through experiential learning activities. In addition, vocational discernment opportunities that encourage students to connect their gifts and talents to the needs of communities, from local to global, will be emphasized.
The Civic Action Plan supports the improvement of teaching and learning, research, and service as integrated elements of comprehensive institutional action designed to create a positive impact on campus and in the wider community.
With the theme, “Deepening and Strengthening Civic Engagement to Maximize Impact,” the Civic Action Plan is designed to achieve five goals linked to commitments articulated in Campus Compact’s 30th Anniversary Action Statement of Presidents and Chancellors. The commitments concern mutually respectful partnerships, preparation of students for engaged citizenship, contributions to communities, capacity to challenge inequalities, and the centrality of the public purposes of higher education.
Barry President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, O.P., Ph.D., signed the Action Statement in November 2015, affirming the five commitments.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the civic purposes of higher education.
The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) submitted Barry’s Civic Action Plan to Campus Compact in November 2017. After reviewing the plan, Campus Compact designated Barry as a “Campus in Action.”
“We appreciate the time and effort that went into developing this plan for your institution,” said Campus Compact President Dr. Andrew Seligsohn in a letter to Sister Linda. “We look forward to seeing the results of your efforts as you move into the implementation phase.”
Seligsohn also thanked the university “for committing to action in service of the public purposes of higher education.”
“The implementation of our Civic Action Plan will demonstrate how we at Barry are deepening and strengthening civic engagement to maximize its impact primarily for our students and the communities we serve,” said CCSI Executive Director Dr. Glenn Bowen.
University units that are expected to play key roles in implementing the plan include Campus Ministry, the Career Development Center, the Center for Human Rights and Social Justice, the Center for Student Involvement, the Office of International and Multicultural Programs, and the Office of Mission Engagement.
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Community Partners Participate in Impact-Focused Workshop
Thirty-three representatives of Barry’s community partner organizations participated in a workshop on “Creating, Sustaining, and Assessing Community Impact” at the Community Engagement Fair on January 23.
Dr. Tisa McGhee, associate professor of social work, conducted the main segment of the workshop, which was focused on the assessment of community impact.
McGhee discussed six strategies for assessing community impact; highlighted a continuum of five stages of stakeholder engagement; and offered a case study of Together for Children, a multisector collaboration. She explained how data-driven information from community-based projects can be used effectively to create a positive impact within nonprofit organizations and in the communities they serve.
Three CCSI staff members made brief presentations on “Creating and Sustaining Community Impact.” Executive Director Dr. Glenn Bowen outlined strategic directions; Experiential Learning Coordinator Liz James gave examples of course-based experiential learning projects; and Associate Director Courtney Berrien covered co-curricular programs.
Dr. Victor Romano, associate vice provost for student success and undergraduate studies, welcomed the community partners to campus as he delivered the opening remarks.
Among the 20 organizations represented at the workshop were three of Barry’s recently registered community partners.
Dr. Alexis C. Brimberry, director of community outreach and education, and Sharon Dyer, community outreach coordinator, represented A Child is Missing, Inc. The Fort Lauderdale-based nonprofit national organization assists law enforcement with the early search and recovery of missing children.
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust was represented by Guy Forchion, executive director; Charlie Weyman, education and outreach coordinator; and Karen Moore, a trustee.
Representing Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center were Mariline Nelson, the family success program director; and Vanessa Renfort and Cassandre Chrysostone, family youth counselors. Workshop participants also included Heather Burdick, program director at MCCJ. Burdick is a member of Barry’s Community Advisory Committee.
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Competition to Test Students’ Knowledge of QEP Gets Going
Students will test their knowledge of Barry’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) in a competition scheduled to kick off on February 5.
Entitled “QEP, What Does It Mean for Me?” the competition will include a web-based scavenger hunt, crossword puzzle, and other activities.
“The competition will highlight various aspects of the QEP, which is designed to foster personal and social responsibility,” said Dr. Nickesia Gordon, a member of the QEP Implementation Committee. “It will help students to identify how the undergraduate curriculum and co-curricular activities support the QEP goals.”
Gordon (Department of Communication), Larry Perez (Center for Student Involvement), and Dr. Leticia “Letty” Vega (Department of Biology) are members of the subcommittee coordinating the competition.
The main prize will be a $100 Barry Bookstore gift card, with two runners-up receiving $50 Barry Bookstore gift cards. The top seven competitors will receive T-shirts highlighting personal and social responsibility.
Open to all undergraduates, the competition will continue through March 23. Prizes will be presented during the closing session of the Fifth Annual Community Engagement Symposium on March 28.
Additional information is available from members of the competition subcommittee – ngordon@barry.edu,lperez@barry.edu, lvega@barry.edu – and from QEP staff at qep@barry.edu.
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Service-Learning Designation for Higher Education Course
A higher education course has been approved for the service-learning designation.
HED 713-BC:Teaching and Learning at the University and Community College is a Barry School of Education course taught in
Students in HED 713-BC are required to create a program of workshops and mentoring to serve high school students aiming to transition to higher education.
The Service-Learning Course Review Committee completed its review of Whitford’s application for the service-learning designation last week.
The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) invites faculty members whose courses include a service-learning component to apply for the service-learning designation at any time during the academic year.
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University Supporting Black History Month Event in Hollywood
The Hollywood City Commission will issue a proclamation of Black History Month (also called African American History Month) at its meeting this Wednesday, and a two-part event focused on “African Americans in Times of War” is on the schedule.
Part 1, this Thursday (February 8), will include an hour-long panel discussion on the wartime theme. Panelists will be U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy veterans.
The panel discussion will be preceded by selected readings from “Black Soldiers Tell Their Vietnam Stories,” featuring veterans from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8195.
Two weeks later, on February 22, a poetry/spoken word contest will take place. Billed as the 2nd Annual Talented 10th Poetry Slam, the contest is open to high school students in Broward.
The first-place winner will receive an iPad Mini; the prize for the second-place winner is a Samsung tablet; and the third-place winner will take home a Kindle tablet. The prizes are courtesy of Liberia Economic and Social Development and AT&T Pioneers.
WSVN Sports Anchor Donovan Campbell will be the emcee for the Talented 10th Poetry Slam.
Barry’s Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) is supporting the City of Hollywood’s African American Advisory Council in coordinating the event, which will take place in the Hollywood City Commission Chamber at 2600 Hollywood Boulevard.
For further information on the Black History Month event, contact Barry CCSI at 305-899-3696 or City of
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Deliberative Dialogue to Explore Issue Women’s Rights
Next Tuesday’s forum in the Deliberative Dialogue Series will draw attention to women’s rights.
Titled “Feminism Today: Inclusive Modern Movement or Outdated Relic?” the 90-minute forum will be held on the Miami Shores campus, in Room 112 of the Andreas Building, beginning at 4 p.m.
The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) organizes the Deliberative Dialogue Series as a method of civic learning and engagement in addressing social issues of current concern. The series brings together campus and community stakeholders to weigh perspectives about the issues and to work toward practical solutions.
For further information, contact the CCSI atservice@barry.edu or 305-899-3696.
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Organizers Urge Support for Box Tops for Education Drive
The organizers of Barry’s Box Tops for Education Drive are urging increased support from staff, faculty, and students. The goal is to collect 1500 Box Tops “clips” (or cuttings with the Box Tops logo) this academic year.
Proceeds of the project benefit two South Florida elementary schools –
The Minority Association of Pre-health Students (MAPS) organizes the Barry’s Box Tops for
“Your support ... has been extraordinary, allowing us to collect, on average, 1000 Box Tops each academic year,” Dr. Stephanie Bingham, the MAPS advisor, said in a statement last semester. “Our goal for the current academic year is to collect 1500 Box Tops. With your help, we can reach this target.”
Bingham reminded potential contributors that participation is easy: “Simply identify the Box Tops logo on household products you already purchase, including many grocery items, and cut the logo from the packaging. You may submit your Box Tops in the donation boxes on campus.”
Box Tops clips may be dropped in the labeled boxes found in the CCSI office (
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>.
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Student to be Featured in Next Issue of Newsletter
Current Barry graduate student Jennifer Thomas has contributed to community impact through her undergraduate volunteer work with a service club and a nonprofit agency. Thomas, who is continuing her volunteer work at Camillus House, will be featured in next week’s Community Engagement News.
Also in next week’s issue will be a report of a recent visit to |
Community Engagement News
Posted On : February 05, 2018
