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Two Events Celebrate a Year of Service-Learning and Community Engagement by UIndy Students, Faculty, and Staff

May 4, 2023 in Campus NewsCommunity engagement

Dozens gathered to celebrate service-learning and community engagement last week.

2023 UIndy Community Campus Forum & Service Expo 

The annual Community Campus Forum & Service Expo celebrates the many ways UIndy collaborates with the community through service and service-learning projects.

The Expo

This year’s event was held April 26. More than 50 students participated in the Service-Learning Expo, showcasing projects from a variety of academic areas, including nursing, social sciences, social work, education, and more.

Interim President Phil Terry speaks with Serena Masters about her Social Problems class work during the Service Expo.

The Awards

In addition, the Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement awarded UIndy’s outstanding service-learning students as well as community partners that engaged with our students and faculty in exceptionally meaningful ways through service-learning experiences.

UIndy extends its congratulations to this year’s winners!

Kensington Eiler, Physical Therapy

Outstanding Graduate Student Service-Learning Award

Peyton Panozzo, Nursing

Outstanding Undergraduate Student Service-Learning Award

Liam Price, Communications

Outstanding Student Volunteer Award

Leah Kuruzar, Adelante Schools

Community Partner Award

Dori Sparks-Unsworth, Pink Ribbon Connection

Community Partner Award

From left: Kensington Eiler with presenter Cathy Dearing, presenter Kyle Fleck with Peyton Panozzo, presenter Betsy Fouts with Liam Price, presenter Andy Kocher with Leah Kuruzar, and presenter Christie Jansing with Dori Sparks-Unworth.

The Newest Faculty to Continue the Mission

Finally, during the event, UIndy’s Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement and the national organization Community Engaged Alliance also recognized UIndy’s Community of Practice Interdisciplinary Faculty Cohort. 

The community of practice is designed to give new faculty members the tools they need to provide service-learning curriculum and be ready to implement it during their second years and beyond. It aims to enhance diverse community partnerships through collaborative service-learning course development, strengthen community relationships, improve student learning outcomes, and develop faculty through service-learning.

Congratulations to the following faculty participants in the 2022-2023 cohort, Strengthening a Community Anchor: Going Beyond the University Boundaries to Enhance Communities through Interdisciplinary Community Engaged Alliances!

Maribel Campoy, Global Languages & Cross-Cultural Studies

Amy Conrad, Global Languages & Cross-Cultural Studies

Lynell Cooper, Social Work

Dr. Roxxi Davis, Social Work

Dr. Claudia Giardina, Global Languages & Cross-Cultural Studies

Dr. Alex Nelson, Anthropology

Dr. Craig Seidelson, School of Business

Dr. Laura Merrifield Wilson, Political Sciences

From left: Elijah Howe, Community Engaged Alliance; Associate Provost of Accreditation, Assessment, Educational Innovations, and Chief International Officer Mary Moore; Maribel Campoy; Dr. Alex Nelson; Dr. Roxxi Davis; Dr. Craig Seidelson; Dr. Laura Merrifield Wilson; Amy Conrad; and Dr. Claudia Giardina.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett (far left) speaks to a crowd of volunteers ready to participate in the Great UIndy Cleanup.

The Great UIndy Cleanup

On April 29, the Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement (CSLCE) partnered with the City of Indianapolis and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful to gather students, faculty, staff, community members, and friends of UIndy for the Great UIndy Cleanup.

The event was financially supported by UIndy’s Office of Inclusive Excellence and Retention Strategy, UIndy’s Ron & Laura Strain Honors College, Ryze Claim Solutions, and Howard Companies.

“Events like this one are key to maintaining engagement with our communities and building meaningful and reciprocal relationships,” said Marianna Foulkrod, Director of CSLCE. “We loved serving alongside our amazing community partners, neighborhood residents, students, faculty, and staff, as well as their families, while celebrating our community and our togetherness through service.”

Interim President Phil Terry (right) laughs during Mayor Hogsett’s remarks before the event.
Students (including Honors College student Samantha Leader, right) and others help clean up the campus during the Great UIndy Cleanup. 

For more information about either of these events, please contact Marianna Foulkrod at mfoulkrod@uindy.edu.