Vermont Campus Compact Recognizes CCV’s Community Service Efforts

From the Office of the Vermont Campus Compact

On April 1, Amy Stuart received the Campus Leadership for Civic Engagement Award at a reception concluding the 2009 Vermont Campus Compact Conference (VCC), Through A Civic Lens: Strengthening Higher Education from Classroom to Community. This award recognizes one faculty, staff, or administrator on a VCC member campus for his/her leadership in advancing public engagement as a critical component of his/her higher education institution. Amy is Coordinator of Academic Services at CCV-Burlington, and since 1999 has taught a variety of courses at CCV, all with mandatory service-learning components.

Amy has served as a member of CCV’s Civic Engagement Committee since its inception in 2000, and been an integral part of promoting community-based learning and providing training for staff and faculty. Amy led the Civic Engagement Committee in organizing a service-learning themed convocation for three successive years, and developed and facilitated a Community-Based Learning workshop for CCV instructors, now providing it annually. She has sought out opportunities to bring in grants, present at conferences, and otherwise attract resources that enhance community service and service-learning opportunities for students at CCV.

Shawn McMore, a student at CCV’s Rutland site, received the Commitment to Service and Engagement Award for both the breadth and depth of his community involvement. Shawn, a Criminal Justice Major, serves on the CCV Student Advisory Board and has organized and recruited fellow student participation in local initiatives: voter registration drives, Harvest for Hunger, and more. Shawn facilitated a Nurturing Fathers Program for single fathers on parole or probation, and held workshops and discussions on domestic violence through the Vermont Police Academy. Shawn also participated in an Alternative Weekend in Hartford CT, and regularly mentors and organizes events for at-risk youth through the Trio program. Shawn is also an active service volunteer through his church, working in the soup kitchen and delivering meals to the elderly and infirm.

Jennifer Isabell was nominated for the Award for Excellence in Community-Based Teaching, given to a faculty member from a VCC member campus who has made public service an integral part of his or her teaching, to the benefit of both students and community. Jennifer’s Principles of Management course students developed a web-based marketing/e-commerce project for the Lamoille Valley Chamber of Commerce. Her Macroeconomics class focused their classwork on a Buy Local campaign and a Microeconomics project focused on family well-being in the community.

Kelsi Powers was nominated for the Vermont Teddy Bear 2009 Student Citizen Award. The award, presented by The Vermont Teddy Bear Co., recognizes exceptional volunteer leadership efforts by college students across the state. Kelsi has been a VCC AmeriCorps member serving the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, where she has increased responsibilities related to food collection and distribution, and recruited fellow CCV students to serve and support food drives and fundraisers. Kelsi is also a member of the CCV Student Advisory Board, through which she has initiated a film and discussion series, organized MLK Day service projects, served as a new student ambassador, and participated in an Alternative Break to Hartford, CT.

The Vermont Campus Compact is a consortium of Vermont’s colleges and universities and non-academic partners committed to the civic purposes of higher education. VCC works to strengthen communities and educate for informed and active citizenship. VCC advances civic engagement on campuses and in communities, through service, integrating service into teaching (“service-learning”), campus/community partnerships, activism, dialogue, and socially responsible lifestyles. VCC is affiliated with national Campus Compact and 32 state affiliates, more than 1200 members realizing the public good of higher education.