Community Affairs Newsletter | Summer 2022 – Community Affairs

summer 2022 newsletter

UA Student Reflects on Vision Days

My name is Ashton Fisher, and I am a junior studying criminal justice at The University of Alabama. I have been working with the Center for Community-Based Partnerships along with the international community since my freshman year. However, only recently, I have begun working with Vision Days for high school students, which has become one of my most memorable experiences of college so far.

Vision Days is a school-wide effort to recruit high school students from rural and underrepresented areas in Alabama. It is an opportunity to help students learn more about college and ask any questions they may have. While working with Vison Days, I am in charge of guiding students around campus and showing them the resources that are designed to help them succeed, as well as answering any questions they may have. While working with these students, I have realized that this is a cause that I am very passionate about. I enjoy helping young adults and mentoring them, so that they do not make the same mistakes I did. Because I am a first-generation college student, I wish that I had someone growing up that had been there and done that, someone who could help me figure out my next path. I, as a first-generation college student, had to figure it all out by myself. This allows me to understand the pressure and confusion that these students may be feeling about college.

Vision Days pairs the high school students with a college student, so that they can hear real life stories. Additionally, it is a lot easier to talk to someone closer to your age, so they are more likely to ask their questions. When they ask their questions, I like to be transparent with them and let them know the best way to get where they want to go. I genuinely want all students to know that they can find a home at whichever school they decide to go to or whichever path they decide to take after high school. The opportunities that they have in front of them are endless, and I want every single one of them to know that. I wish I started younger. I wish I did things differently, but that is why I am here, so that they can learn from my mistakes. I want them to know that it may seem difficult right now, but it will only get better. They, too, can be the first to go to college in their family. They should not let a little obstacle deter them from reaching their dreams. They have so much potential, and I love being the one to let them know that. I want them to seize the opportunity in front of them. However, you cannot seize an opportunity you are not aware of, and that is why Vision Days is so important.

Vision Days is such a rewarding opportunity for both the students and the workers involved. Everyone is learning and everyone wants what is best for each other. It gives great satisfaction when you are able to just simply give back and help others.

Visit website here.

STEM Entrepreneurship Academy Connects Faculty with Community

Whether measuring traffic flow or programming computers, high school students participating in the STEM Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA) July 10–15 explored career paths in STEM through mini sessions held at The University of Alabama and conducted by UA faculty.

“I think workshops like this are just ways to unite the university community [to] make students aware of other things that are happening and helps spawn their interest in different things in kind of an interdisciplinary way,” said Dr. Jeff Gray, professor of computer science and director of the Randall Research Scholars Program.

Gray is one of several faculty members who volunteered with SEA. Held annually during July, the one-week residential camp provides faculty unique opportunities to connect with rising sophomore and junior high school students through teaching concepts and application of STEM.

“I like being able to take the technical stuff I have and make it approachable for high school students to come and see it and to get them interested and engaged,” said Dr. Alex Hainen, associate professor in the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering.

The goal of the camp is for high schoolers to develop their entrepreneurship skills in the form of a group project by participating in hands-on workshops and listening to experts in the field.

Elizabeth Jernigan, instructor of marketing, guides students through their group projects, helping them to understand where entrepreneurship meets STEM.

“I like working with them,” Jernigan said. “It has kind of segued into some other things, like this past spring a handful of our students and I went down to Greensboro High School once a week, and we worked with them on innovation projects. Then they got to come visit campus in April, so it’s been fun.”

SEA concluded with a showcase celebration on July 15 where students presented their projects to the community. The two winning teams were from Brookwood High School and Central High School of Phenix City. Each team received $1,000 in grant funding for their schools to implement their projects.

The 28 participating students were nominated by their respective schools and represented Amelia L. Johnson High School, Bibb County High School, Brookwood High School, G.W. Carver High School, Hillcrest High School, Holt High School, Northside High School, Paul W. Bryant High School, Sipsey Valley High School, Valiant Cross Academy, Sumter Central High School, Central High School of Tuscaloosa and Central High of Phenix City.

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BLAST Academy Launches for K–6 Students, Encourages Summer Learning

BLAST Academy (Building Leaders Through the Arts, STEM and Teamwork), whose name describes its mission, is a new summer enrichment program for K–6 students that launched in July.

Led by Dr. Daniela Susnara, director of planning and assessment for community engagement in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, BLAST developed as a partnership among the Hale County School District, the Tuscaloosa City School District (TCS) and the Tuscaloosa County School System, as well as the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama.

“As educators, we’ve known from research for a long time that the amount of time kids are in school or in a space where they learn matters,” said Dr. Andrew Maxey, director of strategic initiatives for TCS. “The research on what works in the summer space is that they have to want to be here more than they want to be in the pool.”

Held on UA’s campus from July 5–29, BLAST Academy encouraged summer learning in a creative environment for children ages 5–12, with a focus on arts education, physical education, STEM and social emotional learning.

“It was decided that we would really focus on student academic learning and well-being, promote social, emotional, lasting development, and those are so important,” said Dr. Liza Wilson, senior associate dean for the College of Education. “But most of all, for me as an educator and parent, it was very exciting to see [the students] having fun. When there’s fun, you want to learn and keep learning.”

Camp sessions were held in UA classrooms, letting participants experience the educational benefits at the Capstone. For many BLAST instructors and group leaders, helping campers navigate campus and learn new skills made the inaugural camp all the more special.

“I just love seeing the impact you can make even over one month,” said Sydney Ringold, a graduate student in the MBA program at UA and one of the STEM instructors for BLAST. “The kids, definitely at the beginning, a lot of them were like, ‘Ooo, STEM. We don’t like it. We don’t like math,’ and now they’re so excited … and I love that part of it.”

BLAST Academy concluded on July 29 with a final showcase, marking participants’ success during the four-week program with an awards ceremony and arts education performance.

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Children Reach New Heights with Swim to the Top

Held annually during June at the Benjamin Barnes Branch of the YMCA, Swim to the Top encourages children to reach the “top” in all aspects of life through swim instruction and additional learning in STEM enrichment, art and physical education for children 4–14.

“What I love most about Swim to the Top is definitely the substance of the program,” said LaKeda Smith, executive director of the Benjamin Barnes YMCA. “The substance of the program is phenomenal … adding on the music and dance portion this year gave Swim to the Top a real holistic effect and approach on working with the children.”

Approximately 160 children registered for Swim to the Top, which is now in its ninth year and led by Dr. Daniela Susnara, director of planning and assessment for community engagement.

“It is a good program because it is fun,” added Demi Foster, who has participated in the program for the past three years. “I think it’s a good thing for us to learn how to swim and all about science.”

This year’s STEM enrichment focused on environmental awareness. For one experiment, children learned about oil spill cleanups and how to research with computers. Additionally, campers strengthened their sportsmanship and teamwork abilities in the PE sessions, learning volleyball and tennis.

“It helps our brain exercise more, and it helps our brain to focus more,” said Bryan Taylor, of his experience learning to play tennis.

Children also exercised their creativity in the new art and music component added to Swim to the Top.

“Every single thing that we do in life should influence the younger generation to be better, to create something which they don't have a possibility to do,” said Natalia Molska, the lead arts education instructor for Swim to the Top. Tapping into those possibilities, children learned fundamentals in art education from practicing choregraphed dances to drawing.

For the parents, the highlight was seeing their children learn new skills.

“It teaches kids things they probably wouldn’t normally learn throughout the summer,” said Vita Lewis, whose daughter participated in Swim to the Top.

“I have never seen [my daughter] so ready to get up and come every day to swim,” added KeAndrea Henry. “I feel comfortable with her being around water. They did a great job with her.”

Swim to the Top concluded on July 1 with a final showcase, marking participants’ success during the four-week program.

Visit website here.

HomeFirst Coaches Community Members on Path to Homeownership

Homeowners consider many factors when purchasing a new home — the floor plan, the commute, the neighborhood and schools, etc. At The University of Alabama (UA), HomeFirst helps individuals navigate the financial factors involved in homeownership as a volunteer-led, financial wellness program.

Housed in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP), HomeFirst has served more than 170 individuals and families on the path to homeownership, thanks in part to its 48 volunteer coaches over the life of the program.

James Renshaw, program coordinator for programs and partnerships for community engagement at CCBP, has worked with HomeFirst since he was a student in fall 2021.

“One of my professors emailed out a list of organizations and programs that were accepting volunteers,” he said. “HomeFirst sounded the most relevant to what I was studying and the most interesting and impactful.”

The community aspect is what Renshaw likes best about HomeFirst, but as he transitioned from student to staff at UA, he noted the reciprocal benefits the program provides its coaches.

“While our focus is on community members and expanding the pool of eligible homeowners in our area, the coaches receive these same financial life skills,” he explained. “We also have coaches that are recent graduates and working professionals, but they are still volunteering and learning alongside the students.”

Education is, as Renshaw described, what UA does best, and the goal of HomeFirst is to expand the pool of eligible homeowners by improving financial capability.

“HomeFirst wants to educate community members and students in financial life skills that are often overlooked in traditional classrooms,” Renshaw said. “There are three main ways we help community members that go through the program — thorough financial education, one-on-one support and program referrals.”

Volunteer coaches meet with participants over three months to guide them through the curriculum, helping participants identify the obstacles blocking their way to purchasing a home and developing solutions. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Renshaw added that HomeFirst adapted its coaching sessions to a hybrid model where coaches can now provide the same financial education whether through Zoom or on campus, extending their reach toward eligible homeowners.

These efforts have not gone unnoticed as HomeFirst was recognized at the annual conference of the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) with the 2022 ITGA Presidential Excellence Award.

“It was excellent for the program to receive the award and really shows how others value our work,” said Renshaw. “We believe that HomeFirst is an amazing program that can really make a huge difference in so many lives.”

Visit website here.

HomeFirst Partners with Greene County Housing Authority

Held at the Capstone Hotel in Tuscaloosa on July 21–22, the HomeFirst Greene County Coaches Retreat gave volunteers a chance to practice their coaching skills and learn how to build rapport with participants on the path to homeownership.

“One of my goals when I came on the Board was to increase the housing availability in Greene County, so when this came along it fit right with that,” said Carolyn Branch, chairman of the Board for the Housing Authority of Greene County.

The retreat furthers volunteers’ efforts in the partnership between Greene County and UA HomeFirst.

Marie Butler, program coordinator for HomeFirst in Greene County, works with the coaches in Greene County and discussed how the partnership came about.

“Ms. [Anita] Lewis is from Greene County, and she brought her concerns that there wasn’t a housing program in the area that would provide housing finance awareness, so people in Greene County could afford safe and decent housing,” Butler said. “This program will allow the residents of Greene County to be able to have a home in Greene County. I know she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“Living in Eutaw all my life, I realized that the housing situation was something that needed to be worked on. … Since 2005, that’s what I’ve been working on, trying to get more housing into Greene County,” said Anita Lewis, executive director at the Housing Authority of Greene County. “It’s just a passion of mine, really, and when Dr. [Nicole] Prewitt approached me about it [HomeFirst], I just jumped at it. It was like magic, and we’ve been working ever since.”

During the retreat, the sessions included mock interviews, coaching activities, presentations and panel discussions designed to help coaches build rapport with future homeowners.

“I’m learning the financial stability you need in order to be a homeowner,” said Mattie Strode, one of the volunteer coaches at the retreat. “I am a homeowner, but I didn’t know these things prior to owning my home. I look forward to helping someone else understand that they can become financially stable enough to be a homeowner because we want them to have sustainability.”

At the end, volunteers learned how they can extend UA’s coaching legacy as financial coaches who support and assist individuals’ and families’ goals of homeownership.

“I believe home is where the heart is,” Butler said. “What I like most about HomeFirst is that it provides financial wellness for participants on their path toward homeownership.”

Visit website here.

From the Division of Community Affairs

Effective Aug. 1, 2022, our Saving Lives program, as well as our efforts with the Tuscaloosa Consortium for Higher Education, will be housed in the Office of the Vice President for Community Affairs.

We thank and applaud Dr. Nicole Prewitt, director of programs and partnerships for community engagement, on her leadership of these programs and are excited about the creation and growth of new programs and initiatives that are emerging under her leadership.

UA HomeFirst Program Recognized by International Town and Gown Association. Learn more.

At the recent annual conference of the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA), held at Clemson University, The University of Alabama’s HomeFirst program received a 2022 ITGA Presidential Excellence Award.

Carol Agomo, director of Community and Administrative Affairs, is co-chair of the Outreach and Engagement Practitioner Network pre-conference session. Learn more.

The OEPN pre-conference session will take place at the Engagement Scholarship Consortium on Sept. 19–20. The theme is, “The Boundary Spanners Journey: From Roots to Wings.”

Alabama Fulbright Association Selects Dr. Beverly Hawk for Lifetime Achievement Award. Learn more.

Beverly Hawk, director of Global and Community Engagement, is the recipient of the Alabama Fulbright Association Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the first person to receive the award, which recognizes her many contributions and years of service to the Fulbright mission of mutual understanding through international educational exchange. She announced her retirement from the University and the Division of Community Affairs on May 13. Since she was hired in 2012, Hawk has directed Global Café and advised Fulbright applicants. Under her leadership, UA has won national recognition as a Fulbright Student Top Producer five of the last seven years. A total of 108 students have received Fulbright awards during her tenure.

Congratulations to Dr. Jackson Harris on successfully defending his dissertation, “Modeling the Structural Dynamics of Our Public Spheres.”

His research offers a theoretical model for how polarization threatens to disintegrate democratic publics while also highlighting the importance of relationship-building and civic engagement. The theoretical model produced by the dissertation arose directly from the work of UA’s Crossroads Civic Engagement Center, where he serves as assistant director. Situated at the intersection of theory and practice, the theoretical model responds directly to the question, “How should we be developing engaged citizens in an era of toxic polarization?” His hope is that by being able to theorize how our public and communication networks are disintegrating, we can more effectively do the work of reversing toxic polarization and creating strong connections between diverse communities and people.

UA Students Receive U.S. Fulbright Program Awards for 2022–2023. Learn more.

The Fulbright Program has selected 18 University of Alabama students for various awards for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Lane McLelland, director of the Crossroads Civic Engagement Center, is leading a collaborative research project with colleagues at C&IS and the University of Georgia to study the post-graduate impact of undergraduate participation in dialogue-based courses.

Jackson Harris, assistant director of the Crossroads Civic Engagement Center, presented political communication research and civic education strategies at the International Communication Association conference in Paris on May 26–30.
He also traveled to Perry and Walker Counties to help facilitate learning for UA students engaged in community-based learning experiences. This includes the Honors College’s University Fellows Experience and New College’s Jean O’Connor-Snyder Internship Program.

Lane McLelland and Jackson Harris presented several lines of research at the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement conference in Minneapolis June 21–24.
Lane has been serving on the national steering committee for this conference.

Sam Robson interned at Crossroads this summer through New College's Levitetz Summer Internship Scholarship.
He represented the Crossroads at Bama Bound sessions throughout the summer and worked on student voting resources for the 2022 election season.

Crossroads hosted summer workshops, delivering CIVshop modules to a wide range of partners including the College of Continuing Studies, Student Government Association, Bryant Conference Center staff and undergraduate research program in engineering.

Emerging Community Engagement Scholars

The Emerging Community Engagement Scholars (ECES) program is an intensive professional development opportunity for advanced graduate students, postdocs, or early- to mid-career faculty or staff members. In this program, participants will work throughout the academic year to develop a proposal related to a community-engaged scholarship project in which they are currently engaged, or are interested in implementing.

The 2022–2023 members of the ECES program are:

Christy Albea, audiology coordinator, Department of Communicative Disorders
Trevor Bopp, assistant professor, Department of Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management
Nahide Gungordu, graduate student, Educational Psychology
Courtney Helfrecht, assistant professor, Department of Anthropology
Abhay Lidbe, associate research engineer, Alabama Transportation Institute
Jake Peterson, program coordinator for community education, Division of Community Affairs
Claudia Won, graduate student, School of Social Work
Elisabetta Zengaro, communications specialist, Division of Community Affairs

Community-Engaged Learning Fellows

The goal of the Community-Engaged Learning Fellows (CELF) program is to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the theoretical foundations and existing literature related to community-engaged learning, practical recommendations and resources for building partnerships and implementing community-engaged learning in their courses, and suggestions for centering community engagement in their professional work.

The 2022–2023 members of the CELF program are:

David Bolus, assistant director of the University Fellows Experience, Honors College
Abby Horton, assistant professor, Capstone College of Nursing
Morion Siler, student services manager, School of Social Work
Shayla Smith, BSW field coordinator, School of Social Work
Cokie Thompson, assistant director, Blackburn Institute

SCEC Leadership Academy

The goal of the Student Community Engagement Center (SCEC) Leadership Academy is to develop student leaders of community-engaged scholarship at The University of Alabama. Each year, a cohort of undergraduate and graduate students meets monthly to discuss the fundamentals of community engagement, strategies for leading community-engaged scholarship, and emerging trends.

The 2022–2023 members of the SCEC Leadership Academy are:

Sarah Cosner, undergraduate student, Management (Health Care Analytics) and Communication Studies
Cameron Crouch, undergraduate student, Mechanical Engineering with STEM MBA
Antara Das, graduate student, Health Education and Health Promotion
Dalis Lampkins, graduate student, Political Science
Anne Lawton Browder, undergraduate student, International Studies
Megan O’Brien, undergraduate student, Mathematics and Computer Science
Tanvi Padalkar, graduate student, Anthropology
LeAnna Roberts, undergraduate student, Biology and STEM to MBA Program
Maddi Surles, undergraduate student, Biology
Elise Theriot, undergraduate student, Aerospace Engineering

Public Engagement Learning Community

The Public Engagement Learning Community is an intensive professional development opportunity for graduate students and mid-career faculty and staff members. Public engagement includes the many ways the activities and benefits of higher education and research can be shared with the public in a two-way process of interaction and listening.

The 2022–2023 members of the Public Engagement Learning Community are:

Saideh Akbari, student
Jennifer Baggett, student
Jennifer Cox, assistant professor, Department of Psychology
Brittany Gilmer, associate professor, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Sylvia Hollins, student
Luke Hunt, assistant professor, Department of Philosophy
Barbara-Shae Jackson, student
Emily Locke, student
Adria Mason, student
Jillian Maxcy-Brown, student
Sara McDaniel, associate professor, Department of Special Education and Multiple Abilities
Maura Mills, assistant professor, Department of Management
Hyunjin Noh, assistant professor, School of Social Work
Roya Salehzadeh, student
Jessica Santos Martins Nunes, student
Shaon Talukdar, student
Amanda Thompson, associate professor, Department of Clothing, Textiles and Interior Design
Diane Tober, associate professor, Department of Anthropology
Melinda Wallace, director of administration and contracts, Enterprise Operations
Boyi Zhuang, associate research personnel, Alabama Center for Insurance Information and Research

We are pleased to welcome our new and returning graduate assistants back to campus!

Hannah Corbin

Ayana Hendricks

Katie Johnson

Emily Locke

Jigisha Lokhande

Maggie Monroe

Violet Nkwanzi

Paige Rentfro

Jesse Rentz

Riley White

Xiangyan (Sophia) Xiong

fall calendar snapshot

August 31 Fall NPC Meeting

September 2 Emerging Community Engagement Scholars

September 6 SCOPE

September 8 Vision Days Freshmen

September 9 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows

September 13 Vision Days Freshmen

September 13 SCEC Leadership Academy

September 15 Vision Days Freshmen

September 15 Parent Teacher Leadership Academy

September 16 Emerging Community Engagement Scholars

September 19 Vision Days Ambassadors and Legacy Students

September 19–20 Engagement Scholarship Consortium Pre-Conference

September 21–22 Engagement Scholarship Consortium Conference

September 26–29 Roll the Vote

September 27–29 Vision Days Seniors

September 27 Global Café

September 29 Council on Community-Based Partnerships

September 30 Emerging Community Engagement Scholars

October 3 You Make UA Great

October 3 SCOPE

October 4 Realizing the Dream Lecture Series

October 4–6 Vision Days Seniors

October 7 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows

October 10 Vision Days Ambassadors and Legacy Students

October 11 SCEC Leadership Academy

October 11 Global Café

October 14 Emerging Community Engagement Scholars

October 20 Parent Teacher Leadership Academy

October 23–25 Fall Board of Advisors Meeting

October 24 Vision Days Ambassadors and Legacy Students

October 25 Global Café

October 13 United Way Kickoff

November 1 SCOPE

November 4 Emerging Community Engagement Scholars

November 7 Vision Days Ambassadors and Legacy Students

November 8 SCEC Leadership Academy

November 10 Greene County HomeFirst Coach Training and Retreat

November 15 Global Café

November 17 Council on Community-Based Partnerships Meeting

November 28 Vision Days Ambassadors and Legacy Students

December 1 United Way Celebration

December 1 Parent Teacher Leadership Academy

December 2 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows

December 5 Winning Grants and Sustaining Communities