In academic year 2011-12, some 28 Civic Engagement Scholars (CES) are leading 20 different service-learning programs in collaboration with some 17 community partners. According to Breigh Montgomery, Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service-Learning, Institute programming this year will focus on food justice – with CES for MiRA (Migrant Rights Action), Farms to K, El Sol Elementary School Garden, Community Garden/Nutrition Liaison, and Club Grub at Woodward Elementary School.
Other programs use creative expression for empowerment among incarcerated youth and returning citizens; promote health (including provision of Spanish interpreter services in clinical settings and reproductive health education to young women); educate public school children about nutrition and gardening; encourage critical dialogue about access to arts; advocate for fair and local food; foster adult literacy; and reduce educational disparities and promote college access by working with hundreds of Kalamazoo Public School students in schools, community-based organizations, and on our campus.
This year’s civic engagement scholars and programs are:
- Luis Basurto-Jimenez (Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies Medical Spanish Interpreter Program),
- Zena Blake Mark (Keeping the Doors Open Math Enrichment Program ),
- Ebony Brown (KDO),
- Fanny Cruz (Helping Youth Through Personal Empowerment),
- Faiza Fayyaz (Autism Awareness/Young Adult Program),
- Raven Fisher(Community Advocates for Parents and Students),
- Angela Frakes (Partners in Art),
- Paul Garza(El Sol Elementary School Parent Liaison),
- Alexander Griffin (Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative),
- Amy Jimenez (El Sol Elementary School Tutoring Program),
- Emily Katz(Woodward Elementary School Tutoring Program),
- Komal Khan (KDO),
- Colin Lauderdale(Farmworker Legal Services/Migrant Rights Action),
- Roxann Lawrence (CAPS),
- Jack Massion(HYPE),
- Jay McMillan (Goodwill Adult Literacy Tutoring),
- Anna Miller (Razas),
- Ellen Murphy(Nutrition/Garden Liaison),
- Catherine Oldershaw (Heartbeat),
- Jamie Patton (Woodward Elementary School Tutoring Program),
- Ian Powell (El Sol Elementary School Garden),
- Meredith Quinlan (Women & Gender),
- Dana Robinson (KCMS Medical Spanish Interpreter Program),
- Chelsey Shannon (Rising Up),
- Taylor Stamm (Partners in Art),
- Charlotte Steele (Farms to K), and
- Anna Witte (Woodward Club Grub).