Spring 2019 recipients
Sarah Blithe, PH.D.
Communication Studies
Service-Learning Course
COM 475
Project Title
Becoming an Engaged Academic: Integrating Service and Engagement into Research, Teaching, and Service.
Project Description
The project is centered around increasing community impact and helping academics learn how to become engaged scholars. As I've forged a path for myself as a community engaged academic (in teaching, research, and service) it has become clear to me that there are too few resources to help us learn how to get our students or research projects intertwined with our communities. Communication and Community Engagement is a new course at the University of Nevada, Reno. Student, faculty, and partner experiences from the course will serve as data for a new academic book, "Becoming an Engaged Academic: Integrating Service and Engagement into Research, Teaching, and Service.
Jenna Dewar, M.S., C.F.L.E
College of Education
Service-Learning Course
HDFS 470, HDFS 390
Project Title
Attendance at IMPACT National Conference
Project Description
This would allow for my travel to the IMPACT National Conference to learn some best practices for service-learning in my courses specifically but also to gather information regarding campus wide implementation from other present institutions.
Amy Dewitt-Smith
Gerontology Academic Program
Service-Learning Course
GERO 431/631
Project Title
GERO 431/631 Service-Learning Project
Project Description
Service-learning provides students with an opportunity to engage in meaningful community service while learning from elders and integrating learned concepts and social theories. This project will connect small groups of students with one of four partner organizations serving elders in Washoe County. First, students will work to learn the preferences and perspectives of elders and the assigned partner organization. Then, students will design and implement a workshop or activity based on their findings. Last, students will reflect on their service-learning experience and present their project at a final poster session with community partners and peers in attendance.
Chris Earle, Ph.D.
Department of English
Service-Learning Course
ENG 400a
Project Title
Publishing Reno Voices
Project Description
Publishing Reno Voices aims to foster more inclusive and vibrant civic dialogue. In collaboration with community organizations, students in English400a will facilitate "community publishing" projects. These project will unfold in two stages: students will first work to help collect community voices by conducting oral histories or by working with individual writers; students will then help distribute those voices-help get the voices "out there"-by producing print and/or digital publications. Publishing Reno Voices connects the insights and skills of UNR English majors and community members, helping the broader Reno community better understand and grapple with complex issues, including housing, art and public life, and linguistic and cultural preservation.
Nina McCartney
Human Development and Family Studies
Service-Learning Course
HDFS 231
Project Title
Ongoing Project Implementation
Project Description
Students will select and complete a meaningful ongoing project spanning at least four weeks according to the children's and/or families' interests and/or developmental need utilizing a play-based curriculum. The project requires students to provide supplies such as books, art materials, and other equipment which may not be readily available at their center.