Community Engagement News

December 4, 2017

In This Issue:

Forum Participants Call for Comprehensive Approach to Homelessness Prevention

Community Engagement is an Institutional Priority, Says University President

Community Engagement Symposium Proposals Being Accepted

Community Engagement Award Categories Include Engaged Scholarship

Faculty Member to Present on Service-Learning at National Meeting

Faculty Invited to Apply for Service-Learning Fellowships

CCSI Offering Incentives for Community-Based Research Projects

Box Tops Drive Organizers Urge Support to Reach Target

Literature Available in Community Engagement Management System

Forum Participants Call for Comprehensive Approach to Homelessness Prevention

To prevent homelessness, a comprehensive approach involving program implementation, service delivery, and advocacy is necessary.

That was the main takeaway from the first forum in this year’s Deliberative Dialogue Series. Titled “Preventing Homelessness: Responding to the Challenge,” the 90-minute forum was held last month on Barry’s main campus in Miami Shores.

Community and campus participants saw the shortage of affordable housing as “one of the biggest challenges” and concluded that the Housing First model could be one of the best solutions to homelessness.

Housing First is described as “a proven method of ending all types of homelessness” and “the most effective approach to ending chronic homelessness.” Promoted by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Housing First offers individuals and families experiencing homelessness immediate access to permanent affordable or supportive housing. Without clinical prerequisites such as completion of a course of treatment or evidence of sobriety, Housing First has reportedly yielded higher housing retention rates, lower returns to homelessness, and significant reductions in the use of crisis service and institutions.

The Deliberative Dialogue forum engaged students, alumni, faculty and staff members, and community partners in exploring the effects of such factors as lack of affordable housing, unemployment, mental health diseases, and substance abuse. The participants examined several methods of addressing homelessness before proposing specific solutions, including advocacy of development initiatives that make provision for affordable housing.

“We need a frontal approach – an all-inclusive approach,” said Michael J. Calderin, chief operating officer of the Susan B. Anthony RecoveryCenter. He suggested that such an approach would encompass vocational training, job referrals, occupational therapy, supportive housing, and other programs and services.

Dr. Cassandra L. Scott, a visiting assistant professor in Barry’s School of Social Work, similarly emphasized the importance of “a long-term, systematic response – not just an emergency response.” She also stressed the “need to elect public officials who will fight for change.”

Scott, who has run a transitional housing program, called for “continuous advocacy and support for organizations addressing homelessness.” She suggested that community members “bridge the gap between lawmakers and those who are homeless.”

Barry alumna Ruth Auguste shared her clinical case management experience at KID, Inc. in Broward County, where she is assigned to the HEART (Housing, Empowerment, Achievement, Recovery, Triumph) program. She said her caseload involved many persons who were “a paycheck away from becoming homeless.”

Auguste recommended “a holistic approach” to the problem of homelessness.

Joining Calderin, Scott, and Auguste on a panel of lead participants at the forum were Rose Anderson, a psychiatric nurse practitioner for Camillus Health Concern’s Lazarus Project, and Daniqua Williams, a Barry graduate student in the counseling program.

Anderson urged kind treatment of homeless persons who often panhandle near traffic lights.

Williams, who is pursuing a master’s in counseling, shared part of her experience working as a counselor in a drug abuse treatment program in Tampa.

During the deliberation, Barry Experiential Learning Coordinator Liz James drew attention to the efforts by a faith-based coalition called PACT (People Acting for Community Together) to tackle the shortage of affordable housing as a major issue in Miami-DadeCounty. She noted that PACT leaders recently decided to continue working with public officials and to hold them accountable for previous agreements made to improve access to affordable housing.

Earlier, other forum participants suggested that housing be promoted as a human right and that increased emphasis be placed on the prevention of drug addiction and several mental illnesses, which contribute to homelessness.

The dialogue moderator was Dr. Mitch Rosenwald, a Barry professor of social work and a licensed clinical social worker.

Courtney Berrien, associate director of the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI), thanked the community and campus participants for contributing to a thought-provoking and productive forum.

The CCSI organizes the Deliberative Dialogue Series as a method of civic learning and engagement in addressing social issues of current concern. The series brings together campus and community stakeholders to weigh perspectives about the issues and to work toward practical solutions.

Community Engagement is an Institutional Priority, Says University President

At Barry University, community engagement is a priority and students are educated for civic and social responsibility.

Barry President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, O.P., Ph.D., gave that reminder in an email sent university-wide last Wednesday. She noted that Barry was the recipient of the 2017 Engaged Campus of the Year Award for the independent sector from Florida Campus Compact in recognition of the university’s achievements in community engagement.

“Barry received this award because institutionally we demonstrate clearly our commitment and ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility,” Sister Linda wrote. “We proudly proclaim community engagement as an institutional priority and social justice as one of our core commitments.”

Holding the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, Barry is named each year to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll – most recently with Distinction for “demonstrating strong levels of institutional commitment and providing a compelling case for partnerships that produce measurable impact on the community.” 

Barry is also recognized annually as a College of Distinction for providing a higher education experience that inspires and prepares the next generation of change agents and leaders. Experiential learning, including service-learning, is a hallmark of that experience.

“I am very grateful to all members of our Barry community who define, represent and support a variety of personally-enriching engagement opportunities with clearly articulated educational outcomes for our students,” the university president added.

Florida Campus Compact is a network of more than 50 college and university presidents who affirm the value of local partnerships and engagement pedagogies as contributors to a quality education that yields civic-minded, career-ready graduates. 

Presentation of the Engaged Campus of the Year Award took place on November 16 during a ceremony hosted by Rollins College in Winter Park.

Community Engagement Symposium Proposals Being Accepted

The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) and the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Implementation Committee invite students, faculty, staff, and community partners to submit proposals for concurrent-session presentations at Barry’s fifth annual Community Engagement Symposium.

Proposals should address the theme of social responsibility through experiential learning. Successful proposals will specify the social issues addressed; the strategies, programs/projects, and related activities undertaken; and the social responsibility outcomes achieved.

For additional information regarding concurrent-session presentations, contact the CCSI at ccsi@barry.edu.

Meanwhile, the CCSI has issued a separate call for poster-session proposals. Further information on the poster session is available from QEP Project Assistant Daniqua Williams at qep@barry.edu.

The symposium will be held on March 28, and the deadline for the submission of all proposals is January 26.

Community Engagement Award Categories Include Engaged Scholarship

Engaged Scholarship is among the categories for which Community Engagement Award nominations are being accepted.

Students, faculty, staff, and administrators are invited to submit nominations by January 26.

The nomination form is available in CEMS – the Community Engagement Management System.

The other award categories are Community Impact, Community Partnership, Community-Based Research, Community Engagement Educator, Service-Learning Faculty, and Engaged Department.

The fifth annual Community Engagement Awards will be held on March 28, 2018.

Faculty Member to Present on Service-Learning at National Meeting

Dr. Tamara Hamilton, associate professor of chemistry, will make a service-learning presentation at the American Chemical Society’s National Meeting next March.

Titled “Service-Learning Programs for Chemistry Majors and General Education Students,” Hamilton’s presentation will be part of the ACS Chemical Education Division symposium, “Fundamentals of Chemistry Outreach Education: From Program Design to Assessment.”

Hamilton's Consumer Chemistry course was the first Barry University course to receive the service-learning designation.

The ACS will hold its 255th National Meeting and Exposition on March 18–22 in New Orleans, Louisiana. At ACS national meetings, chemistry professionals share ideas aimed at advancing scientific and technical knowledge.

According to information at the ACS website, the Chemical Education Division “engages its global network of members by communicating, promoting and effectively identifying opportunities and resources responsive to the spectrum of chemistry teaching and learning environments.”

Faculty Invited to Apply for Service-Learning Fellowships

The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) invites faculty members to apply for service-learning fellowships for the 2017–2018 academic year. Two fellowships will be available.

Through the fellowships, successful applicants participate in a yearlong faculty development program focused on service-learning pedagogy, practice, and associated scholarship. Each service-learning fellow gets a course release to complete a special project and eventually to serve as a faculty mentor and engaged scholar.

Fellowship details and the application form are available in the Community Engagement Management System (CEMS), which may be accessed from the CCSI homepage. The application deadline is January 16.

CCSI Offering Incentives for Community-Based Research Projects

The Center for Community Service Initiatives has issued a call for proposals for its Community-Based Research Incentive Program. The program supports the development and implementation of CBR projects through small-scale funding as well as other forms of support.

CBR incentives are awarded through a competitive process to full-time faculty members who teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses. Up to three CBR awards are available each year. Applicants may request $500–$1,000.

Community-based research is a collaborative process of critical inquiry into problems or issues faced by a community. Faculty (and sometimes staff) members and students collaborate with community partners on applied research projects that address specific problems or issues and simultaneously promote social change. Research questions emerge from the needs of the community. The goal of the research is to produce and disseminate information that will benefit community members or agencies serving the community.

Through CBR, students learn research design, data collection, data analysis, and reporting.

A CBR project may be conducted by an entire class, or by a group or team. Each team must include at least one student, a faculty member (as co-investigator and/or mentor), and a community partner. Staff members may be included on the research team.

The assessment of proposals is based on six criteria, with categories including Community Rationale, Community Partnerships, Student Participation, and Budget. A document with a detailed description of the program, the application form, and the rubric used by the Review Committee for assessing applications are available in CEMS – the Community Engagement Management System.

CBR proposals should be submitted before semester’s end. For further information, contact CCSI Executive Director Dr. Glenn Bowen at gbowen@barry.edu.

Box Tops Drive Organizers Urge Support to Reach Goal

The organizers of Barry’s Box Tops for Education Drive are urging staff, faculty, and students to support the fund-raising project.

According to the organizers, this academic year’s goal is 1,500 Box Tops “clips” (or cuttings with the Box Tops logo). Proceeds of the project benefit two South Florida elementary schools – North Miami in Miami-Dade County and Sheridan Hills in Broward. The schools earn 10 cents for each Box Tops clip.

The Minority Association of Pre-health Students (MAPS) organizes the Barry’s Box Tops for Education Drive with support from the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI).

Dr. Stephanie Bingham, the MAPS advisor, has reminded potential contributors that participation is easy: “Simply identify the Box Tops logo on household products you already purchase, including many grocery items, and cut the logo from the packaging. You may submit your Box Tops in the donation boxes on campus.”

Box Tops clips may be dropped in the labeled boxes found in the CCSI office (Adrian 208), the library, and Thompson Hall. Alternatively, donations may be sent directly to Bingham in the Department of Biology (Siena 309).

Cereals, household-cleaning supplies, paper products, and school supplies are on the list of eligible products found at this site: <http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products>.

Literature Available in Community Engagement Management System

A variety of community engagement literature may be accessed in the Community Engagement Management System, or CEMS. Among the literature are books and book chapters, journals and journal articles, manuals, and fact sheets.

The literature is available directly from the “Resources” section of CEMS.