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Faculty Staff Learning Community
Theme: Connecting Curriculum to Co-Curricular Learning
2006-2007 Projects
Applied Sociology: Using Grant Writing for Social Change
Daniel Sarabia, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Edward Hamilton, Director of Academic Grants and Foundation Relations
Service Learning and Community Outreach in Accounting
Sharon Gibbs, Assistant Professor, Business Administration
Michelle Hagadorn, Assistant Professor, Business Administration
Community Based Learning in a Social Problems Course
Laura L. O’Toole, Professor and Chair of Sociology
“Leadership Roanoke”: A Speaker Series
Kristina Rose, Area Coordinator, Residence Life Management
Development of a Faculty Service Learning Community
Jesse Griffin, Director of Community Service and Assistant to the Chaplain
Learning Career Search Skills through Community Outreach
Erica Cooper, Assistant Professor of English
Nonviolence, Social Change and Peace Studies
Mike Heller, Professor of English
Project Descriptions
Applied Sociology: Using Grant Writing for Social Change
Daniel Sarabia, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Edward Hamilton, Director of Academic Grants and Foundation Relations
Student Associates: Dayton Gordley & Cassie Sealing
Project Description:The primary goal of this project was to have students integrate their knowledge of sociological theories and concepts with a sociological application: writing a grant proposal to support a community program. The theme of the course was vulnerability and challenged students to consider vulnerable populations in our society. The course revolved around the questions of “Who is most vulnerable in society?” and “What is our responsibility to those who are powerless, voiceless, and vulnerable in our society?” These questions provided the opportunity to explore sociological notions of the ideal society, which were highlighted in one of the class texts: Toward a Caring Society: Ideas into Action. The agencies include Easter Seals, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Refugee and Immigration Services.
Service Learning and Community Outreach in Accounting
Sharon Gibbs, Assistant Professor, Business Administration
Michelle Hagadorn, Assistant Professor, Business Administration
Student Associates: Amy Fuller & Ashley Showalter
Project Description:This project focused on learning through service in the community by providing educational seminars to organizations on financial topics, such as, budgeting and financial planning throughout the semester. Teams of students were created from two accounting classes to develop and carry out money management seminars to local organizations. The opportunity for students to actively participate in mastering the information and then working with a team of peers to develop a presentation and communicate with the clients was exciting. Eight groups of students made presentations at Bethany Hall, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Patrick Henry High School, Rescue Mission (2 groups), Salem High School, Transitional Living Center and the YWCA. Our goal was for the students to gain valuable experience in developing interpersonal skills through working in teams and communicating the subject matter to individuals outside the college community. In addition, we hoped that the students would recognize the need for business educated community members to be active in local service organizations.
Community Based Learning in a Social Problems Course
Laura L. O’Toole, Professor and Chair of Sociology
Student Associate: Katie Owens
Project Description: This project involves a Social Problems course where students are actively engaged in community-based learning as they study theories and concepts to help them understand and explain social problems and to think creatively about problem solving. Co-curricular activities include an extended-class conflict mediation workshop, a field trip to the intentional community, Twin Oaks, and student groups incorporating community service or research on social change organizations into final class projects. Another goal of the course was to fully integrate the student associate, Katie Owens, into the development and delivery of the class. She created active learning assignments for one major topic, discrimination in the criminal justice system, focusing on the racism and the death penalty.
“Leadership Roanoke”: A SpeakerSeries
Kristina Rose, Area Coordinator, Residence Life Management
Project Description:A series of speaker lead workshops entitled “Leadership Roanoke” developed using outside speakers and offered to student leaders during the spring semester. These workshops are a continuation of the Emerging Leaders workshops that are offered in the fall semester.All of the talks were open to the campus community but a core group of seventeen first year students identified as potential future campus leaders completed the eight workshops. The goals were to provide information on effective leadership but to also generate a greater interest in assuming a leadership role on campus.
Development of a Faculty Service Learning Community
Jesse Griffin, Director of Community Service and Assistant to the Chaplain
Student Associate: Brandon Underwood
Project Description: This project facilitates the Service Learning Community which is a small group of faculty who developed and implemented a service learning project in one of their courses. Michael Maina’s project focused on building leadership skills and involved his Health and Human Performance students who mentored and worked one-on-one with students from Salem Montessori School improving their basketball and soccer skills. Katie Elmore’s introductory education class also involved mentoring but incorporated tutoring as well. Her students tutored weekly and act as mentors for children at Breckenridge Middle School, Presbyterian Community Center, and St. John’s after school program. In addition, students from a social problems and communications course made visits to and contributed to programming for the residents of Synder’s Nursing Home.
Learning Career Search Skills through Community Outreach
Erica Cooper, Assistant Professor of English
Student Associate: Colleen Hetrick
Project Description: This project involves two career related assignments developed for a lower-level communications course. Students were required to participate in mock interviews with campus career service staff as well as develop and present a career oriented workshops on interviewing skills and resume writing to clients from local community agencies. For the workshops, students were assigned to four or five person teams. These job search skills workshops were presented to clients at the YWCA of the Roanoke Valley, Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, TRUST House, and Bethany Hall.
Nonviolence, Social Change and Peace Studies
Mike Heller, Professor of English
Student Associate: Rebecca Perry
Project Description:This project entails developing a new concentration on Peace Studies that will include required co-curricular activities as well as provide faculty support to a new campus organization, SAGE (Social Awareness for Everyone), whose key activities this year have included a provocative film series and the Run for Africa fundraiser. This June students will participate ina national conference at Earlham College, Richmond, IN, and next fall students will travel to Washington, DC, to learn of the work ofthe Friends Committee on National Legislation, the American Friends Service Committee, William Penn House, and other non-Quaker organizations.