Park-It! is a new statewide service initiative which focuses on building relationships between state parks, service organizations,  and institutions of higher education in the state of Ohio. Coordinated by Chase Jones, a graduate assistant in the Office of Multicultural Affairs at the University of Dayton, Park-It! intends to create, sustain, and solidify existing connections between colleges and universities, their community service/civic engagement units, AmeriCorps, and the state parks in Ohio through environmental restoration projects and service in the local community. Date:   Saturday, September 29, 2012 Goals and Outcomes: –Stimulate collaboration between institutions of higher education at a  regional  and state level –Connect current members of AmeriCorps, or other service organizations, with Alumni and potential participants to foster a collective service identity –Raise awareness of service to/for public lands –Engage student into a state-wide community asset, our state parks, to build in the students a sense of civic responsibility, Ohio pride, and collegiality.   Click here to learn more  ...
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Will Warren, the Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA at Baldwin-Wallace University, has spent his year of national service working with the Baldwin-Wallace Scholars program. This unique program focuses on encouraging ninth-grade African-American men to succeed in high school and helps to provide them the tools and support necessary for continuing on to post-secondary education.  According to a report released by America’s Promise Alliance, only one fourth of African-American males in Cleveland persist from the ninth grade through graduation, a staggering deficiency(1). Through the BW Scholars program, Baldwin-Wallace is creating change in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. How does he help affect this change? According to Warren, “the program’s primary objective is to retain the participants throughout the four years of high school and to support their admission and enrollment in a postsecondary institution.” The program provides help to these young men on several different levels, beginning in high school, all the way to navigating the workforce.  Key features of the program include: 1. Academic Enrichment: The program provides tutoring and Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) preparation throughout the academic year as well as the Summer Academy on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace College, focusing on academics, leadership, life skills and career development....
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by Erica Phillips, Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA at Otterbein University When VISTAs finish their year of service at their campuses, many hope to see their work continue on after they have left. For a few lucky VISTAs though, sometimes all that hard work results in the creation of a permanent position where they have served. This year we have been fortunate enough to see this happen on more than a few occasions as VISTA’s work has resulted in the creation of several part-time and even full time positions at the organizations at which they serve. This month we bring you a few of these success stories.   Wendy Pfrenger, the current OCC VISTA at Kent State University, has accepted a part-time position that was created by the university as a direct result of her work in creating the Rural Scholars program. What makes this particularly impressive is that this is KSU’s first year hosting a VISTA. A combination of factors led to the creation of her position. First and foremost, it was made clear that this program was only going to continue to expand and also held the potential to support student retention efforts. This continued growth would require...
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2011-2012 Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA Julia Provoznik Impact Report on...
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As the spring semester concludes, courses participating in the Ohio Campus Compact Pay it Forward student philanthropy initiative announce their mini-grants to local nonprofit organizations and celebrate their success at campus-based events.  A few highlights from around the state: Columbus State Students worked with Stratford Ecological Center in Delaware County by participating in the Ohio Campus Compact Pay It Forward Project created the following video illustrating their experience with the program: Youngstown State University students  awarded $2,000 to Inspiring Minds of Warren as part of the Pay It Forward: Strengthening Communities through Student-Led Philanthropy Initiative. Students also completed service hours at the after-school program designed to better the lives of under-represented youth in the community of Warren, Ohio.  As part of the Pay it Forward program, students in the Nonprofit Community Service course in the YSU Williamson College of Business Administration gain hands-on experience in philanthropy by awarding money to a local nonprofit organization.  Read more. Ohio State University at Marion,  a past participant in Ohio Campus Compact’s program, created Pay It Forward Marion which links students in six different English courses with area non-profit organizations.  Students learn details about the importance of philanthropy, grant writing, volunteering, and fundraising through...
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Since 1987, Campus Compact has conducted an annual membership survey to assess the current state of campus-based community engagement and to identify emerging trends.  The survey polls nearly 1,200 member colleges and universities across the country. 2011 annual-survey-executive-summary View more documents from Ohio Campus...
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College Faculty Recognized for Leadership in Community Service Ohio Campus Compact, a non-profit membership organization of 47 Ohio colleges and universities has announced the recipients of the 2012 David Hoch Memorial Award for Excellence in Service.  The Award honors the outstanding work in service-learning and/or civic engagement by a faculty or staff member at an Ohio Campus Compact member institution. 2012 Winners    Ruth Pogacnik University of Mount Union Professor Pogacnik developed the first service-learning pedagogy within the Accounting program at the University of Mount Union. She and her students have dedicated many hours of service to community partners including the Alliance Pregnancy Centers, Interfaith Child Development Centers and Catholic Charities. She has gone above and beyond the teaching of accounting by captivating her students to reach out to the community and teach the art of financial literacy.   Tracy Loye Masterson, Ph.D. John Carroll University Dr. Masterson has developed and taught five service learning courses, including a new course based on the autism spectrum. In addition to her scholarly work, Dr. Masterson also founded a partnership with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism to allow service-based internships for John Carroll students. She has mentored young faculty with a goal...
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Two “heavy hitters” in the service-learning world–Patti Clayton and Andy Furco– are going to be in Ohio on the same two days…but on two different sides of the state.  Check out these two  star-studded service-learning events: In Northeast Ohio… Ohio Campus Compact & Walsh University offer Service-Learning Research Workshop View more documents from Ohio Campus Compact Meanwhile, in Southwest Ohio… Andy Furco will be at Wright State University May 8 & 9.  Dr. Furco is Associate Vice President for Public Engagement at the University of Minnesota and author of seminal service-learning books, including, Service-Learning:  The Essence of the Pedagogy (2001) and Service-Learning:  Through a Multidisciplinary Lens (2002). Dr. Furco will offer two lectures open to the public:   Andy Furco lecture at Wright State View more documents from Ohio Campus Compact for more information about the Wright State events, contact:  Michele Tyler at 937-775-4262 or...
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Our roundup of new ideas, research & innovations related to campus community service Martha Stewart may have “Good Things,” but Ohio Campus Compact has “Great Things” –our monthly roundup of great service-themed news and information from our member campuses, on the web and around the world. Great Press: Debilitating ice storms, hurricanes and tornadoes all struck Southwest Ohio within a four year time period.  Rather than wait for the next big disaster, Wilmington College sprung to action to to help hard hit communities be better prepared for the next major storm.  The Wilmington News Journal recently published a feature story on  Wilmington’s Center for Service and Civic Engagement and the work of the center’s director,Tara Lydy, and Ohio Campus Compact VISTA Kyle Maust to create disaster preparedness kits and specialized training to local community leaders.  Read the full story.   Great Grant:  The Otterbein Community Garden, under the supervision of Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA Erica Phillips, received a $2,500 grant from the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners, and Columbus Foundation. Through this grant, the garden will continue to have a positive impact on hunger in our community and education about nutrition for school age children. Great Recognition:  The Newman...
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