Community Engagement News February 28, 2022
‘College for a Day’ Experience Makes Positive Impact on Eighth-Grade Students
Above: Students from the Benjamin Franklin K–8 Center are fascinated by the activities in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Simulation Learning Center.
Below: In the Department of Communication, some of the visiting students take a look at The Buccaneer, the Barry student newspaper.
More than 60 eighth-grade students got a taste of college earlier this month, and they enjoyed the experience.
Together with five academic staff members, some 65 students from Benjamin Franklin K–8 Center came to campus for “College for a Day,” an event organized by the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI).
The “incredible day of activities” left the visiting students with “an indelible impression,” said Terry Thompson, the school’s chairperson for exceptional student education.
Dr. Victor Romano, associate vice provost for student success and undergraduate studies, welcomed the visitors and shared a bit of the history of Barry University.
Many of the visiting students went to a Department of Chemistry and Physics science laboratory, where Dr. Tamara Hamilton, a professor of chemistry, helped to keep them engaged.
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Simulation Learning Center also offered an engaging experience for the future college students. They particularly enjoyed their visit to the operational areas of the Department of Communication—The Buccaneer Office, Media Lab, WBUJ Radio Station, and David Brinkley Studio.
Some spent time with Career Development Center staff members in the R. Kirk Landon Student Union. Others engaged with School of Education as well as the School of Social Work faculty members/senior administrators in Powers Hall.
One group visited the Center for Academic Success and Advising (CASA, including the Reading Center. Another went to the Barry Entrepreneurship Lab, which is part of the School of Business.
Dr. Dale Hartz, assistant professor of management, noted that the group visiting the BE Lab had a “fun and meaningful time.” He said they “used real money to discuss building a community with for-profit, nonprofit, and government organizations.”
In the Health and Sports Center, Intercollegiate Athletics hosted one of the groups from Benjamin Franklin. In Weber Grand Hall, some of the visitors learned about housing and residence life at Barry.
During lunch, the visiting students received positive messages from Barry Service Corps Fellows Ulises Hernandez, Mariajose Fernandez, and Liz Calvo. The student leaders emphasized the importance of a sense of purpose, compassion, and determination to achieve success in college and beyond.
Admissions Counselor Ezekiel Rodriguez also spoke to the visitors during lunch on the Campus Mall and gave them some parting gifts.
In an email to the CCSI’s Dr. Glenn Bowen the day after the event, Mr. Thompson wrote: “On the behalf of the Benjamin Franklin K–8 family, I would like to thank you and your staff for providing our students with an incredible day of activities! All of the students and our staff were impressed with how well organized this event was and the professionalism shown by everyone we encountered yesterday.”
He added: “Yesterday’s event has without a doubt left an indelible impression on our students as many of them held conversations about their future on the way back on the bus and when we returned to the school.”
Counseling Faculty Member and Doctoral Student Participate in Black History Month Event
Dr. Danna Demezier, an assistant professor of counseling (front row, third from right), and Lindsay Syeh (right), a doctoral student in the counseling program, contributed to the success of a Black History Month event at the Hollywood City Hall. Dr. Glenn Bowen, executive director of Barry’s Center for Community Service Initiatives (center), participated in the event. A youth panel (back row) discussed “Mental Health in the Black Community,” and members of the City of Hollywood African American Advisory Council (front row) were in attendance.
The City of Hollywood African American Advisory Council hosted a presentation and panel discussion for Black History Month on February 17 at the Hollywood City Hall.
The presenter was Dr. Danna Demezier, an assistant professor of counseling in Barry’s School of Education. Her presentation, titled “Mental Health in the African American Community: Shifting the Narrative,” set the stage for the panel discussion on the same topic.
A licensed mental health counselor and national certified counselor, Dr. Demezier commented on “facts or myths” regarding mental health-related issues, outlined warning signs and symptoms, described barriers to treatment, and identified available resources.
Dr. Glenn A. Bowen, executive director of Barry’s Center for Community Service Initiatives, introduced Dr. Demezier.
The panelists for the discussion were two eighth-grade and three 11th-grade students. During the discussion, Lindsay Syeh, a doctoral student in the counseling program at Barry, served as a “content expert,” responding to comments made by the youth panelists. She encouraged the kids to speak up—“use your voice”—to seek the support they need from adults.
In the audience were Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy, Vice Mayor Caryl Shuham, and other city commissioners.
Khadji Gregory-Faal, chair of the City of Hollywood African American Advisory Council (left), and Dr. Glenn Bowen accepted a copy of the Black History Month proclamation from Mayor Levy on February 2.
The City of Hollywood in Broward County issued its proclamation of Black History Month on February 2. Mayor Levy read the proclamation before presenting a copy to Dr. Glenn Bowen and Khadji Gregory-Faal, chair of the City of Hollywood African American Advisory Council.
Anthony Grisby, manager of the City of Hollywood Community Development Division, coordinated events for Black History Month. Grisby serves as the City Commission’s liaison to the African American Advisory Council.
“Black Health and Wellness” is this year’s national theme for Black History Month.
Student Poster Competition Set as Feature of Community Engagement Symposium on March 30
A Student Poster Competition will be a feature of the Community Engagement Symposium on March 30, and the CCSI is urging students to submit entries.
Although any student may submit an entry for the poster exhibition, the competition is open to undergraduates only. The main prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third places, with consolation prizes going to all other entrants.
The design and content of the posters should be based on the theme of the symposium, “Effectively Balancing Community Impact with Student Learning Outcomes.”
As stated in the guidelines, “Successful entries will specify the course or co-curricular project, the social or community issue addressed, the related activities undertaken, and the actual learning outcomes.”
The submission deadline for poster competition entries is the second Wednesday of March.
For additional information on the Student Poster Competition, contact Dr. Heather Johnson Desiral in the CCSI via email at qep@barry.edu.
Professor and Student Participate in Conference Focused on Value of Public Service
Dr. Sean Foreman, professor of political science, and Barry Service Corps Fellow Amanda Gonzalez Garcia took part in the conference. The file photo of Forman shows him with the ASPA South Florida Public Educator of the Year Award that he received last year.
Dr. Sean Foreman, professor of political science, and Amanda Gonzalez Garcia, a Barry student leader, participated in the 16th Annual Best Practices Conference of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) South Florida Chapter on February 18.
Dr. Foreman moderated a panel discussion titled “Strengthening Democracy and Voting Rights,” and Ms. Gonzalez Garcia was a panelist for a discussion on “Empowering the Next Generation of Public Servants.”
A Barry Service Corps member, Ms. Gonzalez Garcia said it was important for students to use their voices and platforms to promote social and economic changes.
She has supported to the efforts of Bread for the World in making students and community members aware of food insecurity and ways to address the issue.
Panelists for “Strengthening Democracy and Voting Rights” included Christina White, supervisor of elections for Miami-Dade County, and Joe Scott, supervisor of elections for Broward County. The supervisors described their election administration practices and procedures. They also stressed the importance of having multiple methods of voting in Florida, including early voting and no-excuse absentee or mail-in voting.
Howard Rosen, assistant state attorney for Miami-Dade County, and Marisol Zenteno, first vice president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, also participated as panelists.
Dr. Foreman served on this year’s APSA South Florida Conference Planning Committee. Last year, he received the ASPA South Florida Public Educator of the Year Award.
Held virtually because of COVID-19, the conference was organized around the theme “Recognizing the Value of Public Service: Leading the Recovery.”
Doctoral Students from School of Education Participate in Regional Conference
Barry was represented at the 45th Annual Conference of the Eastern Educational Research Association (EERA), where presentations included a few focused on community engagement projects.
A notable Barry presentation titled “Walls, Boundaries, and Barricades: Oral Histories of Miami’s Segregation Walls” took the form of a panel discussion. Danny Fernandez, a Ph.D. student in the Adrian Dominican School of Education (ADSOE), led the discussion.
Doctoral students from Barry’s School of Education attending the Eastern Educational Research Association Conference in Clearwater.
Members of the research team for “Segregation Walls” were Fernandez, Caroline Gillingham-Varela, Reem Juraid, Ryan Small, Lindsay M. Syeh, and Brooke Whitfield-Fattovich with Dr. Ruth Ban.
The EERA Conference was held in Clearwater, Florida, February 2–4. Representing Barry were doctoral students from the School of Education.
Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities Calls for Conference Proposals
The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) has called for proposals for its 27th Annual Conference scheduled for the fall.
Focused on “The Essential Role of Urban and Metropolitan Universities,” the 2022 conference will be held October 23–26 in San Diego, CA.
“As our institutions and communities continue to navigate a global pandemic, wrestle with a long-overdue racial reckoning, face environmental challenges, and witness the great inequality in how communities are able to respond to these challenges, we recognize that we are still in the midst of crisis.” That’s according to the conference organizers.
They add: “Our conference offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on how we are responding to our current moment while also looking forward as we begin to articulate how we emerge from the crisis.”
“Place-Based Hyperlocal Community Engagement” and “Regional Collaborations and Partnerships” are two of the eight conference themes. Presentation formats include mini workshop, panel presentation, poster session, and roundtable.
The deadline for the submission of presentation proposals for the CUMU Conference is March 25.
Students May Still Register for Barry Service Corps Through Federal Work-Study
Students may still register for participation in the Barry Service Corps through Federal Work-Study Community Service.
The Barry Service Corps is a civic engagement program organized by the CCSI. While gaining valuable work experience, members provide service to the community through nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and local government agencies.
Students eligible for Federal Work-Study (FWS) who would like to participate in the Barry Service Corps should contact Emmanuel Ikpuri, program facilitator, in the CCSI at bsc@barry.edu.
GivePulse is the community engagement platform that supports service-learning courses at Barry.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM: Two nationally known community engagement scholars will be among the presenters at the March 30 event.
CAMPUS DEMOCRACY PROJECT: Two “Legislative Forums” and a “Democracy Forum” remain on the Campus Democracy Project schedule for this semester.
Community Engagement News is a publication of the Center for Community Service Initiatives.
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