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Author: ritah.magera

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As we kick off the fall semester at GW, there are plenty of exciting opportunities for students to engage in community service and involvement. Here are some key updates:

Upcoming Events:

  • Advisor Meeting Requirement Extravaganza - Friday, September 13th from 10:30am-12:30pm in University Student Center Room 307. Spring 2025 study abroad applicants can fulfill their advisor meeting requirement.
  • A Wider Circle: Direct Service Project - Volunteer opportunity for students to give back to the local community. Check GWServes for more details and to register.
  • French Embassy Chamber Music Concert - Friendship Place is seeking volunteer event support. Great chance to engage with DC's diplomatic community while supporting a good cause.

...continue reading "GW September 2024 Community Engagement Update"

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The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) is hosting its annual conference this October in Minneapolis–Saint Paul. This year’s conference, themed "Transforming Cities, Communities, and Campuses," will focus on how universities can drive positive change and foster collaboration within urban and metropolitan areas.

Early-bird registration, which offers the lowest rates for this impactful higher education event, ends on Friday, August 23. The conference will feature keynote speakers, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities designed to address pressing issues and showcase successful community engagement practices.

...continue reading "Register Now: CUMU Conference Early-Bird Pricing"

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The Office of Sustainability at GW invites faculty and staff to join the Green Office Network certification program. This initiative seeks to inspire sustainable practices across university departments while fostering a community of leaders dedicated to environmental stewardship.

Interested offices can begin the certification process by selecting a Green Leader and completing an online checklist. Certification is awarded on a four-level point system, with Level 1 starting at 20 points. Once certified, offices join the Green Office Network, gaining access to resources, updates, and opportunities to provide feedback on sustainability initiatives.

...continue reading "Call for Participation: Green Office Network Certification"

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The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, administered by the Institute of International Education on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, is now accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year. This prestigious program provides recent graduates, master's and doctoral candidates, and young professionals with opportunities to pursue international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary or secondary school teaching around the world.

Applications are due by October 8, 2024, at 5 pm Eastern Time. Interested GW faculty and students can find detailed information and start their application at the Fulbright Online Application portal.

...continue reading "Call for Applications: 2025-26 Fulbright Program"

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GW faculty members Dr. Anna Jayne Kimmel and Sidney Williams, MFA, are collaborating on an event this Fall 2024 that engages stories from men on death row. The event, coordinated in affinity with the World Day Against the Death Penalty in October, will include a staged reading of Kenneth Reams' play "REND" alongside a panel discussion.

Students interested in participating should contact Dr. Kimmel (anna.kimmel@gwu.edu) or Professor Williams (sidwilliams@gwu.edu) by June 17 to learn more. Various roles are available, including actors, designers, and researchers.

...continue reading "Call for Participants: Staged Reading of Death Row Stories"

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The Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition (CLDE) is hosting a two-part virtual forum to launch their new report, "Every Student, Every Degree: College Civic Learning for Today's Students and Tomorrow's Democracy." The events will be held on September 4 and October 1, 2024, from 3:30 to 5:30 PM ET.

...continue reading "Virtual Event: Every Student, Every Degree Launch"

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GWupstart, GW's central hub for social innovation, offers approximately $75,000 in annual funding along with mentorship and support for students. The program aims to nurture projects that create meaningful and sustainable impact in communities.

Multiple funding opportunities are available with upcoming deadlines. Register for workshops in October to learn about social innovation, design thinking, storytelling, and project proposals.

...continue reading "Share with Students: GWupstart Social Innovation Funding and Workshops"

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Attention scholars, practitioners, and community partners! An exciting opportunity has emerged to contribute to a vital conversation on equitable community engagement in higher education.

Routledge and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) are compiling an edited volume titled "Equitable Community Engagement with Colleges and Universities: Exploring Equity in Community-Campus Relationships." This book seeks to explore how equity is understood, defined, and experienced within community-campus partnerships across various contexts.

...continue reading "Call for Chapters: Exploring Equity in Community-Campus Relationships"

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The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is now accepting nominations for the 2025 K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award. This award honors graduate students who demonstrate outstanding potential as future leaders in higher education and a strong commitment to academic innovation in the areas of equity, community engagement, and teaching and learning.

Nominations are due by August 23, 2024. Faculty members or administrators can nominate doctoral-seeking graduate students planning a career in higher education, regardless of academic discipline. Graduate students in fields where a master’s degree is the terminal degree (such as an MFA) are also eligible. Award winners will receive travel support to attend AAC&U's Annual Meeting in January 2025.

...continue reading "Call for Nominations: K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award"

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Routledge and AAC&U are seeking chapter submissions for an edited volume titled "Equitable Community Engagement with Colleges and Universities: Exploring Equity in Community-Campus Relationships." The book will examine how equity is perceived, defined, and practiced in community-campus partnerships across diverse contexts.

Abstract submissions of 250 words are due August 23, 2024. Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit full proposals by November 8. The editors welcome contributions from community organizations, faculty, staff, practitioners, and students, with preference given to collaboratively written submissions.

...continue reading "Call for Papers: Equitable Community Engagement in Higher Education"

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In HSSJ 2170, Professor Linda-Jeanne Mack leads a dynamic Community Engaged course focused on cultivating professional communication skills within the human services field. Through this course, students gain practical experience in engaging professionally with individuals and groups, preparing them for impactful interactions within diverse human service settings. The primary goal of HSSJ 2170 is to help students understand personal and cultural bias and improve their listening skills. Professor Mack emphasizes the importance of effective communication in fostering positive relationships and delivering quality care and support to individuals and communities in need.

Professor Mack's course extends beyond theoretical knowledge, encouraging students to reflect on the ethical dimensions of professional communication within the human services field. This reflective approach fosters a deeper understanding of the responsibilities and ethical considerations inherent in serving vulnerable populations. Moreover, HSSJ 2170 emphasizes the value of cultural competence and sensitivity in communication. Students learn to recognize and appreciate diverse perspectives, which is crucial for building trust and rapport in cross-cultural interactions within human services settings. This course prepares students to navigate the complexities of the field with confidence and empathy, positioning them for success in their future roles as compassionate and effective human service professionals.

For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW:https://go.gwu.edu/cesc

Semester Reports

Fall 2024

Students Reporting: 30

Time Reported:  742.09

Community Partners:

Students in HSSJ 2170 engaged with a wide variety of community organizations, allowing them to develop professional relationships while serving diverse populations across DC. These diverse service learning experiences provided students with opportunities to practice professional relationship-building skills while making meaningful contributions to community organizations across DC, demonstrating the course's commitment to connecting academic learning with civic engagement. The students worked with more than 40 community partners, with some of the most significant partnerships including:

Foggy Bottom West End Village is a community-based organization that helps older adults in the Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods live independently in their homes. GW students provided companionship and technical assistance to senior residents, helped with grocery shopping and errands, and supported community events such as vaccination clinics.

Thomson Elementary School's after-school program was another major partner, where students assisted teachers with supervising children during activities, helping with homework, facilitating recess, and supporting the DC Scores soccer program. Students observed child development firsthand while providing much-needed support to this local elementary school.

Charlie's Place, a breakfast program for individuals experiencing homelessness, welcomed GW students who helped prepare and serve food, organize donated clothing, and engage in meaningful conversations with guests.

Students also worked with Little Friends for Peace, facilitating peace circles and afterschool programming in elementary and middle schools, helping children develop conflict resolution skills through games, arts, and guided discussions.

Additionally, partnerships with Free Minds Book Club allowed students to correspond with incarcerated youth and adults about their poetry, while others mentored high school students through In the Streets, supporting them with college applications and developing life skills.

Student Comments:

"I learned how to be patient with the service user and let them guide the conversation," shared a student who volunteered with Foggy Bottom West End Village, highlighting the importance of client-centered approaches.

"I gained more information on the overall impact of Planned Parenthood, and the resources they offer to the community."- Student who worked with Charlie's Place 

"I learned how to help the kids control their emotions and speak through their feelings. For example, a girl was crying because some of the beads in her hair fell out. After sitting down with her and talking about it, she stopped crying and was able to play again, knowing that her hair could be fixed."- Student who worked with Thomson Elementary

The impact of this course extended beyond service hours. As one student summarized their experience with the Grassroots Project: "I enjoyed meeting the 6th graders and watching them learn and making applications of the education to real-life scenarios and games."

Fall 2023

Professor:  Linda-Jeanne Mack

Students Reporting: 20

Time Reported:  485

Community Partners:

CP # of students at site
826DC 1
Capital Area Food Bank 1
Children's Defense Fund 1
Foggy Bottom West End Senior Villages 4
Francis on the Hill 1
FRESHFARM FoodPrints 2
GroW Garden 1
GW Black Student Athlete Alliance (BSAA) 1
Horton's Kids 2
Justice Policy Institute 1
Latino Student Fund 4
Little Friends for Peace (LFFP) 1
Martha's Table 1
Miriam's Kitchen 3
The Petey Greene Program 1
Thomson Elementary School 4

Student Comments:

"One of the most relaxing and thoughtful experiences. I Learned to be patient while doing service work. The other volunteers are extremely welcoming and joyful to be around. I am sad that the gardening hours might come to an end when the winter kicks in, but I am excited to volunteer and explore with Freshfarm in different areas." - student working with FreshFarm Foodprints

"I learned to be patient with kids and become aware of how much they take from the world without us knowing. I’ve always been and will continue to be kind to children because they cannot communicate like adults can.  My student and I were able to find common interests and from that, continued to talk about them. I always want the people I’m working with to feel comfortable so I try to serve them as much as I can. I would tie my student’s shoes when needed and get up to get any missing supplies. I also like how the classroom was set up and how many resources, like crayons, markers, stickers, and paper, were available to everyone upon entry. We were free to get and grab anything we wanted at any time."-student serving with LFFP

 

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Professor Kamellia Keo's GTCH 2003 is a combination of GTCH 1001’s Inquiry Approaches to Teaching and GTCH 1002’s Inquiry-based Lesson Design. In order to gain teaching experience, students in Professor Keo’s class first observe the workings of a middle school classroom, then take those observations and apply them to the creation of a lesson plan. These lesson plans are then utilized in the classroom, with GTCH 2003 students engaging in instruction using the plans and procedures informed by their observations.

For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW: https://go.gwu.edu/cesc

...continue reading "GTCH 2003. Step 1 and 2 Hybrid: Inquiry Approaches to Teaching and Lesson Design"

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Professor SuJin Choi's GTCH 3103 is a Project learning community-engaged class where students craft mathematics and science lesson plans for implementation in Washington DC schools. These lesson plans and their creation are informed by the students’ observations and assistance in middle and high school classrooms and what they have learned in the GW Teach classroom. As future educators, students gain in-classroom teaching experience throughout the semester as they implement their lesson plans. Students in Professor Choi’s GTCH 3103 Project-Based Learning designed full units of connected lesson plans for STEM courses in Washington D.C. public schools. Students served at 6 different high schools in the District. At these schools, students assisted in and taught various STEM subjects, including environmental science, algebra, physics, and Biology.

For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW: GW:https://go.gwu.edu/cesc

...continue reading "GTCH 3103: Project Based Learning"

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Professor Ryder’s UW 1020 is a Community Engaged class centered around Writing for Social Change, where students collaborate with organizations in Washington DC. This course provides students with a practical context to explore the dynamics of language, writing, and communication that can spark inquiry and research. Throughout the semester, Professor Ryder facilitates discussions on the real-time activities and perspectives of community organizations engaged in social change work, emphasizing the significance of community-building.
Professor Ryder highlights the importance of GW students and faculty engaging directly with the community, challenging their assumptions, and staying informed about contemporary issues and their evolving complexities. Over the years, Professor Ryder has partnered with more than 20 community organizations, including Life Pieces to Masterpieces, DC Central Kitchen, Free Minds Book Club, and the US Dream Academy, among many others. This engagement not only enriches students' learning experiences but also contributes to a deeper understanding of social issues and community dynamics.
For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW:https://go.gwu.edu/cesc
...continue reading "UW 1020: Writing for Social Change"

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All entering students take UW 1020, a four-credit course to enable students to write effectively in various contexts, within the university and beyond. In  Professor Pamela Presser's sections of this course, students seek to deepen their understanding of identity and composition of consciousness through service with organizations within the DC community. Students explore how service shapes their own identities. Students serve with many organizations including: Brotherhood Synagogue; City Gate, Inc.; Bread for the City; Francis on the Hill; Little Friends for Peace; Peace 4 Kids; Reading Partners; and the Smithsonian Transcription Center, etc. 

For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW: https://go.gwu.edu/cesc

...continue reading "UW 1020: Writing Lives, Composing Consciousness and Service Learning"

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