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Category: Nashman Spotlights

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Award: 1st Place, Nashman Center Prize for Community Engaged Research, 2022

Project: Key Recommendations for Higher Education Institutions to Provide Non-Financial Support to Refugee-Background Students 

At the annual GW Research Showcase in spring 2022, research team Olivia Issa, Emmanuelle Dyer Melhado, and Sara Alassaf presented their research, which grounded a larger project, the Welcoming Campus Initiative. This grassroots program advocates for a more inclusive GW community for refugee-background students including a scholarship, mentorship program, and revised admissions practices.

The program was initially developed by No Lost Generation GWU (NLG) members in collaboration with refugee-background students on campus and the Student Voices for Refugees Network. Olivia Issa studied Political Science and Arabic Language at GW and helped lead refugee-advocacy groups before graduating.

This program has expanded through conversations with numerous other universities and organizations across the country, outlining proposals at schools like Georgetown University and George Mason University to start their own Welcoming Campus Initiative. The Welcoming Campus Initiative Committee is planning to continue further programming, including fundraising events and awareness projects geared to make GW an inclusive space for all.

Read more about the initiative here. Read more about the research project here.

“We worked with students internationally, including refugee-background students themselves, to interview practitioners and student recipients of college-access programs for refugees in the US, Mexico, and Canada through Student Voices for Refugees,” Issa said.

The purpose of this study was to both acknowledge the barriers sitting at the forefront for refugee-background students and bring forth recommendations to the higher education institutions to better connect these students to resources. Two categories of non-financial student assistance emerge from their research: revising admissions practices, like accepting Duolingo English tests in addition to TOEFL scores, and developing pre-arrival and on-campus mentorship programs. After realizing GW was a vital component in assuring her goals come to fruition, Issa began the Welcome Campus Initiative project to help make "life-changing education" happen.

Outlined below are some key components from Issa's research:

Community Partnership Recommendations for GW and other higher education schools
Project by the University Alliance for Refugees and At-Risk Migrants: Student Voices for Refugees Switching out standardized test requirements for low-cost English proficiency exams that schools are beginning to accept
Volunteers created toolkits for refugee-background students through scholarships and mentorship programs  Implementing an alumni mentorship networking program modeled after World University Services Canada 
Olivia Issa spearheaded practitioner-student interviews with those involved in college-access programs  Adding pre-entrance language programs and volunteer-led English tutoring like Proyecto Habesha and GirlForward

 

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Award: Second Place for Nashman Center Community Engaged Research

Project: Making Work Work: Improving Employment Outcomes for Autistic Adults 

Adam Berman, an autistic man, noticed that available research on autistic adults does not adequately collect the voices of other autistic adults when discussing satisfactory employment outcomes. Berman explored beyond the typical terms of wages and hours worked, which are important factors of employment quality but they do not grasp what satisfactory employment is to autistic adults.

With authentic, purposeful research, he made sure to include the opinions of other autistic adults through a mix of interviews and surveys. He asked questions regarding how the world of work has treated them and how their autism impacted employment outcomes. The results of these interviews suggest that systemic change to the world of employment must be made in order to better include autistic adults.

Read more about the project here.

The findings propose a new framework for how self-determination can positively impact autistic adults' employment prospects. Berman found that autistic people are often unemployed, work fewer hours and earn less money than neurotypical peers with other disabilities. Autistic people also struggle to determine their career paths and are directed by others into undesired careers.

Questions the study answered:
What self-determination capacity variables predict gainful, high-quality employment for autistic students?
How do the individual capacities (volitional action, agentic action, and action-control beliefs) of self-determination affect employment outcomes for autistic people?
What self-determination skills do autistic people value the most in finding and maintaining high-quality employment?
What makes autistic people satisfied with their employment?
What do autistic adults say about employment and self-determination that would explain the regression analysis? 

With the help of his research, seven themes of autism and employment were found common amongst autistic adults as well as many areas of silence between the survey and interview results.

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On Thursday, October 13th from 4-6pm ET, the Julian Clement Chase Prize Award will be awarded to Izy Carney at the GWU Museum- Textile Museum (701 21st Street NW, Washington DC). RSVP link.

This year's Julian Clement Chase Prize winner is Izy Carney, for her Honor’s History Thesis, "’Dirty Work’ Pay: Environmental Racism and the 1970 Washington, D.C. Sanitation Strike." 

Honorable Mention goes to Wyatt Kirschner for his History Senior Thesis, "“45 Hardcore, Ass Bustin’ Radicals” and Three Infiltrators: Students for a Democratic Society at George Washington University and the FBI’s Counterintelligence Efforts Against Them."   

The Julian Clement Chase Prize is named in honor of Sgt. Julian Clement Chase, a native of Washington, D.C., who graduated in 2008 from DC’s Wilson High School. While serving with the United States Marine Corps, he was killed in action at the age of 22 in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. He was set to matriculate as a freshman at GW in the spring of 2013.  Born in Washington, Julian knew and relished his city. His family has established this prize in his honor to recognize others who explore D.C. with the intelligence and exuberance that he did.

This ceremony launches this year’s University Writing and Research Conference, hosted by the GWU University Writing Program.  

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UW 1020 – Writing For Social Change in Washington D.C.

Professor: Phyllis Ryder

Students Reporting: 33

Time Reported: 224

Course Description:

“How do community leaders discover and name the systems that reproduce inequalities? How do they choose the right course of action? How do they mobilize people to respond? How can you contribute to this work?”

Professor Ryder’s UW 1020 course sought to address these questions and challenge students during the Spring 2022 semester. Students reflected on their own values and identity through a combination of writing and service learning, while strengthening their writing skills in the process.

In this service-learning course, students partnered with D.C. community leaders who addressed social inequities in areas such as housing, education, criminal justice, and the environment. In class, students analyzed local sites to learn how to research and write for community action both for academic and public audiences.

Students at GW are required to take a UW 1020, of which there are a variety of niche topics taught within the program. In this class, students examined the very idea of “writing well.” In this course that meant learning that the rules for “good writing” are themselves tools that can include and exclude people from power. By the end of the semester, students were able to build their own toolbox for developing complex, meaningful writing projects for diverse audiences.

 

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

 

Community Partner Describe Project
Free Minds Book Club With the Free Minds Book Club, students helped give written feedback to incarcerated youth on poetry and writing projects with other volunteers. Students also attended writing circles where they gave advice and ideas on writing projects via zoom to authors of poems and stories.
Latino Student Fund As part of the LSF tutoring program, students helped reinforce math and English skills for PreK through 12th-grade students. Students met weekly as either a tutor or mentor with an individual student, building close relationships with the student throughout the semester.
Little Friends for Peace Students had the opportunity to partner with LFFP as after school tutors for younger children struggling in school. As trained volunteers, students built close bonds with their students and the LFFP program, developing stronger interpersonal communication skills. Some students also participated in LFFP’s peace circles, learning about peace and conflict resolution through direct service.
Miriam’s Kitchen Students partnered with Miriam’s Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that aims to end chronic homelessness in Washington D.C., to prepare meals for guests and distribute additional resources including toiletries and clothing.

Quotes from students:

“I participated in a peace circle for high school kids at Holy Family Catholic Church. The theme of this series of circles is building healthy relationships, and this session focused on connecting with others. I really enjoyed getting to meet a lot of the students! It was nice to connect with them and help them connect with each other. I often find that when helping with a peace circle, I get just as much benefit from it as the actual participants!” - A student serving with Little Friends for Peace

“This was my third time attending a Write Night event with Free Minds Book Club, and like both other times, I found this experience to be educational, enjoyable, and meaningful. Listening to the Poet Ambassadors stories is very interesting and gratifying because it shows how meaningful the work being done at these events and by this organization is. I found this time to be especially moving because the Poet Ambassadors shared two poems, "Looking Out My Cell Window" and "Under the Jail," both of which were written by a Free Minds member who recently passed away while incarcerated. The poems were very powerful and hearing them spoken out loud was an impactful experience for me.” - A student serving with Free Minds Book Club

“My student still faces difficulties with opening up and accepting my help, but slowly but surely, I'm sure she will become more and more comfortable to ask for help. I was available for my student during out tutoring sessions for whatever questions she had about homework and what she had been learning in school. This gives my student an extra resource for additional learning in academic subject areas she's having trouble with.” - A student serving with the Latino Student Fund

“During this experience, I helped with the peace classes at Chance Academy. I participated in three different groups with all ages of kids. It was a great experience to work with the kids even though it had to be over zoom. I really enjoyed learning about what a peace circle consists of and getting to be a part of one. It was great to make connections with the kids and make them feel heard!” - A student serving with Little Friends for Peace

 

Cause Distribution:

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New this year, this prize is offered in partnership with the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. The prize recognizes GW students who use artistic practice in community partnerships aimed at justice, social change, and advocacy.  Any student participating in the Corcoran's NEXT events is eligible to apply. Learn more about this prize. 

We encourage you to view this work for yourself at the Corcoran's NEXT Exhibition, through May 14th.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 Nashman Center Prize for Community Engagement in the Arts and Design:

First Place:

  • Sabrina Godin, for Individual Survival

Tie for Second Place:

  • Hunter Lacey, for Ripple Effect
  • Sarah Goolishian, for Silent Rhythm
  • Yi Jo Shen, for Seeking a Homeland

 

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Award: Community Engaged Research Honorable Mention

Project: For Imposters, By Imposters: Community-Engaged Research to Mitigate Imposter Phenomenon Prevalence in Peer Tutors 

CCAS student Jurnee Louder's University Writing centered research impressed judges while presenting her literature review at GW's annual research showcase in spring 2022. 

The research question initially originated in talks with past and current GW writing center consultants. Anecdotally, many individuals reported what they identified as imposter phenomenon (IP) or what the researcher identified as likely symptoms of IP. Therefore, this research and the intervention are done with the intent to mitigate these distressing experiences. All research participants will be able to provide feedback on their experiences with the intervention and detail what other systemic changes are needed within the writing center to better support individuals who experience IP.

While writing center (WC) scholarship has begun to explore writers’ confidence and belief in themselves as writers (Mackiewicz & Thompson),  little, if any, WC research has investigated imposter phenomenon (IP) — the intellectual phonineness individuals often feel when achieving success (Clance & Imes, 1978). Imposters — individuals who are experiencing IP — often feel their success was achieved by mistake or luck, and soon they will be outed as intellectual fakes (Clance & Imes, 1978). This experience may lead to heightened incidences of anxiety and low self-esteem (Cokely et al., 2013). Previous literature suggests that individuals experience IP in both academic and professional settings, which may hold strong implications for peer tutors who occupy both realms (Clance & Imes, 1978; Parkman, 2016).

Throughout Spring 2022, I am conducting an IRB-governed study on IP among WC tutors at the George Washington University Writing Center. My research will quantitatively identify how many participating tutors experience symptoms of IP by using validated IP scales. Furthermore, I will develop an intervention — a workshop that provides peer tutors with tools to address their IP experience. 

I hope to find that IP prevalence will be mitigated by a targeted intervention, leading to more confident peer tutors. At the research showcase, I would present my literature review, an overview of the intervention workshop, and initial findings, so that a) peer tutors can identify what might work for them, b) WC researchers can expand upon the IP literature and c), administrators can identify systemic changes to make in WCs to mitigate IP prevalence across peer tutor populations.

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GW faculty receive Nashman Center faculty development grants to support community engaged scholarship course development annually.  This list highlights faculty that have received grants for course development over the previous years.  Learn more about Nashman Center Faculty Development Grants.  ...continue reading "Nashman Spotlights: Nashman Center Faculty Development Grants for Course Development"

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Manuel Cueller, Assistant Professor of Spanish, Latin American, and Latinx Literatures and Cultures, will be participating as both a panelist and moderator at two upcoming events hosted by The Georgetown Americas Institute. 

The event titled, “Latinx Voices from Law to Opera,” is a series of three conversations April 6 and 7, culminating in the premiere of the new opera ZAVALA-ZAVALA, inspired by one family’s story of separation at the Mexico-U.S. border. 

...continue reading "Faculty Highlight: Manuel Cuellar "

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Dr. Erin Wentzell has been awarded a Nashman Center Faculty Development grant to work with community partners to provide PT care to relevant communities in the DC area.  More on Nashman Center Faculty Development Grants. ...continue reading "Nashman Spotlights: Dr. Erin Wentzell Receives Nashman Center Faculty Development Grant"

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Dr. Sarah M Ray has received a Nashman Center Faculty Development Grant to develop research on femme and non-binary community-based entrepreneurship. More on Nashman Center Faculty Development Grants.   ...continue reading "Nashman Spotlights: Dr. Sarah M. Ray Receives Nashman Center Faculty Development Grant"

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Dr. Keith Cole and Co-Investigators Dr. Jason Dring and Dr. Erin Wentzell have received a Nashman Center Faculty Development Grant to work with Foggy Bottom West End Senior Villages to provide supervised mobility screenings. More on Nashman Center Faculty Development Grants.  ...continue reading "Nashman Spotlights: Dr. Keith Cole Receives Nashman Center Faculty Development Grant"

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Dr. Robert Orttung of the Elliott School of International Affairs and director of research for Sustainable GW has received a Nashman Center Faculty Development Grant to develop a DC Green Bank University Alliance.  More on Nashman Center Faculty Development Grants.   ...continue reading "Nashman Spotlights: Dr. Robert Orttung Receives Nashman Center Faculty Development Grant"

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Sangeeta Prasad's course on human development through the Human Services and Social Justice program has engaged GW students in meaningful work with the local community for several years. A recent Washington Post article noted the students' recent service experiences helping local residents navigate mental health systems. The students' efforts served to demonstrate just how difficult this can be.

Prasad is a co-founder of In the Streets, an organization whose aim is "building meaningful livelihoods and disrupting generational trauma in the streets of Columbia Heights by supporting, training, mentoring and hiring community members."

Published on Leave a comment on Course Report: Women’s Leadership Program Seminar


2020-2021
Course Report

 

 

Professor: Mary Buckley  

This theoretical and applied Women's Leadership Seminar explores leadership practices across different communities and cultures through a speaker series, field trips, readings, service-learning and engaged reflection. Students practice civic engagement and leadership skills while participating in a significant local community service-learning project. This report represents four sections of this seminar, and a fall/spring semester partnership.

Students Reporting: 11
Time Reported:  150 hours

Community Partner: The YWCA’s Empower Girlz program

GW students were paired with YWCA participants in a mentorship relationship, meeting weekly through Zoom meetings. Students provided individualized support throughout the year. Additionally, in the spring semester the pairs created civic action projects, facilitating learning about local and national government. The pairs occasionally participated in self-care Saturdays, played icivics games, streamed movies, discussed college applications, created art and generally enjoyed a shared experience of the election, inauguration, COVID, and online learning during the 2020-2021 school year.

Learn more about this service project. https://blogs.gwu.edu/nashmanfacultyupdate/2021/05/21/reflections-ywca-and-womens-leadership-class/

Student Comments 

“We had our final session today! I congratulated my mentee for her hard work on the project and we wrapped things up today! It was a great end to a wonderful year of service.”

“Mentee and I attended the Speak for Our Lives Open Mic Night for Peace week sponsored by GW March for Our Lives. I got to watch her perform and it was so fun! We learned a lot about gun violence and got to see other mentees from the EmpowerGirlz program.”

“Being a mentor was a new role for me….. Having to go through that process [building trust] with my mentee was a big step. My mentee, [name], is non-binary. They made this discovery during our time together, and being queer myself, I knew that having someone you felt you could confide in without fear of judgement was a huge comfort.”

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to be a mentor this year. I was fortunate to have been connected with a mentee in the fall, meaning I got to meet with her all year. The mentee role really meant a lot to me…. One thing that stood out to me was when my mentee texted me out of the blue to thank me for taking the time to get to know her.”

“It was a learning experience and I am so grateful that I got to be a part of it.”

Learn more about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW

Published on Leave a comment on Community Engaged Faculty, Professor Jodi Kanter

Jodi Kanter, Ph.D., is a Professor of Theatre in the Theatre and Dance Program at GW. Kanter’s scholarship applies the theoretical lens of performance to everyday practices. While Kanter’s methodology remains consistent, her subjects vary- from end of life health care to contemporary dramatic literature to the American Presidency.  ...continue reading "Community Engaged Faculty, Professor Jodi Kanter"

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