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Category: Nashman Center Programs

Notes from Nashman Center sponsored workshops, panel presentations, and more.

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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

Fall 2023

Professor:   Phyllis Ryder
Students Reporting:  11
Time Reported:  175.67

What students learned:

  • Practical application of language, writing, and communication skills in the context of social change
  • Collaborative engagement with community organizations in D.C.
  • Appreciation for the importance of community-building and collective action
  • Research skills
  • Exploration of real-world issues and perspectives within community settings.

Community Partners:

Community Partner # of students at the site
Ethiopian Community Development Council 1
DC Central Kitchen 4
DC YMCA Youth and Government 2
Filexcellence: A Filipino community mentorship and advocacy group 1
For Love of Children 3
Pathways to Housing 1
Thrive DC 1
Ward 2 Mutual Aid 1

Student Comments:

"I engaged in direct service through Pathways to Housing, helping staff arrange their new office space and prepare for the year. The organization is in the process of relocating and expanding, and they needed help setting up for new team members who were joining. I had a lot of fun serving with a small group of volunteers and staff members, and the size of their space and how much there was to do really gave me an idea of how extensive some nonprofits are and how much they do for the community" - Student who served with Pathways to Housing.

"I am now an expert in chopping broccoli and peeling carrots ;)" - student who worked with D.C. Central Kitchen.

"Super informative session about how to serve, highly recommend their reading on serving vs helping: https://www.awakin.org/v2/read/view.php?tid=940"- Student Thrive DC.

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We kicked off a new semester with a wine and cheese networking event for the continuing Conversations on Community Engaged Scholarship series. Maranda Ward (SMHS) facilitated a fact-filled and data-driven discussion about our city. Ward emphasized not just recent data on health and wellbeing disparities but also highlighted the assets and strengths throughout the city.

Wednesday, Jan 24, 4-5pm
University Student Center, Room #405

Dr. Maranda C. Ward is an Assistant Professor and Director of Equity in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership in the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In this role, she designs, evaluates, and teaches health equity curriculum for student and faculty learners.

Ward describes herself as a community educator, curriculum developer, and youth builder. She has strong commitments to service-learning, equity, community legacy, youth development, and honoring youth voice.

Dr. Ward is an expert in advancing anti-racism efforts within health professions education and in designing curricula to enable students and faculty to competently promote health and racial equity in practice. Her research focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and antiracism educational interventions as well as stakeholder-engaged community-focused studies on HIV, Black women's health, and youth identity. She is also skilled in the application of participatory action research methods.

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The Nashman Center and the University Writing program cosponsored this Conversation on Community Engaged Scholarship, the first in-person Conversation since the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists discussed what it means to share trust between community members and scholars, co-authored scholarship, and how racial identity influences these relationships.

Brown and Ryder’s article, “Black Leadership and Shared Humanity: A Profile of Generative Reciprocity for Racial Equity,” was published in the academic journal Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric. The article subsequently received the Conference on Community Writing's “Outstanding Article Award.”

Follow this link to the video recording of the event. ...continue reading "Conversations Series With Dr. Phyllis Ryder and Sister Mary Brown"

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Join us for the MLK Day of Service and Leadership 2024! This transformative day includes direct service, engaging workshops, and reflective moments that empower individuals, foster community strength, break down barriers, tackle social issues, and bring us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."

Be part of the impact by signing up as an individual or group for GW's 29th annual MLK DoS on Monday, January 15th, 2024. Click here to sign up and make a difference!

To get involved, please fill out this registration form!

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GW Alternative Breaks is excited to announce that we will be running our International Alternative Spring Break Trip to Costa Rica this year! Having worked with Green Communities for many years now, we can’t wait to take another group of students to Costa Rica to learn more about organic coffee farming and sustainability through service.

We are looking for one faculty Learning Partner, two Trip Leaders, and 10 participants to come on this trip! Both Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome as Trip Leaders or Trip Participants.

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We are so proud to share that a recent article co-authored by GW community partner, Sister Mary Brown of Life Pieces to Masterpieces, and Dr. Phyllis Ryder, GW's University Writing Program, was recently awarded the “Outstanding Article Award" by the Conference on Community Writing.

Please join us for a conversation with the authors. The event will be held Tuesday, November 28, 3:30-5:30 PM in Gelman Library, Level 1.  Register here

This event is part of the Nashman Center's Conversations on Community Engaged Scholarship series, and is co-sponsored by GW's University Writing Program

...continue reading "Dr. Phyllis Ryder and Sister Mary Brown on “Black Leadership and Shared Humanity: A Profile of Generative Reciprocity for Racial Equity”"

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On October 4, 2023, the Nashman Center hosted a Conversations on Community Engaged Scholarship event on Community-Based Participatory Research and the IRB Review, in partnership with GW's Office of Human Research (OHR/IRB).

...continue reading "Conversations Series: CBPR and the IRB Review"

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Last Tuesday (9/14/23), the Nashman Center brought together local and regional researchers and practitioners to share effective practices and explore together how to sustain individualized education and high-impact tutoring once the recovery funds are no longer available.

The day included keynote remarks from Cindy Marten, US Department of Education Deputy Secretary, who shared her appreciation for the example set by the Nashman Center's programs engaging students as high-impact tutors, particularly the intensive training provided by the Math Matters program.

...continue reading "Nashman Center Hosts “Partnering to Sustain High-Impact Tutoring”"

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Last Friday the Nashman Center gathered leaders of local community organizations and student leaders for panel discussions aimed at preparing students in Community Engaged Scholarship courses this semester to maximize their experience.

...continue reading "Welcome to Community Engaged Scholarship"

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We are proud to announce that for the 2023-24 year, Dr. Tamara Taggart will be serving as the Nashman Center Faculty Fellow. During the coming year, Dr. Taggart will conduct community-engaged formative research (surveys, interviews, focus groups, and environmental scans) to develop an Activist in Residence (AiR) program.

Activists in Residence is a practice model that provides opportunities for activists to engage with an academic community to develop and strengthen their capacity, network, resources, and work.

...continue reading "2023-24 Nashman Center Faculty Fellow: Dr. Tamara Taggart, GWSPH"

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The Conversations on Community Engaged Scholarship Series is back for 2023-24.   Join us for the first event of the year:

Community Based Participatory Research and the IRB Review
Wednesday, Oct 4, 4-5pm, by zoom

...continue reading "Conversations: Community Based Participatory Research and the IRB Review"

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In "World on a Plate" by Professor Tara Scully, students study food history and science, while examining food industry connections to social issues like immigration, labor standards, and public health. Students learn about local implications of food systems through service with food banks, food recovery programs, and farmer's markets. This course is taught by renowned chef and humanitarian, José Andrés in collaboration with the professor.

If you are interested in taking a Community Engaged Course check out this link here.  

...continue reading "SUST 3003: World on a Plate"

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Service Learning in Public Health by Prof. Sara Wilensky is a course where students connect significant community service experience to course work on social systems, health outcomes, and vulnerable populations. Examples of service sites include the Latin American Youth Center, Mary's Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Horton’s Kids, and Charlie's Place.

Professor: Sara Wilensky

...continue reading "PUBH 2117: Service Learning in Public Health"

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In this course, taught by Dr Erica Walls, students analyze how nonprofits/groups organize in pursuit of social justice/impact/change, examine strategies and tactics of social movements, identify provisions and gaps in U.S. social policy, and more.  Throughout the semester, the course covers relevant theory, history, and current events, and partnered with DC-area nonprofits to critically evaluate causes, effects, and potential solutions to poverty.

In teams, students serve with a DC-area nonprofit that combats an issue related to poverty.  The project required teams to work with the organization staff to design and implement an action plan to help meet their goals, track their time and progress, and share learning/experiences with others.  This work helped fulfill the course learning objectives and invited reflection on student's beliefs about civic responsibility and their sense of purpose in the world.

Students’ service informs a scholarly paper and presentation on the influences on social change, particularly with respect to addressing poverty. This work invites reflection on students’ beliefs about civic responsibility and sense of purpose in the world.

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

Semester Reports...

...continue reading "HSSJ 2177: Social Justice and Public Policy"

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This Human Interactions class by Professor Sangeeta Prasad observes human development from young adulthood through later stages of aging. Students study the dominant psychosocial, cognitive, and physical competencies; motivational changes; coping styles; and normative and non-normative behaviors of humans from young adulthood to old age. The course includes three hours per week of service-learning in an appropriate agency setting. Some common organizations that students collaborate with include: Community of Hope, Horton's Kids and Our Stomping Ground.

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

Semester Reports...

...continue reading "HSSJ 2172: Human Interactions Adult Development"

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