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Parent Teacher Leadership Academy Celebrates 2023 Graduation

  • July 25th, 2023
  • in CCBP

Parent Teacher Leadership Academy Celebrates 2023 Graduation

by Sophia Xiong

Graduate Assistant, Center for Community-Based Partnerships

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Parent Teacher Leadership Academy (PTLA) celebrated the graduation of its 2022–2023 class April 6 at the Tuscaloosa River Market. Parents and teachers from 35 schools joined the celebration.

PTLA is a fun and informative program for school teams of teachers and parents to come together to support learning opportunities for students. PTLA school teams meet for six sessions from September through March each academic year. School teams collaborate on a partnership project based on a school improvement goal. Teams also have opportunities to collaborate with other schools and districts during the sessions.

Andrea Ziegler, director for Community Education in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, welcomed participants. “Throughout this year, parents and teachers have collaborated in school teams to create partnership projects aligned with one of their [respective] school’s improvement goals,” said Ziegler. “As you walked through here tonight, you saw evidence of these teams’ hard work throughout the year as you saw their project proposal posters. Our mission at PTLA is building community by supporting children and families. And that’s not only the stated purpose, but also echoes the values that are mirrored by our university’s strategic plan as a community-engaged institution.”

The graduation ceremony began with opening remarks by Dr. Samory Pruitt, vice president for Community Affairs. “Years ago, we thought about this program as an idea. I’m a math person, so when they said the broader the involvement, the higher the student achievement, my first thought was how many meetings do we have? Later I reached out to a friend in the College of Education, and we finally came up with a model. Now it’s been 16 years. The current leadership of Dr. Jim McLean and Andrea Ziegler reinvented it. This group is a little different, but it feels good to see that this program is still beneficial to the participants, and ultimately beneficial to children and families, which is what we set out to accomplish.”

Four school teams shared their projects. Thompson High School presented “Project Readiness” preparing students for success in high school; Southview Elementary School presented “Curriculum Ed Camp” to encourage parent support for academics; Cottondale Elementary School presented “Family Traditions Night” to showcase family diversity; and Bankhead Middle School presented “Cookie Decorating Contest” to support student social and emotional growth through the support of adult mentors.

“With the Curriculum Ed Camp for our parents, they are able to find different strategies to help their children on activities they can do at home,” said Cyrinthia Burrell, 4th-grade teacher at Southview Elementary. “We noticed that, this year, we see a grade increase in our classroom report card. By making the connection with parents, we hope next year we can get students better report cards again.”

Lindsey Williams, a Cottondale Elementary parent, also shared the importance of their group project. “We had a family traditions night at the end of March,” said Williams. “We asked everyone if they wanted to bring out a table and show what their family does. We also invited the Latino coalition, the United Way and the Alabama Multicultural Alliance as community partners to the event.”

In the last session, Ziegler announced the grant winners this year. Five school teams received grants from PTLA. They are Arcadia Elementary, Cottondale Elementary, Creek View Elementary, Taylorville Primary and Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

Swim to the Top 2023 Showcase Recognizes Campers’ Success

  • July 12th, 2023
  • in CCBP

Swim to the Top 2023 Showcase Recognizes Campers’ Success

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

Campers demonstrated their skills in swimming, STEM, arts education, physical education and dance during the Swim to the Top final showcase at the Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA on June 30. Four junior swim instructors were also recognized during the ceremony for their leadership.

“Swim to the Top has been with us for many years, and it has always added that value … children are able to swim or to be comfortable with water safely,” said LaKeda Smith, executive director of the Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA.

The theme of safety and preparedness also carried through in the STEM enrichment portion as campers learned about severe weather. Younger campers learned how to build boats and buildings to withstand storms, while older campers learned how to code and design apps in age-appropriate STEM activities.

Children received multicultural learning in art education and dance with the theme “Around the World” and performed dance moves inspired by the different cultures they learned about. A few campers dribbled the soccer ball and scored basketball free throws, demonstrating the sports and teamwork skills they learned in the physical education component, before heading over to the Freeman Pool to show their families their new swimming skills.

“She comes home every day excited, and she talks about how she’s gotten comfortable with the water, how she can go all the way in,” said Yanna Johnson, whose daughter participated in Swim to the Top. “I don’t know how to swim personally, so it’s good for her to get comfortable with the water.”

This year, for the first time in program history, YMCA campers were invited to serve as junior swim instructors for the younger groups. They supported the lead swim instructors and helped teach the 4–8-year-olds how to swim. The junior swim instructor program developed as a collaboration among the Tuscaloosa YMCA, the Center for Community-Based Partnerships’ Emerging Community Engagement Scholars Program and Tuscaloosa County Parks and Recreation Authority.

“This is one of the longest-running programs that the Division of Community Affairs has been involved with,” said Dr. Jim McLean, associate vice president for Community Affairs and executive director of the Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP). “It’s great to have a program where the kids love being involved and get to learn a lot of new skills, including skills that are lifesaving in nature.”

Held annually during June, Swim to the Top encourages children 4–14 to excel by teaching them lifesaving skills in water safety and additional skills in STEM enrichment, arts education, physical education and dance for a well-rounded experience. Swim to the Top is led by Dr. Daniela Susnara, director of planning and assessment for community engagement at CCBP.

Summer Days in Tuscaloosa Reception Recognizes Visiting Fulbright Scholars

Summer Days in Tuscaloosa Reception Recognizes Visiting Fulbright Scholars

Xavier Nunes from Angola (left) and Miantso Soloharison from Madagascar (right) were among the visiting Fulbright scholars.

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

The Division of Community Affairs’ Office of Global and Community Engagement hosted the inaugural Summer Days in Tuscaloosa reception to honor Fulbright scholars at 5:00 p.m. on June 5 at Capital Hall.

Visiting Fulbright scholars in attendance are from Indonesia, Panama, Russia, Mali, Iraq, Madagascar, Bahrain, South Korea, Burma (Myanmar), Argentina, West Bank, Japan, Slovenia, Angola, Egypt, Spain, Ukraine and Morocco. The event was held at Capital Hall’s Global Café, which serves as a campus hub for intercultural learning and interaction.

“When we envisioned Global Café and Language Partners, the emphasis on Fulbright, we could see an opportunity to have the world in this space,” said Dr. Samory Pruitt, vice president for Community Affairs. “We just appreciate you being here. We want you to know that this place is another home for you on campus.”

Dr. Fran Oneal, director of Global and Community Engagement and former Fulbright scholar, created the event to acquaint visiting scholars with summer activities to enjoy while in Tuscaloosa. The Global Café staff surveyed the campus community for recommendations for summer activities in Tuscaloosa and shared the results in a slide show at the event.

“The city and the campus change a lot when we go from May into June, and everything becomes very quiet, so we have collected many recommendations on how to enjoy summer days in Tuscaloosa,” Oneal said. “[Capital Hall] is a home for you. If there’s anything we can do to facilitate your having a great experience here for the summer, we’re glad to help you have a wonderful experience.”

Throughout the evening, attendees networked with UA’s Fulbright community over ice-breaker activities, while enjoying live jazz music and hors d’oeuvres.

“I’m having a very good experience here, and I would recommend this city to future Fulbrighters coming to the USA,” said Xavier Nunes, a visiting Fulbright scholar from Angola. “[During this event] I had the chance to meet people from different nationalities, different backgrounds, and these just help me to broaden my mindset and understanding of how people operate, and I would say that this is one of the most important things that I could take from this event.”

New Faculty Community Engagement Tour Inspires Community Collaborations

  • May 17th, 2023
  • in News

New Faculty Community Engagement Tour Inspires Community Collaborations

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

The 2023 New Faculty Community Engagement Tour (NFCET) introduced University faculty, staff, students and community members to areas of community-engaged partnerships across various counties in the Black Belt region, Wednesday through Friday, May 10–12.

Each day, faculty, staff and students traveled by bus to a new area of the Black Belt and listened to panels of community leaders highlighting areas for collaboration in community-engaged scholarship.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to especially network and just hear from the community and hear about how I can give back to it,” said Katie Johnson, a graduate student in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, who graduated with her master’s during the 2023 spring commencement. “I’m an Alabama native, so it’s always good to just hear different stories from around the state.”

“I’ve actually certainly enjoyed it, and I think a lot of other students will likely enjoy it as well, and one of the big reasons behind that is it actually helps them explore parts of Alabama,” echoed Edwin Lee, a doctoral student in communication and information sciences. “These [Tours] allow for you to get into the doorstep of a project that you’ve actually dreamed of and hoped to be involved.”

On the first day, Tour attendees visited Walker, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties. The second day included stops in Greene, Sumter and Hale counties. The Tour concluded on Friday, May 12 with stops in Marengo, Perry and Dallas counties. 

Day 1

The Tour began at Bevill State Community College in Jasper, marking the Tour’s second-ever stop in Jasper.

Located in Jasper, the Walker Area Community Foundation received the 2023 UA Council on Community-Based Partnerships Community Partner Distinguished Community-Engaged Scholar Award. Tour attendees heard from members of the Foundation, who expressed community needs and shared ongoing collaborations the Foundation supports.

Cristy Moody, executive vice president of the Foundation, shared how the Foundation partners with UA through placing UA students in internships related to their field of study across Walker County. Moody said six UA students are currently scheduled to begin internships with Walker County over the summer.

At the second stop in Gordo, panelists spent the bulk of the discussion discussing challenges in education facing the county with the ongoing teacher shortage in Alabama, expressing interest in partnering with faculty and staff to support students’ success.

Continuing the discussion on students’ success, Tour-goers ended the first day at The Alberta School of Performing Arts in Alberta. One panelist described Alberta as the “gateway” to UA, located just down University Boulevard, which prompted faculty, staff and students to consider how they can bridge the gap between the University and community. Some of those areas that attendees and panelists discussed support for were youth development programs, financial literacy and homeownership.

Jacquie Johnson, senior director of community affairs and team development for Alabama One Credit Union, encouraged attendees to figure out how they can support individuals struggling to make ends meet, or who the credit union industry refers to as ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed).

“How do we go and help those individuals that work every day and can’t get government assistance because they have employment, but they have limited assets or limited cash or limited funds?” she said. “I would charge you all to go back and study ALICE®. I want now for us to figure out where our ALICES® are and how we can help them.”

Day 2

The first stop of the second day was in Greene County. Attendees gathered in the Robert H. Young Community Center in Eutaw, formerly known as the old Carver School, the site of the historic 1965 student boycott and protest that took place during the civil rights movement.

Panelists discussed programs to strengthen community and family ties. Lillie Jones-Osborne, district judge for Greene County and chairman of the Greene County Children’s Policy Council, discussed programs that the Council hosts to connect families in the community. Mollie Rowe, director of Eutaw Housing Authority, mentioned initiatives the Housing Authority takes to encourage homeownership. Panelists also described the challenges facing Greene County in education and healthcare, creating opportunities for university partnerships.

The group stopped for lunch in York, where panelists discussed economic challenges and areas for growth within the city. Next, the tour traveled to Hale County for its final panel discussion in Greensboro at the Salem Missionary Baptist Church.

While in Greensboro, panelists shared their stories of overcoming barriers in education and healthcare to strengthen community connections. For example, the nonprofit NAPS (National Association for the Prevention of Starvation) provides free medical and dental services across the Black Belt. Additionally, the Hale County College and Career Academy offers career education programs.

The day concluded with a tour of the Safe House Museum, the home where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sought shelter from the Ku Klux Klan during the civil rights movement.

Day 3

The final day of the NFCET began with a stop in Marengo County, where attendees gathered in the Theo Ratliff Activity Center in Demopolis, named after former professional basketball player Theo Ratliff, who is from Demopolis. The center unites the community through programming and events on recreation, youth development, health and education. Panelists mentioned areas for university partnerships, such as patient satisfaction in healthcare settings and in museum studies.

Breaking for lunch in Perry County, the group met at the Marion Arts Center, home to the civil rights exhibit, “It Started in Marion,” which highlights Marion’s role in the civil rights movement. Panelists called on faculty, staff and students to consider how to match their talents with community needs.

“When you talk about planting seeds, also make sure that you are connecting the seeds that are actually doing the work, so we can have a bigger crop,” said Portia Shepherd, executive director of Black Women Rising.

At the next stop in Selma, the group reconvened at Selma Dallas County Public Library to discuss areas for collaboration in Selma and how to support the region in the aftermath of the Jan. 12 tornadoes.

“At the Black Belt Community Foundation, our tagline is taking what we have to make what we need,” said Chris Spencer, chief community engagement officer for the Foundation. “It is going to take all of us working together. … [Dr. Samory Pruitt] said the core value of universities is to help improve the quality of life, and we need assistance and we need help in Dallas County and Selma and throughout the Black Belt.”

The Tour concluded with the group walking across the Edmund Pettis Bridge and touring the Civil Rights Memorial Park in Selma before boarding the bus back to Tuscaloosa.

Council hosts 17th Annual Excellence Awards

  • May 3rd, 2023
  • in CCBP

by By Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro

Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

The Council on Community-Based Partnerships recognized University of Alabama students, faculty and staff, as well as community partners, for their achievements in community-engaged scholarship during the 17th Annual Excellence in Community Engagement Awards on April 20 at the UA Student Center Ballroom.

“Today we celebrate the remarkable individual efforts that embody the endeavors of the Council on Community-Based Partnerships, which are to bring resources and insights to a variety of challenges facing the public,” said Dr. Jim McLean, associate vice president for Community Affairs and executive director of UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP). “We are here today to honor students, faculty, staff and community partners who are among the most efficient at The University of Alabama. I congratulate every one of you for your accomplishments.”

The day began with breakfast and an Engaged Scholarship Showcase where faculty, staff and students shared their research and experiences with community-engaged scholarship and teaching in a round-table discussion setting.

Before the luncheon, attendees had the opportunity to view research posters on display from UA faculty, staff and students. Topics ranged from the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of the proposed Interstate 14 on Selma to increasing access to doula care in Alabama.

This year’s poster award recipients are Jennifer Baggett, Hannah Corbin, Victoria Duignan, Baili Gall, Ayana Hendricks-Boyland, Dr. Holly Horan, Kefentse Kubanga, Rebecca Lewis, Emily Locke, Ella Magerl, Ozioma Omah, Jacob T. Peterson, Paige Rentfro, Jack Spalding, Dr. Daniela Susnara, Riley White and Andrea Ziegler.

Dr. Drew Pearl, director of community engagement research and publications for CCBP, recognized the 2022–2023 cohorts of the Emerging Community Engagement Scholars, Community Engaged Learning Fellows, and Public Engagement Learning Community.

Emily Locke, a doctoral student in anthropology and graduate research assistant to Pearl, followed, recognizing the 2022–2023 members of the Student Community Engagement Center Leadership Academy, which seeks to develop students’ leadership in engaged scholarship.

The Council also awards seed funding and graduate fellowships to support community-engaged research across campus.

Seed funding was awarded for two projects:

  • Allison Grant, assistant professor of art, for Wood and Springs
  • Dr. Stephanie McClure, assistant professor of anthropology, for The Period Study: Exploring and Addressing the Needs of Menstruating Adolescents
    Three faculty members were awarded Graduate Fellowships for 2023–2024:
  • Dr. Lisa Davis, associate professor in the Department of Geography, for Food Particles to Flood Plans: Assessing and Planning for Extreme Flood Risk in the Tennessee River Valley. Master’s student Mary Eminue will assist Davis.
  • Dr. Mercedes M. Morales-Aleman, assistant professor in the College of Community Health Sciences, for Improving Maternal Mental Health Outcomes for Black Women in the U.S. South: Examining Telehealth and In-Person Models of Care through an Academic-Community Partnership. Master’s student Kate Graziano will assist Morales-Aleman.
  • Dr. Ansley Gilpin, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Psychology, for Partnering with Schools: Teachers Deploying the Imagination Intervention to Improving Children’s Self-Regulation and School Readiness. Doctoral student Lindsey Held will assist Gilpin.
    Eleven individuals received Excellence in Community-Engaged Scholarship awards in three different areas.

Engaged Scholarship awardees included:

  • Dr. Kristine Jolivette, Paul and Mary Harmon Bryant endowed professor, College of Education, for Improving Juvenile Justice Facilities
  • Dr. Haley Townsend, assistant professor in the Capstone College of Nursing, for Project Wellness in Motion
  • Justin McCleskey, student, for his work as an intern with the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
  • Jillian Maxcy-Brown, student, for Addressing Infrastructure Challenges in the Black Belt Region of Alabama through Evaluating Wastewater and Water Access Affordability
  • Dr. Cheryl Fondren, director of United Way of West Alabama’s Success by 6 program, and Dr. Allison Hooper, assistant professor of early childhood education, for Improving Kindergarten Readiness through the JumpStart Summer Program
  • Sally Smith, J.D., executive director for the Alabama Association of School Boards, for work to obtain funding that will make possible opportunities for individuals to become grant coaches for schools across the Black Belt
    Engaged Teaching and Learning (a new category this year) awardees included:
  • Dr. Chapman Greer, associate provost for general education and senior instructor of management, for MGT 456/556: Data Visualization
  • Dr. Yinghui Liu, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, for STEM education
  • Dr. Chandra Clark, assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media, for The World Games
    Civic Engagement (a new category this year) awardees included:
  • John Dodd, student, for his work in voter engagement
  • Dr. Jessy Ohl, associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies, for providing students with experiential learning opportunities through COM 341: American Political Rhetoric
    Alexa Ellis, a junior majoring in public health and psychology, received the 2023–2024 Zachary David Dodson Endowed Scholarship in recognition of her involvement with CCBP’s Language Partners, Vision Days and HomeFirst Programs, as well as its STEM Showcase.

The 2023 Distinguished Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients are Dr. Blake Berryhill, associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Program in the College of Human Environmental Sciences; Dr. W. Ross Bryan, associate dean and associate professor in the Honors College; Katie Johnson, a graduate student in the Department of Religious Studies; and the Walker Area Community Foundation, led by President Paul W. Kennedy. Dr. Marcus Ashford, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was posthumously awarded as a Distinguished Community-Engaged Scholar.

Dr. Susan Carvalho, dean of the UA Graduate School and associate provost, received the Distinguished Special Achievement in Community Engagement award in recognition of her commitment to higher education leadership and for her unique contributions to the field of community-engaged scholarship.

For a complete list of the winning projects and more information about award recipients, please visit http://ccbp.ua.edu/2023-council-awards/.

Engaged Scholarship Showcase Highlights Community Engagement Projects

  • May 3rd, 2023
  • in CCBP

Engaged Scholarship Showcase Highlights Community Engagement Projects

by Sophia Xiong
CCBP Graduate Assistant

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Students and faculty got together for the Engaged Scholarship Showcase at the Student Center Ballroom on April 20. A complement to the 2023 Annual Excellence in Community Engagement Awards Luncheon, the showcase shares community-engaged work and inspires others to develop as engaged scholars.

In welcoming attendees, Dr. Drew Pearl, director of Community Engagement Research and Publications at the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, said, “Everything we do in the Division of Community Affairs is grounded in The 4 Rs: Relevance, Reciprocity, Research and Resilience. We want the research not only to contribute to scholarship, but also build sustainable and resilient partnerships with communities. I describe my work as helping to provide space and opportunity for others to do work of the imagination. We have ten teams this morning to share their imagination of possibilities and how they turn those possibilities into practice.”

Dr. Courtney Helfrecht, assistant professor of anthropology, and Dr. Jessica Wallace, assistant professor of health science and a core faculty member in the Athletic Training Program (College of Human Environmental Sciences), introduced Brain Day at UA, a program promoting brain health, which encompasses sleep, nutrition, mental health and preventing concussions. Participants included high school athletes from Dallas, Hale, Greene, Tuscaloosa, Pickens and Jefferson counties.

Helfrecht took part in the 2021–2022 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows Program. “Dr. Wallace and I began to collaborate about a year ago,” she said. Before that, she had worked with high schools and on children’s healthy development in the Department of Anthropology. These out-of-school activities and sports are demonstrably beneficial to student athletes’ well-being,” she said. “Now we’ve also got a lot of qualitative and quantitative work with an interdisciplinary team from the Department of Anthropology, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Psychology. And our goal is to keep these student-athletes healthy and safe on the field.”

Jessica Nunes, a doctoral student in aerospace engineering and mechanics and president and founder of the Graduate Society of Women Engineers, introduced her project. “We have organized a lot of events and projects to increase women in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] fields,” she said, adding that as part of the Public Engagement Learning Community she received a great deal of opportunities to talk with specialists in public engagement. “Also, through workshops and lessons, we saw different needs from the communities,” she said. “I also got to connect with people from different departments.”

Aswanth Sampathkumar, a doctoral student studying electrical and computer engineering, shared his thoughts on the showcase: “When we talk about science or STEM, the first thing people usually think of is a bunch of jargon, and that scares people away. But when we show them how fun it can be, they really get excited.”

Sampathkumar studies under Dr. Aijun Song, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and recipient of a 2022–2023 graduate fellowship from UA’s Council on Community-Based Partnerships. Sampathkumar has been volunteering with MATHCOUNTS-Tuscaloosa since 2021. MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide middle school mathematics competition that promotes math education. “In addition to hosting the math competition, our goal is to reach out to middle school students who don’t have access to good math training. We also host a STEM demo event, where we present robots and electric cars to students and hope to motivate them to study STEM,” said Sampathkumar.

Realizing the Dream Essay and Art Contest Recognizes Students’ Creativity

Realizing the Dream Essay and Art Contest Recognizes Students’ Creativity

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Winners of the 2023 Realizing the Dream Essay and Art Contest were recognized for sharing their interpretations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy during a reception on March 30 at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa.

Representing this year’s theme of “Realizing the Dream through Commitment and Sacrifice,” middle and high school students across Alabama submitted a 500-word essay or artwork from which judges representing the Realizing the Dream host institutions selected the winners.

The winning submissions were on display at Shelton State’s Cadence Bank Gallery where students in attendance discussed the themes of their work.

“Love is one of the biggest commitments in life … and I thought that really captured the theme,” said Rhian Scott, one of the winners in the artwork category. “What I like about the contest is that there is so much diversity that you can do within it and with the theme. It was great seeing everyone’s ideas of what they visualize it as.”

For family members, it was also a special occasion to honor their children’s creations and to support youth arts education.

“It gives my daughter Samantha ways to express herself,” said her mother, Shalaleta Washington. “We don’t have an art teacher at her school, so she gets to express herself in her drawing because she loves to draw.”

Marking the second year the committee hosted an in-person celebration to honor winners, the evening began with a reception at 5:30 p.m., before the start of the program at 6 p.m. in the Alabama Power Recital Hall. Carson Grubaugh, instructor of visual arts at Shelton State, delivered the opening remarks. Parents, teachers and community members then heard firsthand how each winner interpreted this year’s Realizing the Dream theme through their creative work in a short video. Contest judges Krislyn Koehn, art instructor at Shelton State, and Dr. Serena Blount, assistant director of undergraduate studies and senior instructor in the department of English at UA, presented the winners in each respective category.

From among 80 art submissions, the following 10 winners were selected:

  • Laila Gray, 11th-grader at Hillcrest High School
  • Jonathan Hartline, 8th-grader at Brookwood Middle School
  • Amber Jones, 8th-grader at Westlawn Middle School
  • Sari Lipscomb, 8th-grader at Westlawn Middle School
  • Colt Maxson, 6th-grader at Tuscaloosa Magnet Middle School
  • Aeesha Mulani, 7th-grader at Tuscaloosa Magnet Middle School
  • Perri Payne, 11th-grader at Paul W. Bryant High School
  • Bailey Ross, 12th-grader at Dallas County High School
  • Rhian Scott, 11th-grader at Sipsey Valley High School
  • Samantha Tolbert, 9th-grader at Thomasville High School

Out of 45 essay submissions, seven winners were chosen:

  • Jayden Dao, 9th-grader at Hillcrest High School
  • Olivia Douglas, 12th-grader at Thompson High School
  • Timothy Johnson, 8th-grader at Greensboro Middle School
  • Jordan Jones, 9th-grader at Holt High School
  • Adrienne Mboumba, 7th-grader at Huffman Middle School
  • Ben Riches, 8th-grader at Tuscaloosa Magnet Middle School
  • Dhruv Vashi, 8th-grader at Tuscaloosa Magnet Middle School

Each winner received a Chromebook, and their respective schools will receive up to $500 in the form of reimbursement for educational resources and/or programming to support this work.

“It’s incredible to have a dream, the same way that Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream,” said Dr. Nicole Prewitt, director of programs and partnerships for the Center of Community-Based Partnerships at The University of Alabama, in closing. “We were able to witness tonight these young people and their dreams and the way in which they wanted to express it through their art and essays.”

Submissions will continue to be housed virtually at www.realizingthedream.ua.edu

Board of Advisors Hears from Trustee Simon, Announces Upcoming Initiatives

Board of Advisors Hears from Trustee Simon, Announces Upcoming Initiatives

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Community Affairs Board of Advisors (BOA) concluded its spring 2023 meeting in Tuscaloosa on Monday, April 3 at the Bryant Conference Center with a series of meetings followed by the keynote address from University of Alabama System Trustee Kenneth Simon.

Simon, a graduate of The University of Alabama School of Law and former Jefferson County circuit judge, reminded attendees that sometimes a note of encouragement is all it takes to inspire others. He told the story of a handwritten message that his former professor wrote in the corner of a paper and its impact on his career.

“So, the words that he wrote, ‘Educate thyself, brother, and you will go far.’ That helped create a true vision for myself,” Simon said.

Years later, Simon wrote a letter thanking his professor for those words of encouragement. Simon read from his professor’s reply, noting its impact as follows: “I tossed the words out into the unknown and you and they have gone far, and now, 20 years later, they returned to me in the form of thanks. … Your letter seems to say to me you never know, brother, what your words can do for others.”

Resonating with how their words and actions can encourage others, the BOA committee leadership shared their initiatives for the upcoming year.

To support the Vision Days program, the Academic Success and Student Retention Committee announced members will contribute financially to Vision Days student support and will mentor students from the Vision Days program at UA.

The Alumni Engagement Committee announced plans to increase BOA membership within the UA Alumni Association.

The Entrepreneurship and Innovative Initiatives Committee discussed how to support the FUEL Alabama initiative to encourage entrepreneurship and engagement with alumni.

The Global and Community Leadership Development Committee recognized two students who received the Committee’s Study Away Scholarship during Monday’s banquet. Additionally, the Committee is working to collaborate with UA’s Career Center to assist students with career readiness and discussed partnering with the Black Belt Community Foundation and Crossroads to encourage civic engagement.

The Public Health Committee discussed ways to support the McCullough Institute for Pre-Medical Scholars, as well as the Rural Health Initiative, noting that they want to broaden these efforts to retain students in-state for their residencies and beyond.

The Finance Committee shared an update on the funds raised for the endowments to support each committee.

The Veteran Support Services Committee reported that they continue to work on logistics for hosting a veteran orientation on campus and that they are exploring innovative partnerships with campus and community members for veterans’ well-being, such as in adaptive sports and art therapy.

Many of these initiatives resulted from panel discussions faculty, staff and students at UA held that connected BOA members with partnerships and research initiatives to support the work of their respective committees.

Taylor Nichols, Board vice president, introduced new Board members Clay Armentrout and Jessica Sanders Walker, who have joined the Board since its fall 2022 meeting.

In closing, BOA President Samarria Dunson recognized BOA members for their dedication to UA and thanked Dr. Samory Pruitt, vice president for Community Affairs, for his leadership.

“Dr. [Samory] Pruitt often speaks about the composition of this Board being good people who are also high achievers, but what he doesn’t recognize is it is his leadership, character and example that binds us together and fortifies our mission,” said Dunson. “Thank you, Dr. Pruitt, for all that you do for the betterment of this Board, for this amazing institution and for the citizens of the state of Alabama.”

The BOA meeting officially began on Sunday, April 2, with a lunch and overview of Community Affairs initiatives, followed by a walking tour of the UA campus and an evening reception at Hotel Indigo in downtown Tuscaloosa. The spring 2023 activities concluded with breakfast on Tuesday, April 4, at the hotel.

Middle Schoolers Demonstrate ‘Science in Action’ During 2023 STEM Showcase

  • February 1st, 2023
  • in CCBP

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

The Tuscaloosa community rallied to support middle schoolers’ scientific discoveries during the 2023 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Showcase on Jan. 28 at the Bryant Conference Center, during which the winning projects were also announced.

“It is quite inspiring to see such imagination and such learning that happened today,” said Andrea Ziegler, director of Community Education in the Division of Community Affairs’ Center for Community-Based Partnerships. “We are going to continue to grow the program and want to be there to support students in their learning process.”

Now in its third year, STEM Showcase originated as a collaborative science fair for middle schoolers in the Tuscaloosa area to become more involved with STEM.

“We’re so excited about students actually doing science. That’s the whole thrust of AMSTI [The Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative],” said Anna Daly, AMSTI-UA education specialist, who also serves on the planning committee for STEM Showcase. “And so, this is that application of all the learning that they’re doing, and they get to have a choice in what they research and go deep on into. It’s just so exciting for us to see science in action and the students being excited about science.”

This year, 67 middle schoolers representing the following schools participated in STEM Showcase: Eastwood Middle School, Northridge Middle School, Sipsey Valley Middle School, The Capitol School, Tuscaloosa Academy and Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

To participate, 6th–8th graders submitted a project either individually or as a team that addressed the following STEM fields: biology, chemistry, engineering, environmental and earth sciences, mathematics and computer science, medicine and health science, physical sciences, behavioral and social sciences, and energy and transportation. During the showcase, participating middle schoolers received mentoring from UA faculty, staff and students in STEM disciplines before presenting their final projects to judges. Volunteer judges were UA faculty, students, and STEM community members.

“I really liked coming up with an idea on my own and then being able to execute it and then show it off to everyone,” said Rosie Zhang, winner of the medicine and health sciences category.

Parents enjoyed seeing their child learn the scientific process firsthand. “What I liked most about this was that they did it on their own,” Jade Gibson said. “My daughter did not ask me for any help with anything except for getting her supplies. For them to come up with something that was practical to our everyday lives, I thought that that was an awesome task for them.”

Winners may go on to participate in the Central Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Additionally, two special awards were given. Max Morgan, Rachel Shu and Alex Zhu received the Microchip Award in the area of engineering or applied science. Aniketh Kalyan received the Microchip Award in the area of computer or software engineering.

Category Winners and Runners-Up

Winners in behavioral and social sciences were Silvia Hancock and Ariq Isyraqi, both of Northridge Middle School. The runner-up was Fanuel Tsheyae of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

The winner in biology was Markiian Shylenko of Northridge Middle School. 

Winners in chemistry were Henry Bearden and Maddie Lee, both  of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle. The runner-up was Kielei Whitfield of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

Winners in energy and transportation were Max Morgan, Rachel Shu and Alex Zhu, all of Northridge Middle School. Runners-up were Marichase Hamner, Caraleigh Hope and Victoria Walker, all of Sipsey Valley Middle School.

The winner in engineering was Lubaina Ahmed of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle. The runner-up was Jacob Scofield of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

The winner in environmental and earth sciences was Jacob Shankman of Northridge Middle School. The runner-up was Ela Melouk of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

The winner in mathematics and computer science was Aeesha Mulani of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

The winner in medicine and health science was Rosie Zhang of Northridge Middle School. The runner-up was Laryn Word of Tuscaloosa Magnet School – Middle.

The winners in physical sciences were Jayden Yoon and Jackson York, both of Northridge Middle School. The runners-up were Jireh Gibson, Shaniyah Holifield and Ty’Leah Parks, all of Eastwood Middle School.

Female musical artist on stage singing into a microphone

Realizing the Dream Concert Featured Acclaimed Gospel Artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard


by Sophia Xiong
Graduate Assistant, CCBP

GRAMMY® Award-winning singer and songwriter Tasha Cobbs Leonard brought a top-notch performance to the 33rd Realizing the Dream Concert on Jan. 15. Her powerful voice and message drew a sellout crowd to Moody Music Concert Hall to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This year’s theme is Realizing the Dream through Commitment and Sacrifice. Student representatives Madeline Martin, University of Alabama Student Government Association (SGA) president; Jenna Peitsch, Shelton State Community College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society president; and Kennedy-MyCal Davis, Stillman College SGA president welcomed the audience and recognized the continuous support from the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference. They also acknowledged Friday night’s Legacy Award winners and introduced the featured performer.

As the audience started cheering with excitement, Leonard took the stage, saying “I am so excited to be here tonight. I want to shout out to each one of you that you cannot leave this event the same way you came in tonight.”

Her first song, “Burdens Down,” captured the audience with the lyrics,

“That’s when I laid my burdens down, I traded shame in for my crown.
My soul was in the lost-and-found, until I laid my burdens down.”

“I love Tasha Cobbs [Leonard], especially her realness, the spirituality, and the way she loves Christ and how it draws people together,” said Loretta Porter, one of the audience members at the concert.

Many people came to the concert because of Leonard’s powerful voice. “Today I was listening to one of her songs, and I was crying the entire time. She is so anointed by God,” said Kiana Kennanore, who works at The University of Alabama. When speaking about this year’s theme of Realizing the Dream Through Commitment and Sacrifice, Kennanore said, “Her song really touches on how God is so committed to us and how we should be so committed to him and his sacrifice.”

Belinda Jones, a member of Miles Chapel CME Church in Reform County, shared her story with the Realizing the Dream series. “I’ve been coming to the concert for five years,” she said. “My daughter started serving in the Air Force six years ago, and this has become a mom-daughter bonding event for us since then. We came here together every year. This year she is in New Mexico, so she couldn’t make it today, but I want to keep it going. You know, you see all your ancestors who have gone through so much in life, but they committed to making a difference. And there were a lot of sacrifices that came along with that. But there is still a lot of work to be done. I think it’s a great event not just for African Americans, but all people that can take part in and enjoy the celebration. I love to see the diversity of so many different people.”

Samantha Tolbert, an 8th-grade student from Thomasville Middle School and one of the student art award recipients of the Realizing the Dream Middle School Essay and Art Contest, attended the concert with her mother and sister. “I am pretty happy to win the contest. I hope our arts can reach more people,” Tolbert said.

“Dr. King paved the way for us to vote and [said] that for African Americans … we should get out and vote, even if we are not sure who someone is always to be at the polls to guide us,” said Shaleta Washington, Tolbert’s mother. “There are a lot of people who sacrificed their lives for us to vote and to be where we are today.”