Office of Service Learning Selects New Fellow, Recognizes Contributions

The Office of Service Learning named a new Gaultier Fellow, applauded faculty members who taught service-learning classes and recognized various community partners and others at a special campus reception on April 28.

Dr. Eva-Maria Simms, professor of psychology and director of the department’s graduate programs, was selected as the 2014 Gaultier Faculty Fellow. Simms’ work in the fellowship will focus on the Share the Knowledge Project, a participatory research process designed to develop a set of best practices for reconnecting African-American children and adults to the nature places in their communities.

The Gaultier Faculty Fellowship, which is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Office of Service Learning, was established to promote faculty development, promote the scholarship of community-engaged teaching and learning, and to advance institutional change to enhance the integration of teaching and research within community engagement.

During the reception, Dr. Lina Dostilio, director of academic community engagement, also recognized:

• Community Engagement Scholars, who commit to spending 200 hours building the capacity of partners inside and beyond the University
• Recipients of the ACES award from the Undergraduate Research Symposium. The awards recognize undergraduate research or scholarly work that engages communities
• Community and University advisors
• The Carnegie Self-Study Committee.