CCBP – Community Affairs | The University of Alabama

2024 Engaged Scholarship Showcase Emphasizes Community-Engaged Teaching and Research

May 3rd, 2024
in CCBP

2024 Engaged Scholarship Showcase Emphasizes
Community-Engaged Teaching and Research

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

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. —Faculty, staff and students shared their research and teaching related to engaged scholarship during the Engaged Scholarship Showcase on April 11, in the Bryant Conference Center.

Part of the Council on Community-Based Partnerships’ Excellence in Community Engagement Awards, the annual showcase combines faculty, staff and student initiatives in community engagement centered on “The 4 Rs” — Relevance, reciprocity, research and resilience — that form the foundation of engaged scholarship.

Following a musical presentation from the UA Flute Choir, Dr. Drew Pearl, director of Community Engagement Research and Publications at the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, delivered the welcome.

Each presenter addressed an area represented by one of “The 4 Rs” through their research or teaching.

Several students discussed how they achieve relevance, resilience and reciprocity in their work. For example, Mallory Harrison, a member of the UA Flute Choir and Public Engagement Learning Community (PELC) Fellow, shared how she is collaborating to expand music engagement.

“We really enjoyed going out into our community with the intent to educate and the intent to listen and the intent to learn,” Harrison said.

Edwin Lee, a doctoral student in communication and information sciences and a Community-Engaged Learning Fellow (CELF), discussed the importance of resilience in community-engaged research through his presentation on community engagement and critical reflection of Tuscaloosa’s civil rights history.

Dr. Felicia Smith, a PELC Fellow, expanded on reciprocity through her research in math education. Smith participated in a professional development opportunity to explore math pedagogy for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, from which she shared the reciprocal outcomes.

“We were able to build this community where we’re sharing information and sharing knowledge and sharing what does it mean to be responsive to our students,” Smith said.

Faculty and staff also discussed ways their participation in community engagement professional development programs furthered these principles within their teaching and research.

For example, Dr. Serena Blount, senior instructor and associate director of undergraduate studies in the Department of English, presented on the role of resiliency in community engagement by sharing how her participation in CELF has helped her expand community-engaged learning opportunities within the English department through the development of a new introduction to grant writing course and expanding internship opportunities for students.

“I’ve worked to develop a literature for conducting the [internship] program, when to advertise our internships, how to screen students in advance of making referrals, and then how to make the referrals,” said Blount. “This I will develop into a handbook or manual during the next academic year.”

Diana Quito, a doctoral student in educational psychology; Emily Locke, a doctoral student in anthropology, and Tanvi Padalkar, a master’s student in anthropology, presented their research related to the Carnegie Elective Classifications Research Lab. Quito, Padalkar and Locke are assisting with the data analysis of Carnegie applications for community engagement to operationalize how community engagement is prioritized and defined across universities.

“We’re trying to focus on how colleges and universities examine community engagement and how it is tailored to their specific contexts,” said Padalkar.

The showcase concluded with an informal question-and-answer session to continue discussions on engaged scholarship.

Council Recognizes Outstanding Engaged Scholarship in 18th Annual Excellence Awards

May 2nd, 2024
in CCBP

Council Recognizes Outstanding Engaged Scholarship in 18th Annual Excellence Awards

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

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — 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 18th Annual Excellence in Community Engagement Awards on April 11 at the Bryant Conference Center Sellers Auditorium.

“This is a special time for us to lift up, identify, and salute those who are doing their part to help us in building and sustaining relationships between what we do here at The University of Alabama and throughout the community,” said Dr. George Daniels, associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media and chair of the Council’s Excellence in Community Engagement Recognition Committee. “Today we are focusing on the outstanding work that’s happening on the part of our faculty, on the part of our staff, on the part of our students, and, most importantly, on the part of our community partners when it comes to community-engaged scholarship.”

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.

Before the luncheon, attendees had the opportunity to view research posters on display from UA faculty, staff and students. This year’s poster award recipients are Jennifer Baggett, Dr. Leigh Ann Bray Dayton, Dr. Janet Brown, Dr. Todd Davis, Savannah Frickey, Edwin Lee, Ella Marie Maggio, Jacob T. Peterson and Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro.

Dr. Drew Pearl, director of community engagement research and publications for the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, recognized the 2023–2024 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 2023–2024 members of the SCOPE Leadership Academy, which seeks to develop students’ leadership in engaged scholarship.

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

Seed funding was awarded for two projects:

Dr. Luciana Giorgio, assistant professor of social work, for Hispanic Women’s Mental Health Photovoice Project

Dr. Kristina McDonald, associate professor of psychology, for Leveraging Adolescent and Community Values and Strengths to Promote Healthy Relationships and Adolescent Well-Being

Dr. Sara Sanders, assistant research professor in the Department of Special Education and Multiple Abilities was the recipient of this year’s travel fund award to present her research at the Kent State University International Summit on Learning and Behavioral Health.

Three faculty members were awarded Graduate Fellowships for 2024–2025:

Dr. Courtney Helfrecht, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, for Adiposity in Alabama’s adolescent athletes: Is it something in the water? Master’s student Morenike Samuel will assist Helfrecht.

Dr. Kristina McDonald, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, for Leveraging adolescent and community values and strengths to promote healthy relationships and adolescent well-being. Doctoral student Korina Odom will assist McDonald.

Dr. Jessica Wallace, Assistant Professor in the College of Human Environmental Sciences, for Using a multifaceted approach to understand concussion and improve brain health trajectories in adolescent football athletes in Alabama. Doctoral student Jihyun Oh will assist Wallace.

Sixteen individuals received Excellence in Community-Engaged Scholarship awards in three different areas.

Engaged Scholarship awardees included:

Dr. Janet Brown and Dr. Leigh Ann Bray Dayton, both assistant professors in the Capstone College of Nursing, for On Track to Wellness

Dr. Despina Stavrinos, professor and director of the Institute of Social Science Research, for Community Outreach Program for Teen Drivers

Dr. Yuanzhen Shao, assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, for MATHCOUNTS-Tuscaloosa

Jennifer Baggett, student, for A Community-Engaged Approach to Technology for Senior Adults

Gemma Hodgkiss, student, for Supporting Rural Health Care Through Pre-Med Student Partnerships

Kenneth Kelly, student, for The Oakdale News

Carly Titus, student, for the UA World Games

Tesney Davis and the Tuscaloosa City Schools, community, for the New Heights Community Resource Center

Engaged Teaching and Learning awardees included:

Dr. Serena Blount, associate director of undergraduate studies in the Department of English, for developing, nurturing, and sustaining new community learning engagements between community partners and students in the Department of English

Dr. Steven Weinman, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, for his work to educate students and the surrounding community about converting waste plastic products into valuable secondary products

Civic Engagement awardees included:

Rolland Grady and Emily Adcock, students, for their work in campus civic engagement

Dr. Elle Shaaban-Magaña and Dr. Jaclyn Northrup, executive director and assistant director, respectively, the Women and Gender Resource Center, for their collaborative work with campus and community partners that seeks to empower women to not only be leaders in the campus community, but to also see themselves as civic leaders

Dr. Irem Sengul Orgut, assistant director at the Institute of Data and Analytics in the Culverhouse College of Business, for her leadership related to the UPWARD (Underrepresented Populations Workgroup for Research and Development) Initiative.

Tanisia Tucker, a junior majoring in public health, received the 2024–2025 Zachary David Dodson Endowed Scholarship in recognition of her involvement with UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships’ community education programs.

The 2024 Distinguished Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients are Dr. Carol Donovan, professor of Literacy Education and director of the Belser Parton Literacy Center; Ruchie Pathak, a doctoral student in the Department of Geography; and Judge Lillie Jones Osborne, community partner.

Bruce Behringer, retired deputy commissioner for continuous improvement and training for the Tennessee State Department of Health, received the Distinguished Special Achievement in Community Engagement award in recognition of his commitment to improving rural healthcare outcomes through the field of community-engaged scholarship.

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

2024 STEM Showcase Continues STEM Engagement for Middle Schoolers

February 19th, 2024
in CCBP

2024 STEM Showcase Continues STEM Engagement for Middle Schoolers

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

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Middle school students from the Tuscaloosa area demonstrated their creativity at the 2024 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Showcase on Feb. 3 at the Bryant Conference Center, during which the winning projects were also announced.

What began as a collaborative science fair for middle schoolers in Tuscaloosa has rapidly grown into one of the largest STEM opportunities in the community as this year’s STEM Showcase featured 91 students representing 10 schools: Brookwood Middle School, Eastwood Middle School, Echols Middle School, Northridge Middle School, Sipsey Valley Middle School, The Alberta School of Performing Arts, Tuscaloosa Academy, Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle, University Church Christian Academy and Westlawn Middle School.

“I think it’s a really fun thing to do,” said Ronan Stakem, a seventh grader who competed for his first time at STEM Showcase and presented a group project testing the durability of shoe grip.

This year’s Showcase was well-attended with more than 150 family and community members present to support the students.

“I liked how excited she was each day to go and check the progress of her crystal that she grew and all the insights that [she] gained from the project and also the teamwork with her friends,” said Haley Abbott, whose daughter participated in STEM Showcase. “They were excited each week to meet together and collaborate.”

To participate, sixth through eighth graders submitted a project either individually or as a team that addressed one of 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 thought the kids were so talented, and they were so creative,” said Genevieve Bangert, a UA student and STEM Showcase judge. “It was so fun seeing all of their different ideas and projects.”

“A lot of the kids this year are very creative with their research methods … and they really took a lot of time to get all of this laid out and make it so that everyone is accessible to this information, which I think is very interesting,” added Elizabeth Fritz-Kenz, a UA Student and STEM Showcase judge.

Winners may participate in the Central Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

This year, three special awards were also given. Jason Brewer and Kaiden Tolbert, of Sipsey Valley Middle School, received the Nucor Innovation in STEM Engineering Award. Amelia Rumerio, from Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle, won the Avantor/VWR Excellence in STEM Award. The Sanders Flight Training Center Discovery Flight Award went to Henry Bearden, Neil Delaire and Aniketh Kalyan, all from Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle; Hudson Banks from Tuscaloosa Academy earned honorable mention.

Category Winners and Runners-Up

Winners in behavioral and social sciences were Josie Harvey and Emma Stephens, both of Sipsey Valley Middle School. Runners-up were Lilla Beasley, Maggie Leigh Hamner and Sophie Porter, all of Sipsey Valley Middle School.

The winner in biology was Henry Brickman-Curzon of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle. Runners-up were Lane Hollingsworth, Houston Oswalt and William Roe, all from Tuscaloosa Academy.

The winner in chemistry was Aeesha Mulani of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle. The runner-up was Molly Doxey of University Church Christian Academy.

Winners in energy and transportation were Max Morgan, Rachel Shu and Alex Zhu, all of Northridge Middle School. Runners-up were Zane Coppock, Maximilian Reinmuth and Adam Rodriguez, all of Tuscaloosa Academy.

The winners in engineering were Henry Bearden, Neil Delaire and Aniketh Kalyan, all of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle. Runners-up were Jacob Scofield and Ashlynn Tolbert, both of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle.

The winners in environmental and earth sciences were Ava Hendrix, Sofia Huebner and Layla Waller, all of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle. The runner-up was Laryn Word of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle.

The winner in mathematics and computer science was Ela Melouk of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle.

Winners in medicine and health science were Maddie Lee and Lillie Reardon of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle. The runner-up was Ruthie Webber of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle.

The winner in physical sciences was Jayden Yoon of Northridge Middle School. The runner-up was Amelia Rumerio of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle.

Winners of Best in Show were Maddie Lee and Lillie Reardon, both of Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Middle.

Tuscaloosa’s Many Voices Unites City’s International Community with Local Groups

January 31st, 2024
in CCBP

Tuscaloosa’s Many Voices Unites City’s International Community with Local Groups

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

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The inaugural Tuscaloosa’s Many Voices Summit strengthened relationships between Tuscaloosa’s international community and local organizations through a day of networking on Jan. 23 at the Bryant Conference Center.

The summit’s purpose was to bring together stakeholders and organizations that interact with international residents.

Dr. Fran Oneal, director of Global and Community Engagement, saw the need for a “hub” or network to serve as a central source of information, ideas and solutions for challenges facing members of Tuscaloosa’s international community.

“We want to capitalize on the assets that international residents bring to the community and make sure that international residents are utilizing every asset that is available to them,” Oneal said.

Dr. Samory Pruitt, vice president for Community Affairs, delivered the opening remarks and thanked Oneal and the Office of Global and Community Engagement for its efforts in organizing the event.

Many international residents call Tuscaloosa home and have helped the community flourish, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox noted.

“We are a community that has embraced internationalism,” Maddox said. “And I think it’s very important, especially at this time and place in our country’s history, that we embrace the diversity of opinions and backgrounds and experience.”

Attendees completed an icebreaker activity at the start of the meeting designed to pinpoint cross-cultural similarities and shared life experiences.

“We have much in common in different aspects of our lives,” Oneal said. “All of these commonalities show us that the more we come to know each other, the more we can find joy in our similarities and be intrigued by our differences.”

A video presentation, produced by the Division of Community Affairs, provided data about Tuscaloosa’s international residents.

Following the video presentation, participants joined in round-table discussions to talk about the issues international residents face and discuss potential solutions. International residents Anna Mariya Basauri Ziuzina, Alex Duah and Nancy De La Torre shared their stories and backgrounds during lunch, inviting further dialogue about ways to create a more inclusive community.

Fifty-six individuals registered for the event. Invited stakeholders represented the following government offices, organizations and educational institutions: Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, Armstrong Law LLC, Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, Christy Hayes Counseling, City of Northport, City of Tuscaloosa, Fuerza Multicultural, Good Samaritan Clinic, Keller Williams Real Estate, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa City Schools, Tuscaloosa City Sisters International, Tuscaloosa County Schools, Tuscaloosa International Friends, Tuscaloosa Latino Coalition, Tuscaloosa’s One Place, Tuscaloosa Public Libraries, The University of Alabama and United Way of West Alabama.

BOA Member Partners with SEA for Aviation Day

September 19th, 2023
in CCBP, Community Affairs Board of Advisors

BOA Member Partners with SEA for Aviation Day

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

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – It looked like a scene out of “Top Gun” with Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” playing in the background as STEM Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA) students donned their aviator sunglasses and posed for pictures outside the hangar of Sanders Aviation and Sanders Flight Training Center in Jasper, Alabama, during a special aviation day of camp on Wednesday, July 12.

Held annually during July, SEA is a one-week residential camp that provides rising high school juniors and seniors from across Alabama with opportunities to improve their knowledge and application of STEM while developing their entrepreneurship skills during hands-on workshops and hearing from experts in the field at The University of Alabama.

New this year was an aviation day partnership made possible in part by UA alumna Jessica Sanders Walker. Walker is the vice president of Sanders Aviation and Sanders Flight Training Center, and founder of the nonprofit, Operation Aviation Foundation (OAF), which encourages youth to seek education and career pathways in aviation.

While visiting campus this past spring, Walker reconnected with Dr. Samory Pruitt, vice president for Community Affairs, who invited her to join the Community Affairs Board of Advisors (BOA). As a BOA member, she participated in the 2023 New Faculty Community Engagement Tour that resulted in a partnership with Andrea Ziegler, director of Community Education, and Jake Peterson, assistant director of Community Education. As part of the partnership, 2023 SEA students were invited to participate in an aviation day during OAF’s first summer camp.

During the camp, SEA students heard from industry professionals, including Tim Crumbly, NASA technical fellow for software assurance, and Kathy Byars, Center Executive Officer at Marshall Space Flight Center. Campers were also debriefed on the science of flying and participated in a flight simulator. As a woman in STEM, Walker is passionate about making STEM careers accessible to youth in underrepresented areas.

“As soon as Kathy Byars from NASA stopped talking, I saw all these young girls from [STEM Entrepreneurship] Academy run up to her, and they were just elated speaking to her,” said Walker. “That really warmed my heart because I remember what it felt like to be a young woman on campus at The University of Alabama, and there weren’t that many women doing things in a lot of STEM positions and aviation positions as there are now, so it is always so exciting to get to see someone like Kathy Byars in the role that she’s in and all the women who presented today.”

The motto of the BOA is coming back, giving back, which inspires Walker to expand aviation outreach within her community.

“The Division of Community Affairs has just been incredible,” Walker said. “I would like to thank the staff from Community Affairs and Dr. Kathleen Cramer, who has constantly steered me back to the University. I am forever grateful to Dr. [Samory] Pruitt, and The University of Alabama because it is about coming back, giving back.”

BLAST Academy Helps K–8 Students Build Confidence and Knowledge

September 5th, 2023
in CCBP

BLAST Academy Helps K–8 Students Build Confidence and Knowledge

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

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – BLAST Academy concluded its second year with a final showcase on July 28 at the English Building on the University of Alabama campus. Participating K–8 students demonstrated new confidence and skills learned during the four-week program. BLAST stands for Building Leaders Through the Arts STEAM and Teamwork.

“Both of my kids have been in multiple different summer camps over the years, and last year during the first year of BLAST it was their favorite experience and after the last day, they asked immediately ‘when can we go to BLAST again’,” said Dr. Adam Sterritt, assistant vice president for strategic initiatives for The University of Alabama’s Division of Student Life. “I think what they liked so much was the combination of all the different things they did. They both said that it was even better this year, and they can’t wait to do it again.”

Held on the UA campus from July 3–28, BLAST Academy encourages summer learning in a creative environment for students 5–14 years old with a focus on arts education and literacy, physical education, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and social and emotional learning. The program was expanded this year to include 7^th– and 8^th– grade students.

During the STEAM sessions, students conducted science experiments and learned how mathematics is applied to the “real world” through use of numbers and shapes. Severe weather preparation is an important part of summertime in the South, and campers also learned how meteorologists use technology and tools created by engineers to report the weather. Outside the classroom, campers furthered their teamwork skills by playing soccer, volleyball and other team sports.

“She’s at the age where she loves school,” said Monique Prude, whose daughter participated in BLAST for the first time this year. “One of her elementary teachers sent me the information for it, so we tried it, and so far, she loved it. Coming home and hearing her talk about what they’ve done, that has been just the best part of it.”

During the final showcase, each age group performed a musical routine emphasizing the storytelling abilities they learned during the art and music education sessions. Prior to the performance, campers’ artwork and science journals were on display outside the auditorium for family and community members to view.

At the start of the showcase, camp instructors shared their reflections of working with the students over the summer.

“I worked BLAST last year, and I loved it,” said Zoe Griffin, a BLAST music education instructor. “I got such great experience practicing being a good leader and an effective instructor, and I loved working with the students.”

BLAST Academy is led by Dr. Daniela Susnara, director of planning and assessment for community engagement in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships.

BOA Talks Power of Connectivity During Fall 2023 Meeting

STEM Entrepreneurship Academy Showcases Students’ Creativity

August 1st, 2023
in CCBP

STEM Entrepreneurship Academy Showcases Students’ Creativity

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

Winning projects from the 2023 STEM Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA) were announced at the final showcase in North Lawn Hall on July 14.

Zamiyah Kilpatrick, Tavion Shaw and Maria Mitchell from Amelia Love Johnson High School (Marengo County) were named winners for their project, “Thomaston Community Cleanup.” BreAsia Pullum, Marquaveon Tabb, Christen Clark and Jakory Hudson from R.C. Hatch High School (Perry County) had the second winning project, “Community Wealth Starts with Great Mental Health — School Wellness Room.”

Each team received $500 in the form of grant funding for their schools to implement these programs.

“I have been blown away by the students’ willingness to share about themselves — their successes, their challenges, their dreams — and the effort they’ve put in to come up with an idea that will benefit their schools and communities,” said Quoc Hoang, director of experiential learning for the Culverhouse College of Business and SEA facilitator. “Throughout my life, people have invested in me and provided access to resources that fueled my ability to reach life and career aspirations. Serving as a facilitator in this year’s SEA has allowed me to share my story and talents with future community leaders and maybe even University of Alabama students.”

Held July 10–14, SEA was a one-week residential camp that provided high school juniors and seniors from across Alabama with opportunities to improve their knowledge and application of STEM while developing their entrepreneurship skills during hands-on workshops and hearing from experts in the field at The University of Alabama.

“I’ve made a lot of good friendships,” said Savannah Dockery, a student at Sipsey Valley High School. “ … I learned a lot about electrical engineering, and that was fun … just getting to know people has been really fun.”

“It has been fun getting to meet new people and meeting engineers and scientists and people like that to tell you about how things are at UA,” added Hillcrest High School student Levy Russell.

UA STEM faculty volunteered to host workshops teaching practical aspects of STEM with activities to encourage students’ critical thinking.

“Engineering at its core is about helping people,” Dr. Todd Freeborn, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, told students. “It’s about solving problems that make people’s lives better, so that’s really important to me. I love teaching students like all of you … helping you develop the skills, so you can solve the problems that are important to you.”

New this year was an aviation day partnership made possible in part by UA alumna Jessica Sanders Walker in which students traveled to Sanders Aviation and Sanders Flight Training Center in Jasper to learn about aviation from industry professionals. Walker is the vice president of Sanders Aviation and Sanders Flight Training Center and founder of the nonprofit, Operation Aviation Foundation, which encourages youth to seek education and career pathways in aviation.

“I got to meet Jake [Peterson] and Andrea [Ziegler] on the New Faculty Community Engagement Tour, so this was kind of our first partnership, and we really want to grow it,” said Walker, who is also a member of the Community Affairs Board of Advisors.

The 28 students that participated in SEA were nominated by their respective schools and were from Amelia L. Johnson High School, Francis Marion High School, G.W. Carver High School, Hillcrest High School, Northside High School, Paul W. Bryant High School, R.C. Hatch High School, South Lamar High School, Sipsey Valley High School and Valiant Cross Academy.

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.

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/.

Category: CCBP

Category: CCBP

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