Current Service Learning Faculty Fellows and projects

Unit Implementation Fellows

Department of Psychology
Christopher Overtree, Rebecca Ready, Richard Halgin, and Karen Blum

Fellowship for a five-course graduate program in psychological assessment, culminating in the provision of low-cost and free psychological assessment for low-income individuals and families.  Because psychological assessment is a prerequisite for access to many mental health services, and because access to low-cost or free psychological assessment is highly limited in the Amherst area, this service will open the gateway to critically-needed mental health services while also socializing new professionals in clinical psychology to understand their profession within a framework of social justice.

 

Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Carrie Chickering-Sears, Mark Huyler, Stephen Purdy and Nancy Kieser

Fellowship for the "Animal Ambassadors" project connecting about 40 youth and adults in the Nuestras Raices 4-H Livestock Club in Holyoke with UMass students from a group of courses in animal science.  UMass students will help the 4-H members learn about animal husbandry and welfare for small livestock (rabbits, sheep, goats, swine and poultry) while learning from the 4-H members about Puerto Rican culture.

 

Unit Planning Fellows

Departments of Nursing and Journalism
Annemarie Heath, Norman Sims, and Nicholas McBride

Fellowship for planning a collaborative project that will take Nursing and Journalism students to the Dominican Republic where they will simultaneously help the local community and learn a great deal about cultural diversity and the Third World.

 

Faculty Teaching Fellows

John Brigham and Sarah Marusek, Department of Political Science
Political Science 365: Bill of Rights and Equal Protection

Fellowship for a course that will engage UMass students in community service with a range of community organizations whose work raises questions about the nature of constitutional rights.
                                                

Nicholas Bromell,Department of English
English 270: American Identities

Fellowship for a course that will engage UMass students in working with Amherst Regional High School teachers and students to explore issues of democracy.

 

Annemarie Heath, School of Nursing
Nursing 597: Understanding Cultural Diversity through Cultural Immersion

Fellowship for a new course that will take Nursing students to the Dominican Republic during January, March, and June to work with Dominican health professionals on community health needs.

 

Nicholas McBride, Department of Journalism
Community Journalism

Fellowship for a course linking UMass students with Springfield high school students in journalism teams reporting on critical issues in the Springfield community.

 

Ana Muriel and Donald Fisher, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 273: Probability and Statistics for Engineers

Fellowship for a course that engages Engineering students in analyzing data for community-based organizations. 

 

KerryAnn O’Meara, School of Education
Education 300: Critical Issues in Higher Education
                   
Fellowship for a course linking UMass students with juniors from a Holyoke high school in a "College Quest" program.

 

Christopher Overtree, Department of Psychology
Psychology 380: Abnormal Psychology

Fellowship for a course that involves UMass students in direct service, advocacy, and research relating to mental illness.

 

Will Snyder, Division of Extension and Commonwealth College
Honors 292S:  Engaging With the Community:  An Introduction to CSL

Fellowship for developing and teaching a course that leads students to a critical understanding of community service and of learning from experience.

 

Individual Planning Award

Amanda Walker Johnson, Department of Anthropology

Fellowship to identify and organize community partnerships for a course on race and high-stakes testing.
                                                

Undergraduate Course Assistant Award Recipients

Shakira Alvarez-Ferrer, Commonwealth College
Honors 397R:  Mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters

Fellowship for a course that explores a broad range of issues that mentors need to understand, and that places students into long-term mentoring relationships with children.

 

Leda Cooks, Department of Communication
Communication 494H: Media Literacy and Violence Prevention Program

Fellowship for a course that engages UMass students with sixth-graders in Deerfield, Amherst, South Hadley and Holyoke in analyzing media messages about conflict and exploring means of managing conflict in their own lives.

 

Nola Stephen, School of Education
Education 491A: Introduction to Inclusion

Fellowship for a course that places UMass students in a wide range of community programs for individuals with special needs.

 

Millicent Thayer, Department of Sociology
Sociology 329: Social Movements

Fellowship for a course that places UMass students in community service with a social movement of their choice.