to build communities...the 2007 howard r. swearer stu-dent humanitarian award in recognition of...
TRANSCRIPT
I N S I D E
Campus Compact honors 3top students, faculty forinnovative initiatives
Campus Compact 3policy update5
Good reads from 4Campus CompactCurrent
They can also lead to new collaborationswith experienced service-learning partners.A group of faculty members from Metro-politan State University found that out whenthey attended a Minnesota Campus CompactEngaged Department Institute in St. Paulin 2005.
John Duffy, professor of engineering at theUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell (UML),was a featured presenter at the conference.Since 1997, UML has sent students and fac-ulty to 34 rural mountain communities in
Peru to designand install solarsystems to powerkey equipmentsuch as watersupply andpurification sys-tems, vaccinerefrigerators,lights, and emer-gency radios.(Visit UML’s Vil-lage Empower-ment website athttp://energy.caeds.eng.uml.edu/peru-07/index.shtm formore informa-tion.)
Connecting CampusesAfter listening to Duffy’s inspirationalpresentation, Metro State faculty wereeager to find out what they could do tohelp. On learning that radio systems oftenwent down between UML visits becausevillagers had difficulty understanding theuser manuals, I decided to join the project.My course in international technical com-munication, which prepares students todevelop usable, culturally specific docu-mentation, was an ideal mechanism forcreating user-friendly radio manuals. Withsupport from Minnesota Campus Com-pact, Metro State professor Maythee Kantargot funding for the project from 3M underan Engaged Department grant.
In the fall of 2005, Metro State studentsbegan developing new documentation forthe radios that kept the remote Andean vil-lages in touch with the nearest hospital.They also created a web forum to fostercommunication with UML students aboutthe radios, the solar systems that poweredthem, and the villagers who would be usingthem.
Although the web forum was useful, stu-dents decided they needed to see the radiosto get a better idea of how they worked.Two Metro State students, Kristin Johnsonand Peggy Maher, traveled to UML and
Compact Current is the news-letter of Campus Compact,which provides leadership,resources, and advocacy tosupport civic education,com-munity building, and campusengagement for more than 1,000 member campuses.
FA L L 2 0 0 7
Global Citizenship
Collaboration Crosses Borders to Build Communities By Helen Correll
CAMPUS COMPACT
Educating CitizensBuilding Communities
Compact
It started with a service-learning conference. More than just a way
to gain academic knowledge, these conferences can be uplifting,
exciting, and thought-provoking.
BELOW: Students and faculty from MetropolitanState and UML join forceswith local villagers in Peruto keep key equipment inoperation.
continued on page 2
2
Compact Current is the newsletter of Campus Compact, anational nonprofit organization based at Brown University.Compact Current is distributed three times a year to allCampus Compact member institutions.
Editorial Correspondence: Address all correspondence to Karen Partridge, Editor, Compact Current, Campus Compact, Box 1975, Providence, RI 02912, email [email protected].
Campus Compact receives financial support from Ariel Capi-tal Management, LLC, Carnegie Corporation of New York,The Corporation for National and Community Service, TheFidelity Charitable Gift Fund, The Ford Foundation, TheJoyce Foundation, The Kettering Foundation, KPMG Foun-dation, Learn and Serve America, The Andrew W. MellonFoundation, TIAA-CREF, and TOSA Foundation, amongothers.
returned with many ideas for making thedocumentation more usable. The classdeveloped three prototypes for radioinstruction manuals, condensing the 100-page manufacturer’s manual into 4 easilyunderstandable pages.
Changing LivesTo test whether this new documentationwould work, Maher and fellow studentSolveig Corbin volunteered to travel to Peruin January 2006 with Duffy’s crew. Theyworked alongside the engineers installingsolar voltaic panels and testing local watersupplies, as well as doing usability testingfor the manuals. During the next sixmonths, deaths from childbirth went from12 to 0, primarily because villagers wereable to radio the hospital for advice andtransportation.
When they returned, inspired, the MetroState students wanted to continue to help.Maher developed a website for the Peruproject in her web design course andCorbin wrote her master’s thesis on inter-cultural communication. She also traveledto Peru again that June.
The following fall found Metro State com-munication students working on fourprojects for Peru: instructions for solar-
voltaic battery maintenance, health educa-tion information for children, biodigestersafety instructions, and documentation fora water filtration system. Once again, stu-dents at the two universities collaboratedclosely. Corbin and Maher remained avail-able to answer questions and offer sugges-tions to two new students, Juin Charnelland Justin Rivet, who traveled to Peru withDuffy’s crew in January 2006. Like the for-mer pair, these students found the workexhausting but life-changing.
Charnell and Rivet returned from Peruwith the recommendation that we concen-trate this year on health education. We arenow developing health education docu-mentation with the help of the medicalassistant for the Ancash region of Peru aswell as support from Metro State’s publichealth specialist. We find that this projectkeeps growing, providing more and moreopportunities to connect various disci-plines to this worthwhile service-learningproject. We hope to continue this closeassociation with Dr. Duffy and his UMLstudents and colleagues for many years tocome. CC
Helen Correll is associate professor of technicalcommunication at Metropolitan State Univer-sity in St. Paul, MN.
RIGHT: Solar-powered radio
systems and user-friendly
documentation have kept
remote villages in touch
with hospital staff, leading
to a dramatic reduction in
deaths from childbirth. Campus Compact is a national coalition of morethan 1,000 college and university presidents—representing some 6 million students—who arecommitted to fulfilling the civic purposes of highereducation. As the only national association dedi-cated solely to this mission, Campus Compact is aleader in building civic engagement into campusand academic life. Through our national office andnetwork of 32 state offices, members receive thetraining, resources, and advocacy they need tobuild strong surrounding communities and teachstudents the skills and values of democracy.
Campus Compact comprises a national officebased in Providence, RI, and 32 state offices in CA,CO, CT, FL, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME,MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NH, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA,RI, SC, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WV. For contactand other information, see www.compact.org.
Board of Directors
C H A I R
John J. DeGioia Georgetown University
V I C E - C H A I R S
Jane A. Karas Flathead Valley CommunityCollege
Toni Murdock Antioch University
M E M B E R S
Louis Albert Pima Community College
Lawrence S. Tufts UniversityBacow
Warrick L. Carter Columbia College, Chicago
Judith Hansen Southwestern Oregon Community College
JoAnn Haysbert Langston University
Teresa Iannaconi KPMG LLP
Shirley Ann Rensselaer Polytechnic Jackson Institute
Alex Johnson Delgado Community College
John Keating University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Leo Lambert Elon University
Tashia Morgridge TOSA Foundation
John Rogers Ariel Capital Management, Inc.
Richard R. Rush California State University Channel Islands
Michael J. Regis UniversitySheeran, S.J.
John Sirek McKormick Tribune Foundation
James Votruba Northern Kentucky University
E X E C U T I V E S TA F F
Maureen F. Curley President
Seven Students ShineThis summer, Campus Compactselected seven students at mem-ber campuses for outstanding cit-izenship. Roslynn Almas ofBrookhaven College (TX) and Dou-glas Finley of Georgetown Univer-sity (DC) received the 2007 FrankNewman Leadership Award,which honors exceptional civicleadership among students withhigh academic achievement anddemonstrated financial need.
Five students were honored withthe 2007 Howard R. Swearer Stu-dent Humanitarian Award inrecognition of their work in thecommunity: Jessica Allen of MauiCommunity College (HI), HollyAnderson of Kalamazoo College(MI), Andrea Laidman of the Uni-versity of Notre Dame (IN), Ste-fanie Lynch of Emerson College(MA), and Bryan Mauk of JohnCarroll University (OH).
These students have tackled awide range of issues, includingincreasing college access, promot-ing sustainable agricultural prac-tices, advocating for social justiceand human rights, providingsocial programming for at-riskyouth, serving the homeless, andempowering others through lead-ership, diversity, and conflict reso-lution. Each of these students hasdemonstrated initiative and inno-vation in addressing these issues.
The Newman award winnersreceived $5,000 from CampusCompact and matching fundsfrom their institution to supporttheir educational and civic goals.Swearer recipients each received
$1,250 for leadership develop-ment and a $250 honorarium forthe community organization oftheir choice.
Engineering Success atLouisiana StateFor her effective use and promo-tion of service-learning, Mary-beth Lima, Professor of Biological& Agricultural Engineering atLouisiana State University (LSU)has been named the recipient ofCampus Compact’s 2007 ThomasEhrlich Faculty Award for Ser-vice-Learning.
At LSU, Lima designed a programin which engineering studentswork with children, parents,teachers, and community mem-bers to design and build safe, funplaygrounds for elementaryschools in underfunded BatonRouge neighborhoods. Lima andher students have created morethan a dozen “dream play-grounds,” including three built incollaboration with young Hurri-cane Katrina evacuees.
According to Lima, “Service-
learning improves the discipline
of engineering by making explicit
the connection between people,
culture, service, and technology.”
Her work focuses on addressing
public education and community
needs through service-learning
activities that “equally empower
the community and the students.”
CC
Funding for the 2007 SwearerAward was provided by Ariel Capital Management, LLC.
3
Policy Update
Op Ed ChallengeIn September Campus Compactcoordinated an op ed campaign formember presidents in conjunctionwith the National Learn & ServeChallenge, a week-long series ofevents to raise awareness and sup-port for service-learning. CampusCompact’s op ed template offeredinformation on the communityimpact of campus engagement andan opportunity for members to pro-mote their own service-learning ini-tiatives. Examples of published arti-cles can be found at www.compact.org/news/list/media_coverage/.
National Service Hill DayAs in past years, directors from Cam-pus Compact’s national and stateoffices participated in the Voices forNational Service Hill Day on Septem-ber 18–19, meeting with Congres-sional leaders to discuss the impor-tance of campus service andservice-learning efforts. Coincidingwith the National Learn & ServeChallenge, this year’s Hill Day pro-vided an opportunity to highlight thefour-to-one return on investment ofLearn and Serve America programs,which fund K-16 service-learningefforts.
Legislative ActionOn September 27, President Bushsigned the College Cost Reductionand Access Act, touted as the largestinvestment in higher education sincethe GI Bill. The act proposes loanforgiveness for graduates who stayin public service jobs for 10 years,Pell Grant increases, and $66 millionin state grants to support collegeaccess programs, among other provi-sions. Campus Compact will informmembers about the implementationof this act once regulations havebeen promulgated.
Students, Faculty Honoredfor Innovative Initiatives
JES
SIC
A A
LL
EN
D
OU
GL
AS
FIN
LE
YR
OS
LYN
N A
LM
AS
H
OL
LY A
ND
ER
SO
N
AN
DR
EA
LA
IDM
AN
ST
EFA
NIE
LY
NC
HB
RY
AN
MA
UK
MA
RY
BE
TH
LIM
A
Non-Profit Org.U.S.Postagepaid
Permit No.202
Providence,RI
Brown University/Box 1975
Providence,RI 02912-1975
401 867-3950
401 867-3925fax
www.compact.org
This practical guide offers insight, models, and step-by-step instruction for incorporating community work intothe curriculum in any discipline. Designed specifically forcommunity college faculty, this book offers a range ofoptions, from introducing an optional course componentto creating a stand-alone service-learning course. In eachcase, sample course descriptions, syllabi, forms, and toolsguide faculty through the process.
Accompanying discussions on assessing outcomes, build-ing attainment pathways, and using service-learning tocontribute to the scholarship of teaching and learningmake this book an essential addition to any communitycollege faculty library.
By Marina Baratian, Donna Duffy, Robert Franco, AmyHendricks, and Tanya Renner, with a foreword by KayMcClenney. 109 pages
Through November 9, enjoy special pre-publica-tion savings: $19 members, $27 nonmembers!After November 9, prices will be $24 members, $32nonmembers. See www.compact.org/publicationsfor details.
GoodReads Service-Learning Course Design for Community Colleges
Business Administration
Psychology
Elementary Education
Biology
Nursing
Education
English
Communication
Computer Science
Political Science
Service-Learning
Course Design for
Community Colleges
By Marina Baratian
Donna Killian Duffy
Robert Franco
Amy Hendricks
and Tanya Renner
with a foreword by
Kay McClenney
Earn, Learn, and Serve:Getting the Most from CommunityService Federal Work-Study
This new online guide assemblesvaluable resources, articles, and casestudies to help campuses make thebest possible use of Federal Work-Study funds to develop student lead-ers, advance civic engagementefforts, and strengthen communities.Contents include models from 40campuses across the country as wellas articles by experts and tools suchas principles of best practice and sample program planning documents.See www.compact.org/fws.
Coming soon
These publications were made possible withgenerous support from the Corporation forNational and Community Service under a grant from Learn and Serve America.
Sale through Nov. 9: $19 members; $27 nonmembers