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

Will Warren, Ohio Campus Compact VISTA at Baldwin-Wallace, works with ninth-grade African-American men to provide mentoring and leadership training as part of the Baldwin-Wallace Scholars program.

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.

2. Mentoring and Leadership Development: Students receive mentoring from African-American male students at Baldwin-Wallace (the BROTHERS Program) and African-American male professionals in the community (the MENtors Program). Scholars participate in community service on a monthly basis. These young men also attend leadership conferences and training opportunities.

3. Work Readiness & Internship Program: Students participate in a five-week summer internship which features career exploration activities and reading and reflection.

While Will is guiding the most recent cohort through this program, the 2007 cohort, which just graduated last year, has experienced signifcant success. Of 31 men in the program, 27 earned their high school diploma and 28 passed the Ohio Graduation Test. With this most recent cohort, the expectations are high that they meet the same goals and milestones as the two cohorts before them. Will has been working diligently this year to make the realization of these goals a reality for the young men he mentors and in overseeing the program as a whole. With continued dedication from Baldwin-Wallace and Will Warren, the BW Scholars program will continue to help and support students of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

Related links & stories:

Will Warren’s bio

Cleveland Plain Dealer:  First of Cleveland kids who got Baldwin-Wallace scholarships earn their degrees

America’s Promise Alliance:  Video & profile of BW Peer Mentor

(1) Cities in Crisis 2009: Closing the Graduation Gap

Ohio Campus Compact VISTA Wendy Pfrenger, Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA serving at Kent State University-Salem, helps unload cleaning supplies at a supportive, permanent housing complex for homeless individuals. Photo by Coral Breuer.

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 the creation of an administrative position to oversee and direct the program’s expansion over the next six years. Secondly, a pilot program last Spring gave the Rural Scholars program several tangible success stories it could display. These success stories also generated considerable buzz in the community, bringing outside pressure on the university to ensure the continued presence of the program. All these factors, with the addition of the VISTA’s natural talents, combined to ensure Wendy would be indispensable to the University.

In an impressive move, Marietta College will be turning both of its Ohio Campus Compact VISTA roles into permanent positions. Meg McCrone’s non-profit capacity building position has been funded by a local branch of the Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund. Through this funding her work in connecting Mid-Ohio Valley non-profit organizations with each other, resources, and professional development opportunities will be able to continue into the foreseeable future. Amanda Dever’s VISTA position will be turned into a Civic Engagement Coordinator position through Marietta’s Office of Civic Engagement. Arielle Jennings, Director of Civic Engagement at Marietta, stated that “having the OCC AmeriCorps VISTA position allowed us to grow from an institution that had limited engagement with the surrounding community to one that is now seen as an integral part of community development in our area. As an institution, we now have the capacity to serve thousands of people in our community each year, work directly with dozens of nonprofit organizations, and help students grow into civically engaged leaders.”

Ohio State University, which has had a VISTA in the Economic Access Initiative office for four years, is transforming the current VISTA position into the new First Generation Program Coordinator.

Jessica Rowekamp, Ohio Campus Compact VISTA at the Ohio State University has focused on college access for first generation students as part of her year of national service. Her VISTA work paved the way for a new First Generation Program Coordinator at Ohio State.

While the current Ohio Campus Compact VISTA, Jessica Rowekamp, will not be filling the position, she hopes that “one day I can take over the position, once I have more experience under my belt.” As the University continues to strive to recruit more first-generation, low-income and minority students on campus, the First Generation Program Coordinator will be an important support for these students. The fact that the VISTA’s work is directly responsible for the creation of this new position is a validation of the importance of their work.

In addition to these three examples, many other campuses and organizations are exploring the possibility of transitioning their Ohio Campus Compact VISTA positions to permanent positions in some capacity. Some of these include I Know I Can, John Carroll University, University of Akron,  Central Ohio Technical College, among others.

Deryck Toles, Executive Director, Inspiring Minds with YSU students who participated in the Pay It Forward Initiative. Photo courtesy of YSU

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 direct work with regional cause driven charitable organizations.  English faculty from The Ohio State University at Marion and their students recently received a 2012 Ohio State Outreach and Engagement Impact Grant in the amount of $10,250 for their Pay It Forward Marion project.  Read more.

Photo credit: Baldwin-Wallace

Baldwin-Wallace College Jacket Philanthropy Project students awarded $6,000 in grant funds to worthy community organizations, culminating the Spring 2012 academic service-learning program. Some 58 students provided more than 850 hours of service to 14 nonprofit organizations as part of three courses designed to include direct service to the nonprofits.   Read more.

View complete list of Ohio colleges and universities participating in the Pay it Forward student philanthropy project.

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.

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 to promote the use of service pedagogy. With her knowledge and background as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Masterson has experienced great success in providing the utmost support to her students to work in their setting.  Most students are often working with individuals with clinically significant psychological problems or individual who have experienced trauma.  She is a true inspiration both on and off of the campus with her commitment to community service.

“Recipients of the Ohio Campus Compact David Hoch award demonstrate in their teaching the practice of educating the whole person. They prepare students not only for success in academics and the world of work, but also as actively engaged citizens in the democracy,” Richard Kinsley, Executive Director of Ohio Campus Compact

The award is named for the late David Hoch, the Dean of Honors at the University of Toledo, who served as the Director of Service Learning for OCC from 1999-2005.  Hoch was instrumental in initiating and nurturing the role of civic engagement at the University of Toledo, not only in the Honors Program, but in residence life and other departments as well.   His guidance helped grow not only the academic service-learning, but also the student-led community service, and the presidential emphasis on broader civic engagement.

Ohio Campus Compact is a statewide non-profit network of 47 college and university presidents and their campuses working to promote and develop the civic purposes of higher education.  Hosted by Denison University in Granville, Ohio Campus Compact provides statewide leadership in mobilizing resources, services, and partnerships that strengthen Ohio colleges and universities’ capacity to educate students for civic and social responsibility and to improve community life.

In Northeast Ohio…

Ohio Campus Compact & Walsh University offer Service-Learning Research Workshop

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.

Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA Erica Phillips shown at the Otterbein Community Garden. The garden recently received a grant from

Great Recognition:  The Newman Center received an award for Exemplary Programming in the area of Educating for Social Justice from the National Catholic Campus Ministers Association.  The award recognized  the elementary tutoring program  started with a Pay it Forward student philanthropy grant from the Center for Regional Engagement at Morehead State University.   Ohio Campus Compact administered the Pay it Forward program in Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky.

Great Service-Learning 101 intro:  When Krista Kiessling cannot be present to introduce the concept of service-learning to a class on campus, the Owens Community College’s  Service-Learning Coordinator has the next best thing:  her presentation pre-recorded and ready to use by faculty wishing to explain service-learning to their students.  View it at:  http://helix.owens.edu/ramgen/Lauren_Kelly/LK101_RM10_surestream_broadband_NTSC.rm

Great service-learning incentives: The Ohio State University’s Service-Learning Initiative, with support from the Office of Undergraduate Education and the Office of Outreach and Engagement is offering 2012 Service-Learning Grants program to Ohio State faculty and staff  teaching or facilitating a service-learning course in the 2012-2013 academic year(s).

Funding is available to support the following focus areas:

• Course Development and Enrichment: up to $3,000 for the development of service-learning courses that incorporate projects addressing community goals in such areas as health, community safety, youth, housing, and education. Projects will build student civic responsibility, enhance student learning through community engagement, and build the capacity of community partners.
• Course Assessment: up to $1,000 for the development of assessment plans for an existing Service-Learning course. Subjects for assessment can include the effects of service-learning on student success, development of civic engagement- related beliefs and attitudes among participants, the community impact of service-learning, or other areas as appropriate.
• Student Philanthropy (Pay It Forward): up to $4,000 for courses based around facilitating student philanthropy, along the Pay it Forward model as demonstrated by Ohio Campus Compact.

Learn more about the OSU proposal requirements

Great funding opportunities for campuses:

Violence Prevention Activities on Campuses Funded – Department of Justice: The Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking on Campus Program (Campus Grant Program) provides support for activities that develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on campuses. The program also aims to strengthen security and investigative strategies to prevent and prosecute these crimes on campuses. Proposed activities should be part of an overall coordinated campus and community response to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on campuses and be linked to local criminal justice agencies and service providers. Applications are due May 22, 2012

Nominations Invited for MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards – The Afterschool Alliance and the MetLife Foundation are seeking nominations of exemplary afterschool programs serving middle school youth for the MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards. Link to Complete RFP

Great project:  The Empathy Experiment. This unique program was created by Capital University President Denvy Bowman  in 2010 and offers a small group of Capital students the opportunity to participate in a unique social experiment. The question at issue: Can empathy be taught?  Guided by three deeply committed community partners, students will be immersed in unfamiliar and unexpected environments where they will learn firsthand about a social issue. These encounters will serve as a catalyst for the participants, making the issue tangible, not theoretical. Hopefully, this experience can move mindsets from sympathetic to empathetic. This year’s topic is nutrition. Learn more.

Great week of service: OSU student group organizes a week of community service, called Pay it Forward (also the name of Ohio Campus Compact’s student philanthropy project).  Pay It Forward Week took place April 23-27 and involved service events with 17 service agencies including Columbus Metropolitan Library, COSI, Children’s Hunger Alliance and Community Refugee and Immigration Services among others.  Learn more.

Great idea:  Massachusetts will soon track civic engagement at its public colleges, addressing increased concern that Americans aren’t equipped to impact their communities or interact meaningfully with government.  The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education recently voted to mandate that civic engagement be measured along with more traditional standards such as graduation rates. Read more.

Great assessment tool:  Princeton University recently developed a new survey instrument to assess the student learning outcomes of community-based research (CBR).  The survey captures five dimensions of outcomes, including academic skills, educational experience, civic engagement, professional skills and personal growth.  Development and testing of the instrument were supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service under Learn and Serve America’s grant to Princeton University in partnership with the Bonner Foundation.  More information about the survey’s development is available in last June’s issue of the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement

The survey is available online as part of a national study. The authors seek to quantify student learning outcomes and to research the influence of various practices and academic factors on what students learn from CBR experiences.  They hope to provide data and information useful to practitioners and the field.  This study has the potential to assess learning outcomes at the student, course, and institutional levels and is approved by Princeton University’s Institutional Research Board for Human Subjects. The online survey assesses CBR student learning outcomes for cumulative CBR experiences, and is currently available for use.  Princeton will collect the data, perform the analyses, and report the results back to faculty members and institutions whose students participate. Learn more.