|
Faculty Members Receive Awards for Community Engagement Montano Receives Community Engagement Educator Award Quayneshia Smith Wins Community Impact Award Barry Students March in Support of Fair Food Program Graphic Design Students Help Transform Kids into Superheroes Seventh Annual Move-Out Drive to Begin on May 4 |
|
Faculty Members Receive Awards for Community Engagement
Four faculty members recently received awards for community engagement. The awards were presented during
Dr. Lauren Shure, an assistant professor of counseling in the Dr. Tisa McGhee, an assistant professor of social work, were the joint winners in the Engaged Scholarship category. Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, an assistant professor of nursing, was the recipient of the Service-Learning Faculty Award.
Shure has engaged with various partners in evaluation research related to three programs geared to the needs of marginalized groups in the community. The Black Male Success Initiative of Broward County Public Schools involves mentoring and other forms of academic and social support for students. Sailing for Success is a program of the Youth Environmental Alliance, which provides accessibility to leisure and educational activities for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. The Sandcastles Program, under the auspices of the Miami-Dade Family Court, is designed to support the social and emotional health of children whose parents are going through separation or divorce.
Shure has produced reports, presentations, and publication manuscripts “reflecting rigorous research with meaningful results,” noted Dr. Karen Callaghan, associate vice president for undergraduate studies, who presented the award.
Dr. Christopher “Kit” Starratt, interim provost and vice president of mission and institutional effectiveness, presented the Engaged Scholarship Award to Finley and McGhee.
Finley has effectively interlinked her teaching, research, and service, Starratt said. Her presentations and publications reflect her use of service-learning as a pedagogical approach, and “they contain impressive examples of advocacy and activism designed to promote social change,” Starratt added.
For five years, Finley has served as the main coordinator of the College Brides Walk, an initiative that addresses the issue of dating and domestic violence.
McGhee teaches courses that have a community focus, employs participatory research methods, and volunteers regularly with social service organizations.
“Her scholarly work has exemplified a deep commitment to the community,” Starratt said. “The best examples of her involvement are found in the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition, the Collaborative Table organized by Miami Children’s Initiative in
Alexander-Delpech was recognized for embracing service-learning as a strategy that enhances teaching and learning, promoting trusting relationships with the community, and fostering appreciation of diversity. She is the coordinator and an instructor for NUR 422: Community/Public Health Nursing, a service-learning-designated course. In the fall of 2014, the 93 students enrolled in three sections of this course logged 3,743 hours of service in community settings.
In addition to her course coordination and her teaching, Alexander-Delpech has presented and published on her service-learning work.
Dr. Joanne Whelley, chair of the Faculty Senate, presented the Service-Learning Faculty Award. |
|
Montano Receives Community Engagement Educator Award
Steffano Montano, service-learning coordinator for the Department of Theology and Philosophy, was honored recently for significant contributions to the institutionalization of community engagement at
“He has contributed much to the success of Barry’s community engagement strategy,” according to a statement about his work. “As a service-learning coordinator, he has played an important role in building community partnerships, placing students at community sites, and leading faculty development workshops. With professionalism and enthusiasm, he has coordinated the service-learning component of the Theology 201 course, which currently has 12 sections designated as service-learning, and which involves more than 250 students each fall and spring.”
Liz James, experiential learning coordinator, presented the Community Engagement Educator Award to Montano at the CCSI’s March 26 luncheon on the university’s main campus in
Montano was among 11 winners of major awards in seven categories.
The League of Women Voters of Florida, Miami Children’s Initiative, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Partnership were winners of the Community Partnership Award. Dr. M. Sylvia Fernandez, an associate dean in the
|
|
Quayneshia Smith Wins Community Impact Award
Quayneshia Smith, a social work major and Barry Service Corps leader, was a winner of the 2015 Community Impact Award. The award honors students for exemplary community engagement – including service, research, and advocacy – that has a measurable impact on the community.
Smith has passionately supported the work of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) in promoting the rights of farm workers. She mobilized students, faculty, and staff to participate in demonstrations in support of the CIW’s Fair Food Program.
Smith also worked with several community partners in
There were two recipients of awards in the Community Impact category. Connor Randel, a finance and accounting major, was the other recipient. Dr. Scott Smith, vice president for student affairs, presented plaques to both students during Barry’s second annual Community Engagement Awards Ceremony on March 26.
|
|
Barry Students March in Support of Fair Food Program
Thirty Barry students took part in a march and a concert to support and celebrate the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ (CIW) Fair Food Program in
The three-mile march took supporters from Bartlett Park to Vinoy Park, where the concert was staged. Grammy Award-winning artists La Santa Celia and Ozomatli performed at the concert in support of the CIW’s work in general and the successful implementation of the Fair Food Program in particular.
The program, which is based on a partnership among farmers, farm workers, and retail food companies, uses consumer power to ensure safe working conditions and fair wages for farm workers.
Theology and sociology students, as well as Alternative Spring Break (ASB) members, comprised the Barry group who joined members of the
Four days before the event, CIW members visited Dr. Marc Lavallee’s and Steffano Montano’s theology classes to promote the Fair Food Program and to invite students to
Sophomore Quayneshia Smith, a Barry Service Corps and ASB leader, helped to organize Barry’s participation in the CIW event. According to Smith, participating in the event provided a unique opportunity for students to see a successful model of social justice.
“The CIW has worked for so many years to get people to support their work and successfully implement the policies of the Fair Food Program,” Smith said. “Celebrating on such a large scale shows students that hard work does pay off. No matter how small a movement begins, success can be realized through persistence.”
During the concert, the Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA) announced a boycott of Wendy’s until the fast-food chain agrees to talk with the CIW about the Fair Food Program. Smith and fellow Barry student Paola
Through the SFA, university students have been instrumental in convincing food providers to become partners in the Fair Food Program. Barry students participated in previous successful campaigns that resulted in Taco Bell’s and Burger King’s participation in the program.
Other corporations that are partners in the Fair Food Program include Aramark, Bon Appetit Management Company, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Compass Group, Fresh Market, McDonald’s, Trader Joe’s, Sodexo, Subway, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, and Yum Brands, which includes Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut.
|
|
Graphic Design Students Help Transform Kids into Superheroes
A group of graphic design students and their course instructor visited the Kids In Distress (KID, Inc.) site in Wilton Manors recently and spent time helping the children make superhero masks and accessories.
“Our kids had fun interacting with the students and enjoyed transforming into superheroes!” Kid, Inc. reported in the March 2015 issue of its MOST Aftercare Newsletter.
Nicole Beltran, assistant professor of graphic design, is the course instructor.
KID Inc.’s mission is to prevent child abuse, preserve the family, and treat children who have been abused and neglected.
|
|
Seventh Annual Move-Out Drive to Begin on May 4
The seventh annual
“
Formerly known as
The CCSI, Residence Life, and Facilities Management are supporting the project again this year. The Office of Mission Engagement and Public Safety are providing additional support.
Last year’s
“These items were diverted from the landfill, helping both the community and the environment,” Geis noted.
Students are asked to drop off their items at one of the donation sites in the residence halls and at other places on campus. Faculty and staff are also encouraged to participate in the project by donating unwanted items or by signing up for a volunteer assignment.
For further information, contact Geis at cgeis@barry.edu or 305-899-5465.
|
CCSI Newsletter
Posted On : April 13, 2015
