The Engaged Scholar 2024

Reflecting on 30 Years of Community Impact

The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) is marking its 30th anniversary this year with events aimed at inspiring and acknowledging community engagement. In September, we revived the Campus Community Forum, an event that allowed students, faculty, staff, and community partners to interact and envision the next 30 years. After a three-year break, it was delightful to reunite our partners in person. On May 9th, we are hosting the Community Engagement Summit: Innovative Partnerships Making an Impact, a virtual event showcasing various community engagement projects across the WSU system. Join us to celebrate, be inspired, and learn how we are all making a difference in our communities through joint efforts.

The CCE's enduring commitment to WSU's Land Grant mission, the development of socially conscious leaders, and student success is evident. This year, we've supported over 3,800 students in 106 service-learning courses on the Pullman, Global, and Tri Cities campuses. By maintaining significant and reciprocal partnerships with community organizations statewide and using technology like GivePulse, we enhance our capacity to scale and improve collaborative work. If you're interested in partnering with the CCE or want to learn more about service-learning and connecting with community partners, please get in touch! Your ideas for collaboration to broaden our combined impact statewide and globally are valued and appreciated.

Ben Calabretta, Director
Jessica Perone, Assistant Director of Engaged Learning

In This Article

• Innovative Partnerships & Creative Activities
• Equitable Student Success
• Leadership & Global Service-Learning
• Campus & Community Engagement
• Engagement News & Awards
• Community Engaged Research Journal Opportunities
• Student Reflections

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Innovative Partnerships & Creative Activities 

Safe Walking Routes in Pullman

Service-learning is an impactful aspect of computer science studies. It encourages students to use classroom knowledge to achieve community goals, offers valuable professional development opportunities, and fosters an understanding of their work's ethical and long-term societal effects. Ananth Jillepalli, an assistant professor in Computer Science, led a team of students in Software Design Project I and II (CPT_S 421 and 423). They partnered with the Pullman 2040 and College Hill Association to create a website promoting safe walking routes on College Hill and within the community. The team met bi-weekly over the academic year to review the project plans, devise solutions for new challenges, monitor progress, and provide input and feedback. Ananth advocates service-learning in computer science courses and seeks multiple community-based organizations for his capstone course annually. Ananth stated, “Computer science projects can make students feel like they are disconnected from society. Service-learning projects inculcates a sense of belonging to overcome the feeling of disconnection since these projects usually address a societal need and produce products that will be used by people in their lives.” 

Allison Munch-Rotolo, College Hill Association Co-Chair, and Mayor Francis Benjamin, former Co-Chair of Pullman 2040, expressed their appreciation for the fresh ideas and focused attention to issues that a service-learning course partnership brings. They are dedicated to improving and supporting safe walking routes in Pullman and are looking to partner with other courses to develop different methods to achieve this goal. The team is currently drafting a second project proposal that will build upon their progress and allow a future team to set up the app on a secure server in the upcoming academic year.

ORAP & CCE Partnership 

In the fall of 2023, the CCE established an emerging partnership with the Office of Research Advancements and Partnerships (ORAP) to advocate for community engagement as a valuable and significant method of research at WSU. To date, CCE staff have created and presented workshops for WSU faculty on the "Foundations of Community Engagement" and "Authentic and Reciprocal Partnerships". CCE staff have also collaborated with ORAP staff to formulate curriculum for Inspire, a Community Engaged Research Cohort group of faculty, and have acted as reviewers for community-engaged research grant proposals.

Cougar Food Pantry Data Analysis 

Androu D. Luzader, a third-year undergraduate student, and Caroline E. Owens, an assistant professor in Anthropology, analyzed data from the Cougar Food Pantry. The summary of their results was showcased at SURCA. The Cougar Food Pantry, managed by the CCE, provides free food and essential items to Pullman undergraduate and graduate students experiencing food insecurity. It's one of the few food insecurity interventions available for students at WSU. The pantry stocks non-perishable staples, enabling students to prepare nutritious meals and snacks. From 2022 to 2024, the pantry received over 27,000 visits. Some students use the pantry more often than others, with higher usage among Graduate-Professional students and those from lower-income and minoritized backgrounds. However, the pantry currently serves only about 10% of students projected to live with food insecurity at WSU (40%). This suggests that some students likely have unmet food and nutritional needs. In the future, the research team plans to study the prevalence of food insecurity on campus, evaluate the accuracy of existing measures for this unique population, and boost public awareness of the pantry.

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Equitable Student Success

LAUNCH + Service-Learning 

In Spring 2022, the leaders of the LAUNCH program and the CCE developed a pilot model for student success. They combined the strengths of two successful experiential learning initiatives. According to the WSU Insider, both programs promote the benefits of experiential learning, specifically service-learning, and high-impact practices for undergraduates. This partnership is a result of the Teaching and Learning Collaborative Workgroup from the Office of the Provost. 1387 students in Introductory Psychology (PSYCH 105), Introduction to Human Development (H_D 200), and the LAUNCH Ambassadors had to participate in one service-learning project with support from the CCE. The students also had to engage in one LAUNCH peer-led workshop or complete an alternative writing assignment.

This initiative started in Fall 2023 and ran through Spring 2024. When asked about the most valuable part of the program, several students stated: "The service-learning and understanding its significant impact on my career and degree." "The most valuable aspect of LAUNCH for me was the opportunity to work on real-world projects and collaborate with industry professionals. It allowed me to apply classroom knowledge to practical situations and gain hands-on experience." "The service-learning activity. It's rare to see how you can help others, even in a small way, in college." "The service-learning assignment forced me to participate in community service, and I enjoyed it more than I expected."

 

Adopt-a-School  

The Adopt-a-School program is a novel service-learning course partnership between four local elementary schools, WSU ROAR, and 103 Learning and Development 301 students. This presents a valuable opportunity for WSU students contemplating careers in education to understand modern classroom realities, establish relationships with teachers and students, experience the school environment, and observe the needs of the diverse K-12 student population. Stephanie Bray, principal of Franklin Elementary School, mentioned that WSU students have willingly assisted with various programs at Franklin, including the Fox Den program with the school counselor and reading and math across all grade levels. 

The teachers at Franklin Elementary have expressed gratitude for the support in their classrooms. Pam Brantner, principal at Sunnyside Elementary, said, "It's been wonderful to have WSU students support our teachers through the Adopt-a-School program. They've contributed in many curricular areas. Both WSU students and Sunnyside students are forming connections, with younger students venturing outside their comfort zones to read, write, and do math. The WSU students have also emphasized to the younger students the importance of focusing on their academics." WSU students participating in service-learning experience growth in personal, academic, and professional leadership development. They develop a sense of civic responsibility and a deeper commitment to social justice. This isn't a practicum experience but rather an opportunity for WSU students to assist each school in achieving their goals. The tasks students assist with are tailored to the individual goals and activities of each school. For instance, students could assist with modeling and encouraging positive behavior, leading activities, one-on-one and small group tutoring, participating in small group social-emotional activities, and preparing materials.

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Leadership & Global Service-Learning 

Global Campus Coug Leadership Program 

Jessica Perone led a three-part Servant Leadership and Community Engagement workshop for global students in the Global Campus Coug Leadership Program in November 2023. Initially, students joined an interactive workshop to discuss servant leadership and its role in fostering people's growth and community well-being. Following the first session, students were urged to engage in community activities in their home towns. The group reconvened in January to reflect on their recent community engagement experiences, leadership development, and personal growth. They reported their community engagement experiences as meaningful and highly impactful. Practicing leadership skills through community engagement was a thrilling new addition to the program. Owing to the students' positive feedback, Haley Yamane, Student Organizations & Leadership Coordinator, plans to incorporate a community engagement component into the Global Campus Coug Leadership program in the future.

Whitney Ojeda 

Whitney Ojeda participated in service-learning in H_D 403, Families in Poverty, taught by Mary Garcia during the fall 2023 semester. Throughout her time in the class, Whitney completed 15 hours of service-learning at her daughter's elementary school with the Parent Teacher Association. Whitney stated, "My service-learning experience affirmed my professional goals to work in a public school setting after graduation. I loved working hands-on with the students, and the staff members were all so welcoming and encouraging! I believe these experiences helped contribute to my success in this class by allowing me to apply course concepts to real-life settings. Having some prior course knowledge was beneficial when determining which fundraising ideas would work best for the community we were serving. I found the most meaningful component of my service-learning experience to be the knowledge that we were making a difference in the school, staff, and community. The money we are working to fundraise can be used to restock classroom supplies, upgrade outdated classroom technology, and allow speakers to visit the school or fund learning opportunities for students."

GivePulse Link for Global Campus Students 

Global Campus students now have a more straightforward way to engage in remote community service activities. All of the remote/virtual community service options are accessible with just one click on the WSU Global page on GivePulse. This group page is regularly updated with new events, so students should frequently check the link for new projects.

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Campus & Community Engagement 

This past semester, 2,312 WSU students volunteered for 14,613 hours with over 100 organizations across the state of Washington and even worldwide. This commitment is a testament to the organizations that partner with us, bringing WSU students into their spaces and work. We can't express our gratitude enough for your partnership with us.

Keep an eye out for our Community Partner Announcement!

In May, the CCE will circulate a Community Partnerships survey, conducted every two years. Your feedback and the routine health assessment of our partnerships are crucial to us. The information you provide helps improve our programming and our work with community organizations. We appreciate your participation in this survey.

For Palouse-Area Partners, a Nonprofit Coffee Chat will be hosted on June 12th from 8:30-10:30 am by the CCE, Pullman Chamber of Commerce, and the Nonprofit Association of Washington. More details will follow.

Allison Munch-Rotolo, co-chair of the College Hill Association, and Terry Buffington, of the Terry Buffington Foundation, received the Woman* of Distinction Award in the Community Partnership category from the Presidents Commission on the Status of Women. They are recognized for their leadership, public service, contributions to the local community, dedication to personal growth and success of others, and creating positive social change.

The Humane Society of the Palouse received a Chancellors Award for Leadership. As an organization, HSOP instills empathy, ethics, leadership, compassion, and teamwork in WSU Students. HSOP helps students become active community members promoting social change by providing opportunities to work with and care for animals.

White Spring Ranch also won a Chancellor's Award for Leadership. White Spring Ranch promotes historical exposure and change, showcasing history through collected resources. This exposure helps open students' minds to different possibilities and opportunities for social change.

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Engagement News & Awards 

Ben Calabretta, Director of the Center for Civic Engagement, won the 2024 NASPA Student Affairs Partnering with Academic Affairs (SAPAA) Award. Ben earned this national award due to his commitment to innovative collaboration between academic and student affairs. He is a champion for student success and an active team member of multiple task forces, initiatives, programs, search committees, and program committees throughout the institution.  

Merri Lecoq, Coordinator of the Cougar Food Pantry, won an APAC Contribution Award in recognition of her exceptional dedication to ensuring students are able to meet their basic needs. Additionally, this award recognizes her exemplary productivity, innovative problem-solving, positive working relationships, and university and community service.  

Hongtao Dang, assistant professor in the School of Design and Construction, won a WSU Pullman Chancellors Award for Leadership. Hongtao has been collaborating with the Center for Civic Engagement for over two years to support integrating service-learning into Construction Management courses. Hongtao has included service-learning in two courses with a combined total of 127 students. Hongtao and School of Construction and Design students have been working collaboratively with Palouse Habitat for Humanity for a new home build in Moscow, ID.  

Mary Garcia, Human Development Global Campus instructor, won the Excellence in Online Teaching Award. She has been instructing online courses, and correspondence courses before that, for 24 years, teaching an estimated 6,000 students. Mary includes a service-learning component in the online Families in Poverty course (HD 403). It has been a pleasure working with Mary. She is very invested in the students’ success. 

 

Kara Whitman and twelve SOE 492 students participated in service-learning while studying abroad. The students participated in restoration work at Tūhaitara Coastal Park in New Zealand. 

Brandon Cockburn, Community Projects Graduate Assistant, completed his Ph.D. in Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education.  Brandon defended his dissertation, Education and Equity: A Case Study of Educators at a Specialized Charter School, on April 4, 2024. We wish Brandon the best of luck in his next adventure and thank him for his hard work and dedication to the Center for Civic Engagement. 

Lilia Thompson, CCE Peer Mentor, won a Student Employee of the Year Award from the Academic Success and Career Center and the President’s Award for Leadership for WSU Pullman! Dave Jones, CCE Student Engagement Coordinator nominated Lily and stated, “Lily is a delight, a truly authentic leader who has been incredibly welcoming and inclusive to all students while working at WSU. She embodies the best aspects of the WSU Greek Life system and has been instrumental in reminding Greek Life students of their ideals while also working to implement systems that allow them to live up to them. She has been a thoughtful, considerate voice consistently advancing equity, calling for diversity and inclusion for all in her work. Her commitment to community service stands out, even among other student employees at the CCE whose work explicitly is dedicated to working with community members to learn, identify, and advance the goals, objectives, and projects those in our communities have. Lily has taken part in numerous CCE-led projects and spearheaded her chapter’s adopt-a-block efforts to clean up the College Hill neighborhood. She not only participated in the program but was instrumental in ensuring others could participate too. She designed and presented to dozens of fraternity and sorority chapters each semester on the program as part of her role at WSU. It was an absolute joy to work with and learn from Lily.” 

Zach Martian, CCE Project Leader, won a 2024 Top 10 Senior Award. Amy Robbins, Meg Pannkuk, and Brandon Cockburn nominated Zach for this award. Amy Robbins stated, “I have had the pleasure of working with Zachary since November of 2022. It truly has been an absolute joy to watch his growth into the soon to be graduate of Washington State University and to think ahead to all the amazing things he will accomplish in his future. Zachary is both enthusiastic and committed to working with our local community, he can see the return on investment and has made lasting connections at all the projects he has participated in his three years with the Center for Civic Engagement.”  

Zach Sievers, CCE Project Leader, won a Student Employee of the Year Award from the Academic Success and Career Center. Amy Robbins, Meg Pannkuk, and Brandon Cockburn nominated Zach for this award. Amy Robbins stated, “During his tenure as a Project Leader over the past three years, he has shown his deep commitment to Service Leadership. He ensures that everyone around him is comfortable, engaged, and feels supported.” Michael Todd, Regional Theater of the Palouse stated, “It is always a delight working with Zach. He is a talented, versatile, hardworking, enthusiastic and positive volunteer leader. I could rely on Zach to keep everyone engaged with service tasks if I had to take a phone call, meet with a patron, or respond to an urgent email. The fact that he would genuinely serve and empower other volunteers to do the same was a huge service.”  

Amaris Cupples, WSU Global student, won the Undergraduate Woman of Distinction Award. She was nominated by Christie Kittle, Assistant Director of Learning Innovations and Director of Instructional Design and Operations within the WSU Global Campus Academic Outreach and Innovation. Amaris was recognized for her achievements and contributions of women to the academic and local community, and to our society. Amaris took a lead role for the Global Campus for the 2024 MLK Day Cougar Card event and won the Student Civic Leadership Award in 2023.  

Anna Whitehall, Associate Director of Center for Transformational Learning and Leadership and Scholarly Associate Professor in Human Development, and Jessica Perone, Assistant Director of Engaged Learning at the Center for Civic Engagement were awarded a Samuel H. and Patricia W. Smith Teaching and Learning grant from the Office of the Provost. The goal of the project is to provide transformational service-learning experiences to HD 205 students. The grant funds will allow CCE to hire an additional project leader (undergraduate staff) to increase the total number of CCE-Led (transportation provided) community service projects available to HD 205 students.

The Riverside Mural project was installed in the fall of 2023. The project highlights the collaboration between Pullman Arts Foundation and Pullman Downtown Association. Joe Hedges, co-founder of the Pullman Arts Foundation is a member of CCE’s Community Engaged Scholars.   

CCE builds community partners and reciprocity with researchers featured in the Daily Evergreen. 

Students design outdoor story walk for Keller schools featured in the WSU Insider. 

The Institute for Teaching Social Action is accepting applications for the summer virtual cohort. The institute is free and designed to give faculty and staff the knowledge and tools to incorporate student-led social action campaigns by modifying a current course or co-curricular activity or developing a new one. Social action is a transformative experiential learning model where students in a college course launch their own campaign or join a community organization's campaign.   

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Community Engaged Research Journal Opportunities 

Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship (JCES) welcomes manuscript submissions that align with its mission. This mission is to serve as a conduit for faculty, staff, and students of academic institutions, along with their community partners, to distribute scholarly works across all academic disciplines.

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Student Reflections: Personal, Academic, and Professional Impact 

 

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All past issues of The Engaged Scholar can be found on our website. The most recent issue of the WSU Campus Connection is also available online.