CCSI Newsletter

In This Issue:

• Proposals Being Accepted for Community Engagement Symposium
• Award Categories Include Community Engagement Educator
• Faculty Invited to Participate in Service-Learning Survey and Workshop
• Box Tops for Education Drive Continues
• Community Partners Looking for Volunteers for Thanksgiving

Proposals Being Accepted for Community Engagement Symposium

The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) invites faculty, staff, students, and community partners to participate in Barry University’s third annual Community Engagement Symposium on March 30, 2016. The symposium will bring together campus and community stakeholders to network and explore community engagement projects, practices, and perspectives.

Proposals are being accepted for concurrent presentations during two sessions of the symposium. Relevant topics include service-learning, civic engagement, community-based research, community-focused fieldwork/internships, community-engaged scholarship, and community partnerships. Session formats are: 50-minute oral presentation, panel discussion, roundtable, and poster presentation.

The proposal submission deadline is January 22.

Award Categories Include Community Engagement Educator

Community Engagement Educator is one of the seven categories of community engagement awards for which nominations are being accepted.

The Community Engagement Educator Award honors an employee for significant contributions to the institutionalization of community engagement at Barry University. The winner of this award is an administrator, staff member, or faculty member who has promoted institutional commitment to community engagement, contributed to campus–community partnerships, and supported students and colleagues in community engagement activities.

In addition to Community Engagement Educator,the categories of awards are Community Impact, Community Partnership, Community-Based Research, Engaged Scholarship, Service-Learning Faculty, and Engaged Department.

The third annual Community Engagement Awards will be held on March 30, 2016. The nomination deadline is January 29.

Faculty Invited to Participate in Service-Learning Survey and Workshop

The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) is conducting a service-learning faculty development survey  to determine the level and extent of professional development support currently needed by faculty for the implementation of service-learning.

The results of this brief survey will be used primarily for planning and delivering service-learning workshops.

Faculty may access the survey by clicking here or by pasting the following link to a web browser: <https://portal.barry.edu/sites/artssciences/private/CCSISURVEY1/default.aspx>. 

Meanwhile, the CCSI has scheduled an introductory service-learning workshop for Thursday, December 3. “Service-Learning 101: Fundamentals of the Pedagogy” is designed for faculty interested in learning the fundamental principles of service-learning and the process of integrating the pedagogy into a course.

The 90-minute workshop will be held in Adrian 208 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Registration is required.

For further information, contact the Service-Learning Faculty Fellows Dr. Ligia Mihut, lmihut@barry.edu, or Dr. Raul Machuca, rmachuca@barry.edu.  

Box Tops for Education Drive Continues

The Box Tops for Education Collection Drive is underway. Staff, faculty, and students are urged to support this fund-raising project organized by the Minority Association of Pre-health Students (MAPS) in association with the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI).

Donations of box-top coupons may be sent to the CCSI, Adrian 208. Proceeds will benefit students at two schools – North Miami Elementary and Sheridan Hills Elementary.

A list of products with the box-top coupons is available at http://www.boxtops4education.com/-/media/BoxTops/FlyersAndDownloads/Participating-Products-Flyer.pdf.

Community Partners Looking for Volunteers for Thanksgiving

Miami Beach Community Church is looking for volunteers to assist at its Thanksgiving Dinner for the Hungry and Homeless. The dinner will be held on Thursday (November 26), from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in Hice Hall at the church. 

Anyone interested in volunteering should call 305-538-4511.

“All food donations are gratefully appreciated,” says Miami Beach Community Church Office Manager Alicia Davis. “They will support Matthew 25, our weekly lunch program to feed the homeless.”

Miami Beach Community Church is a Barry community partner.

Another Barry community partner, Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services, also needs volunteers for Thanksgiving. Volunteers will assist with the organization’s Thanksgiving Luncheon, scheduled for 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., at 2810 NW South River Drive, Miami, FL 33125.

“Every year, thousands of children and teens in Miami-DadeCounty face the daunting prospect of life on the streets,” according to a statement from the organization. “Abused, neglected, homeless and abandoned, they are some of the greatest in need. But just when it seems there is nowhere to go, the path opens to Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services, Inc., the only 24-hour emergency shelter in the county that provides, refuge, protection and specialized care to youth in crisis.”

To volunteer, contact Sandra Ramos at sramos@miamibridge.org or 305-636-3520.