Office of Community Engagement – Collaborating for community impact

IU Indianapolis, Ivy Tech, and Marian University partner with the Indiana Latino Institute to support Latinx students

Posted on November 14, 2024 by tfrancis

The Indiana Latino Institute‘s (ILI) Pathways to Careers (P2C) program provides an innovative approach to supporting Latinx students while they are in college. Indiana University Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College, and Marian University partner with ILI to provide a cohort experience, paid internships, mentorship, and additional support to increase retention and persistence rates throughout their college experience.

P2C, funded by the Eli Lilly Foundation, provides support for five academic years. Currently, the program is in its fourth year. The program aims to reduce poverty among Latinx communities in Central Indiana, particularly in Marion County, through education. Its goal is to help Latinx college students complete their studies at partner universities and to enhance the universities’ capacity to better serve Latinx students, while strengthening their career pathways and placement in good jobs.

Every academic year, each academic institution, in partnership with ILI, selects five incoming freshmen for a total of twenty students. These students are then supported throughout their journey on each campus. All incoming university students who self-identify as Latino or Hispanic are encouraged to be part of the program and to apply. Other Latino students are nominated from sources, such as their high school.

Cindy Gil, Director of Latino Affairs, IU Indianapolis Office of Community Engagement

“They are leaders because they say, ‘I’m interested, and I’m going to take on this challenge,'” said Cindy Gil, director of Latino affairs at the IU Indianapolis Office of Community Engagement.

IU Indianapolis campus cohort

The P2C program provides students with hands-on experience and the opportunity to be mentored by their supervisors.

Internship placements

At IU Indianapolis, during the first two years, students are matched with an internship placement. They receive a scholarship and are compensated for their internship work, which is funded by the grant. The internships are located within various areas and units on campus, based on the students’ interests. Each year, sites are chosen based on their capacity to accommodate students in this program. As a result, there is a new set of internship placements each year. “The internship supervisors are challenged to think about how their offices or units can support the Latinx student population,” said Gil.

IU Indianapolis students have been placed in areas such as the Admissions Office, the Multicultural Center, the Financial Aid Office, Paws Pantry, Paws Closet, and within recruitment teams at specific schools.

Resources at the Multicultural Center

At the IU Indianapolis campus, every P2C student takes part in program activities at the IU Indianapolis Multicultural Center.

Cecelia Gomez, Latinx Student Service Specialist, IU Indianapolis Multicultural Center

IU alumna Cecelia Gomez works with the P2C students as the Latinx student service specialist at the Multicultural Center. Gil said, “Cecelia Gomez earned her master’s degree on our campus and now she’s working professionally with us at the Multicultural Center. I’m really excited that she’s with us!”

Gomez works with the students daily, engaging in activities that provide support, such as time management and resume preparation. She also organizes workshops with Eli Lilly, aiming to help students secure internships at Lilly by the end of the year. Additionally, she advises the Latino Student Association, which is IU Indianapolis’s largest Latino serving student group on our campus, according to Gil.

College and career coaching at ILI

All P2C students have the chance to collaborate with ILI monthly. ILI provides a college and career coach for students to meet with regularly. They also bring in speakers to share information about community events, offer professional development activities, and provide a space for students to discuss campus life, personal matters, and classroom experiences. “Just again, another network of support for our students,” said Gil.

“There’s a lot that they’ll be involved in, and it’s going to require our students to balance their time and energy,” said Gil. “Many students in this program will participate in an internship, have a part-time job, and be full-time students. So, they’re very dedicated, involved, engaged, and are leaders in themselves,” Gil adds.

ILI also creates opportunities for students to come together for events in the community. For example, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra ensemble “Latin Fire” brought in a conductor from Latin America. ILI provided the opportunity for all cohorts to attend, meet and talk to the conductor before the concert, and then stay for the concert.

Strength of this partnership

A unique strength of P2C is that partner campuses collaborate to achieve a common goal of helping Latinx students graduate from college with internship experience. “The fact that three universities (IU Indianapolis, Ivy Tech, and Marian) are working to help increase student graduation across our campuses is unique,” said Gil. Although each respective university is attempting to attract the same students, they collaborate through P2C to share what has worked for the university and its students.

Another strength is that through the grant, P2C supports the campus’ effort to recruit and retain Latinx students in general. Thanks to effective recruitment and retention strategies at IU Indianapolis, the percent of Latino/Hispanic students on campus has increased to 11.6% of the total student population in 2023. P2C is committed to supporting Latinx students as they work towards graduation and future opportunities.

“An added strength to our retention efforts is that students work within their cohort,” added Gil. “It’s an additional resource and support as they work towards completing their educational goals.”

Program and student success

“One thing we can say is that our P2C students have remained at the university,” said Gil. While personal or family reasons may lead some students to withdraw, the program has successfully retained at least four out of five students each year, according to Gil.

Clarissa Vazquez Hernandez, P2C student (IU Indianapolis cohort #1) and Latino Student Association President

Several P2C students within the IU Indianapolis cohort have taken on leadership roles in student groups on campus. Clarissa Vazquez Hernandez, student from P2C’s first IU Indianapolis Cohort serves as the Latino Student Association President.

“The P2C program was one of the most eye opening and greatest accomplishments I’ve ever done,” said Hernandez. “It opened my door to many connections and inspired me to no longer be afraid to speak up and continue forward on my journey to become a doctor. This program gave me the courage to strive and continue sharing my stories to others who look just like me,” she added.

Other IU Indianapolis P2C students have moved into such leadership roles as the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and Alliance for Immigrant Justice.

IU Indianapolis Cohort Partnerships

The engagement between the IU Indianapolis cohort and internal campus units has been critical to P2C’s success.

The IU Indianapolis Latinx community, including alumni, community organizations, students, faculty, and staff, held a welcome back social at Taylor Hall during Weeks of Welcome. The photo was taken on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Liz Kaye/Indiana University)

Brian Benedict, Assistant Director for Internships, IU Indianapolis Campus Career and Advising Services Office

The IU Indianapolis Career and Advising Services office has effectively kept P2C students informed about available career and internship opportunities, as well as activities sponsored by the Lilly Foundation. “Brian Benedict, assistant director for internships in the IU Indianapolis Campus Career and Advising Services office, has been incredibly helpful in Career Services,” said Gil. “He has also done an excellent job maintaining our partnership with Eli Lilly,” she adds.

Alyssa Luna, English and Spanish Speaking Admissions Counselor, IU Indianapolis Office of Undergraduate Admissions

The grant also supports work by Alyssa Luna, an English and Spanish speaking admissions counselor at the IU Indianapolis Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and her team to collaborate with partners to organize and execute recruitment and student events as well as staff and student development programs.

The Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) is a 501(c)3 statewide non-profit organization committed to serving Latino communities across Indiana. Applications for the 2025-2026 Pathways to Careers cohort will be available in spring 2025.To learn more about the Pathways to Careers (P2C) program, visit the website.

IU Indianapolis Season of Giving supports families in need during the holiday season

Posted on October 29, 2024 by tfrancis

The IU Indianapolis Office of Community Engagement invites faculty, staff, and students to spread holiday cheer and joy to families in our community by participating in the Season of Giving program. For over twenty years, IU Indianapolis (which transitioned from IUPUI in July 2024) has supported numerous struggling families during the holidays.

This annual program pairs sponsors with families in the community who wish to receive gifts during the holiday season. We collaborate with community partners, Christamore House and Hawthorne Community Center, to gather wish lists from participating families.

This year, our goal is to assist 100 families. Each sponsor is expected to spend a minimum of $75 per person and will receive a list of interests for each family member, which may include toys, clothing, and household items. Sponsors will also receive additional details regarding the gifts and drop-off procedures.

Gifts are being loaded onto Stuart’s Moving & Storage truck to be taken to the community centers.

Tuesday, December 3, is collection day, when we will collect all gifts in the Taylor Courtyard in front of the Multicultural Center between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. Our community partners manage the distribution of gifts to their families.

Registration is open to all faculty, staff, and students! Departments, schools, and student organizations are encouraged to register as groups. Many groups participate in the Season of Giving program as a collaborative way to support our neighbors and their families.

The deadline to sign up as a sponsor for the Season of Giving program is Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. Sign up today! For more information, contact Richard Bray at richbray@iu.edu.

Be an educated voter

Posted on October 16, 2024 by jrboehm

First, let’s make a plan to vote. In Indiana, you have a couple options. If you are registered to vote out of state, visit vote.org for information about voting in your state.

In Indiana you must:

Be registered to vote by October 7, 2024
Vote in the county in which you are registered.
Present a valid ID when voting in person (Crimson Cards are valid IDs in Indiana).

Your options for when and where to vote include:

Vote early between October 8 and November 4 at noon. The locations for voting vary by county (see indianavoters.com). In Marion County the only early voting location between October 8-25 is at the City-County Building, 200 East Washington Street, in Indianapolis. On October 26 additional vote centers open up around the county.
Request an absentee ballot by October 24. You must meet certain criteria in order to request an absentee ballot. Once you receive your ballot it must be received by the election office (not mailed) by election day, November 5.
Vote on election day on November 5. Polls are open 6 am – 6 pm. You can vote at any vote center in the county in which you are registered. If you are registered in Marion County you can vote at University Library on the second floor.

Now that you’re registered to vote and know when and how you will vote, do you know what will be on your ballot?

Indiana voters can go to indianavoters.com and look for the ‘Who’s on the ballot’ icon. Out-of-state voters can go to BallotReady or vote411.org. Simply enter your address and select the November 5, 2024 election and it will show you everything that will appear on your ballot when you go to vote.

How can you learn more about the candidates, judges or issues?

Local News

Many local news sources will cover candidates and often will provide questionnaires or interview them. In central Indiana, those news sources include the local television stations, Indianapolis Star, the Indianapolis Business Journal, Indianapolis Recorder, La Voz de Indiana, MirrorIndy , Indiana Capital Chronicle, WFYI, Chalkbeat Indiana and more. Visit their websites or follow them on social media to get updates on their coverage.

Debates

Debates can also be very informative in learning candidates’ views on issues. If you missed a debate, you can often find a recording later.

The Presidential debate was held on September 10, the Vice Presidential debate was held on October 1. Indiana Gubernatorial debates were held on October 2 on FOX 59/CBS4, on October 3 on WISHTV, and October 24 on stations across the state and indianadebatecommission.com.

The IU Public Policy Institute organized a gubernatorial forum with the three candidates for Governor. You can watch the videos of the interviews.

Indiana Attorney General Debate will be streamed on FOX59 at 7:30am and CBS4 and at 9:30am on October 13. A U.S. Senate debate was held on October 29.

Chalkbeat Indiana has a host of voter guides for school board elections in Marion County. An Indianapolis Public Schools candidate debate was held on October 8^th at 6pm hosted by WYFI at the Central Library. For other school board races, look at local media or search for endorsements of candidates to inform your vote.

Issue Organizations

Another way to approach the research is to focus on what issues are most important to you and identify organizations active on that issue that might rate or review candidates. One of the challenges with this approach is that they often only rate incumbents and not challengers.

Judicial Retention

Whether to retain someone as a judge is often one of the most challenging questions on a ballot to research. The Indiana Courts does post profiles of the Indiana Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges who are up for retention. And here is an overview of the retention process.

Marion County Judicial Selection Committee released their findings of the judges up for retention. See their findings here and here. The Indianapolis Bar Association also released a poll of attorneys on whether the Marion Superior Court Candidates should be retained.

Information Literacy

If you are concerned about deciphering truth from fiction when researching candidates, you might be interested in completing the Canvas module on Information Literacy or using the SIFT method – stop, investigate the source, find trusted coverage, and trace claims, quotes and media back to the original context.

This blog post will be updated as more information and resources become available.

Indiana University K-12 Student Success Corps report shows academic success statewide

Posted on September 9, 2024 by tfrancis

IU K-12 SSC tutor/mentor working with a small group of elementary school students.

Between the 2021 and 2024 academic years, the Indiana University K-12 Student Success Corps (IU K-12 SSC) served nearly 2,500 students statewide, resulting in improved academic and social-emotional outcomes, their recently released 2021-24 Impact Report shows.

IU K-12 SSC assists students in grades K-12 with free in-person or virtual tutoring, mentoring and college and career readiness programming. Created in 2016 as the Indiana KIDS program (the name changed in 2020), IU K-12 SSC employs Indiana University students from IU Indianapolis (transitioned from IUPUI in 2024), IU South Bend, IU East, and IU Southeast and community members that include retired teachers as tutor/mentors.

About the program

IU K-12 SSC is home to three free tutoring and mentoring programs: grade 6-12 virtual evening sessions, grade K-12 in-person sessions, and the grade K-6 in-person Young Scholars pilot program.

An IU K-12 SSC tutor/mentor serving in an online session.

During the academic school year, the virtual evening program provides tutoring and mentoring online and by phone to any Indiana student in grades 6-12. A program coordinator works closely with each student’s caregiver to identify academic areas of need and matches the student with skilled tutors and mentors who assist in math, language arts, science, and social studies. Students also learn about careers, college goals, navigating obstacles, and positive decision making.

IU K-12 SSC tutor/mentor serving in-person with an elementary grade student.

The K-12 in-person program provides tutoring and mentoring in schools and community centers in Indianapolis, South Bend, Richmond, and New Albany to support math, language arts, science, and social studies. Principals partner with teachers to identify students who need academic support and academic materials are provided to meet the students’ needs. IU K-12 SSC uses research-based academic strategies in tutoring sessions while also providing tutors and mentors with professional development in areas such as managing student behavior, addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and providing culturally responsive tutoring strategies. The program uses small groups and individualized instruction to respond to students’ learning needs.

The Young Scholars Program is a two-year pilot program launched in October 2022 at two Indianapolis Public Schools – Robert Lee Frost School 106 and Theodore Potter School 74. At these schools, tutor/mentors provide face-to-face, high-dosage tutoring and social emotional learning interventions for students in grades K-6. They build relationships with students during the school day for 30 minutes, two to three times a week, to address learning setbacks in reading. Tutor/mentors implement professional development strategies learned from the Orton Gillingham phonics-based curriculum, as well as mentoring students in positive behavior choices, addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for social emotional wellbeing, and incorporating culturally-responsive tutoring strategies for meaningful and relevant connections.

The Young Scholars program uses the looping approach to connect students tutored in the first year of the program with the same tutor/mentor in the second school year. Looping provides continuation of the relationship established between the student and tutor/mentor, helping to build trust and rapport.

IU K-12 SSC parents and caregivers attending an IU K-12 SSC workshop.

“Research has shown that keeping teachers with students over more than a one-year period helps them to be academically successful,” said Latosha Rowley, Young Scholars program manager. The program found that many students had improved behavior as a result of having an additional caring adult who was part of their school experience.

Enrolled students and their caregivers are invited to participate in workshops that support learning. Topics include literacy development, college and career readiness, student study habits, and college campus tours.

Students show academic growth and improvement

The strength of the IU K-12 SSC program is that students across gender, ethnicity and grade levels are having academic success. “This program works for all students,” said Mary Louise Bewley, Young Scholars school liaison.

Infographic Between August 2021 and April 2024, IU K-12 SSC programming served at total of 2,472 students. The in-person program served 146 Indiana elementary (15), middle (54), and high (77) schools in addition to (4) community sites in Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis), South Bend (IU South Bend), New Albany (IU Southeast), and Richmond (IU East).

Tutors/mentors provided a total of 23,929 hours in tutoring and mentoring to enrolled K-12 students statewide from years 2021 to 2024 (including the IU Young Scholars and Virtual Evening programs), indicating a high degree of engagement between students and tutor/mentors. Following the sessions, 82% of students were reported to be able to move forward independently or with some guidance. An outstanding 90% of students actively participated and stayed engaged throughout each session.

In the Virtual Evening program, 230 students from 109 schools were served by phone or online with a total number of 3,745 tutoring and mentoring sessions from 2021-24. More than 96% of caregivers reported, based on qualitative program data, that the tutoring and mentoring their children received in the Virtual Evening program had a very significant positive impact on their academic and social/emotional growth. This impact included improved grades and test scores, increased confidence and self-esteem, reduced anxiety, better study habits, and positive attitudes toward learning. The program has also been demonstrated to have long-lasting benefits.

In 2023-24, the Young Scholars pilot program found students in the program showed an 83% increase in Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) scores for both pilot schools, demonstrating the program’s positive effects on academic growth and achievement.

Based on surveys received from teachers at the end of the school year, 89% thought the IU K-12 SSC program had improved their student’s literacy skills. Most teachers reported the tutors/mentors had a positive impact on students’ behavior.

Program impacts tutors and mentors too

College students from various IU campuses, community members, and former educators served as tutor/mentors in the program. Many were bilingual with proficient Spanish skills.

“The IU K-12 SSC experience encouraged two tutor/mentors to take a different career path – EDUCATION!,” said Crystal Clark, IU K-12 SSC program manager. After graduating from Indiana University this year, two IU K-12 SSC tutor/mentors were hired as middle school teachers working in Indianapolis.

Melanie Martindale, a biology major, graduated in May 2024 intending to study pre-med but shifted her career path to education. Martindale applied for the Transition to Teaching program at IU Indianapolis and accepted a 7th grade science teacher position at IPS William Penn School #49 for the 2024-2025 school year.

Emma White, another May 2024 graduate who holds a master’s degree in public health, also shifted her career path to education. White was accepted into Teach for America (the Summer 2024 cohort) and accepted a middle school science teacher position at Arlington Community Middle School.

Faith Odiete, the IUPUI 2024 undergraduate commencement speaker served as a tutor/mentor in the 2023-2024 school year. As an IU K-12 SSC tutor/mentor, Faith supported first graders at IPS James Whitcomb Riley School 43 and students at Crispus Attucks High School. She plans to continue her role as a tutor/mentor, returning to James Whitcomb Riley School 43 to support the same group of students as second graders. (Photo by Liz Kaye/Indiana University)

Praise from parents and caregivers

“The program has significantly increased the grades and confidence of my two students. My daughter’s grade went from a C to a B. My son hated math and his grades corresponded with his dislike. This last quarter my son has been receiving B’s in math and more importantly he has been excited to do his math homework. He looks forward to meeting with his tutor.”– IU K-12 SSC parent/caregiver

“It’s nice to see my child’s confidence blossom, which is not easy to capture in the data, but if you’re physically there it is very rewarding.” – IU K-12 SSC parent/caregiver

“I loved the coordinator’s willingness to work with my scholar’s schedule and the flexibility of his tutors. The coordinator made sure I understood the process and worked with my schedule to ensure my scholar was scheduled with a tutor who best suited his academic needs.” – IU K-12 SSC parent/caregiver

“This program is amazing. My son has ADHD and situational anxiety and even though he has an IEP through the high school he doesn’t get the one-on-one help that he needs all the time. Since starting this tutoring program, he has been able to bring his grade up from an F and maintains a C+ to a B+ last semester and this semester. The high school has tutoring options, but it costs money and it’s something my family cannot afford at this time. This program being free has allowed my son an opportunity that we were not able to find anywhere else within the public school. Having the tutoring through the IUSSC was the only help we could find for our son with his math struggles. Having help once or twice a week allowed him to gain the knowledge he needed to bring his grades up and pass the class.” – IU K-12 SSC parent/caregiver

IUSSC tutor/mentor working with an elementary school student.

“Tutoring has had a tremendous impact regarding my daughter’s academic achievements. The skills, lessons, and accountability have helped her maintain her highest GPA in her academic career. Tutoring has had a tremendous impact on her success as a student. Most importantly, her confidence and understanding has improved. That has reflected in better test taking and grades. The skills that she learns from tutoring in math carry over in other subjects as well.” – IU K-12 SSC parent/caregiver

“When I say that I appreciate all that you have done for us I mean it. This tutoring program has improved my child’s mental health, academic standing, and her confidence in herself in ways that I could not have dreamed possible.” – IU K-12 SSC parent/caregiver

Appreciation from teachers and administration

“I want to extend our appreciation for the exceptional support that has been provided by the IUSSC tutors over the last two years. I have been extremely impressed with every one of the student tutors as they have made a significant and positive impact on our school community. Our students not only have benefited from their academic guidance but also behavioral as well. The tutors’ willingness to go above and beyond to support our students in whatever ways necessary has not gone unnoticed. They lead stations, provide engaging activities, support transitions, participate in parent/teacher conferences, and contribute to a safe and nurturing learning environment. The genuine connections they have built with our students and staff have made a significant, positive impact. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. We deeply appreciate your time and commitment and are truly grateful to have you as partner of our school.” – Principal Kevin McMahan, IPS Jonathan Jennings School 109

“I’ve been in IPS for quite a while (22 years!) and this is the most beneficial outside program I’ve seen. The tutors who work with my students have been nothing short of wonderful. They show up every day they are supposed to be here, they are always on time, they are friendly and approachable, and they’re making a difference. I have tutoring students who were getting straight F’s on their spelling tests, missing every word, who are now consistently getting A’s. All of my tutoring students have shown growth both academically and socially. The tutors consistently check in with me and ask what I’d like them to work on. All in all, I just can’t say enough about how beneficial this program is. Thank you for everything you’re doing! – 2^nd grade teacher Elizabeth Clayton, IPS Robert Lee Frost School 106

Comments from tutor/mentor

Tutor/mentors serving at IU K-12 SSC family engagement event.

“Serving as a tutor/mentor has impacted me by allowing me to see the reach of my university beyond providing college students with an education. The Young Scholars Program serves communities and families, and it reminds me that I have skills and knowledge to share with the community.” – Dawn, IU Indianapolis student

As IU K-12 SSC looks to the future, they are evaluating their work and identifying funding sources. For more information about partnering with the Indiana University K-12 Student Success Corps (IU K-12 SSC), contact sscp@iu.edu or call 317-278-2000.

Old Southside neighborhood history showcased in new apartment building

Posted on September 5, 2024 by tfrancis

Dr. Susan B. Hyatt standing next to two display boards included in the Old Southside Neighborhood Art & History Exhibit.

The Old Southside Neighborhood Art & History Exhibit, curated by Dr. Susan B. Hyatt, professor emerita of Anthropology at the IU School of Liberal Arts in Indianapolis, was on display on August 28, 2024, at the grand opening of the Rise on Meridian Apartments, located in the historic Old Southside area of Indianapolis.

The exhibit presents six themes illustrating the history of the Old Southside neighborhood, including “Jewish Migration,” “African American Migration,” “I-70 Splits the Neighborhood,” “The Institutions,” “The Businesses,” and “A Neighborhood Reunited.”

History and research of the Old Southside of Indianapolis

“The Neighborhood of Saturdays: Memories of a Multi-Ethnic Community on Indianapolis’ Southside” book cover.

Dr. Hyatt directed a university-community collaborative research project called “The Neighborhood of Saturdays” to explore the histories of Jewish immigrants from Europe and African Americans from the South to what used to be one of the most multi-ethnic neighborhoods in Indianapolis. “By 1890 Indianapolis’ near Southside was densely populated and had the highest percentage of foreign-born residents of any district in the city,” her research showed.

IU Indianapolis students conducted oral history interviews and archival research to recreate a portrait of this distinctive area in Indianapolis. The Department of Anthropology at the IU School of Liberal Arts in Indianapolis worked in partnership with several community-based organizations, including the Concord Neighborhood Center, Etz Chaim Sephardic Congregation, South Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, the Southside Picnic Committee, the Old Southside Neighborhood Association, and the Stadium Village Business Association.

In 2010, this collaborative research resulted in the publication of “The Neighborhood of Saturdays: Memories of a Multi-Ethnic Community on Indianapolis’ Southside.” The book features oral histories, photographs, and other memorabilia from African-American and Jewish elders who were former residents of Indianapolis’ Near Southside, collected by IU Indianapolis Anthropology students.

New apartment building honors the history of its neighborhood

TWG real estate development, construction, and management company honors the history of the neighborhood where their new Rise on Meridian apartment building is located by installing several display boards based on “The Neighborhood of Saturdays” that describe the businesses and culture that existed in the area. Visit the building at 915 South Meridian Street to take a look at the displays and the building.

Dr. Jeremy Price Named Faculty Fellow in the Office of Community Engagement

Posted on September 5, 2024 by jrboehm

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Jeremy F. Price has been appointed as a Faculty Fellow in the Indiana University Indianapolis Office of Community Engagement. This appointment recognizes Dr. Price’s contributions to community-engaged scholarship and his dedication to fostering equitable and inclusive learning environments.

About Dr. Jeremy Price

Portrait of Dr. Jeremy Price — Dr. Jeremy Price

Dr. Price is an Associate Professor of Technology, Innovation, and Pedagogy in Urban Education at the Indiana University Indianapolis School of Education. Until August 31, 2024, he served as the Director of the Collaborative for Equitable and Inclusive STEM Learning (CEISL). As a community-engaged public scholar-collaborator, Dr. Price is deeply invested in building capacity and capital in educational settings for marginalized and minoritized youth and communities. He led CEISL to forge and sustain partnerships with schools and families on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis and across the state.

His work focuses on preparing educators to use technology for just, equitable, and inclusive purposes that honor learners, their identities, and their communities. Dr. Price is also committed to providing educators with opportunities to examine and discuss critical topics such as race, religion, hate, and extremism.

A Vision for Community Engagement

Dr. Price’s approach to community engagement is rooted in the belief that meaningful change occurs at the intersection of families, communities, and schools. He works to co-construct social, cultural, and material infrastructures that sustain relationships, open lines of communication, and drive positive change.

In his own words, Dr. Price states, “What gets me up in the morning is the process of working within and across networks that converge at a place to co-construct infrastructures to facilitate more inclusive, equitable, effective, and meaningful learning environments.”

Fellowship Priorities

As a Faculty Fellow in the Office of Community Engagement, Dr. Price will focus on several key priorities:

Carnegie Community Engagement Reclassification: The campus is applying for reclassification for the Carnegie Community Engagement designation. Dr. price will be assisting with data curation, analysis, and writing for the application, which is due April 1, 2025.
CEnTR*IMPACT Implementation: Working with 3-5 community-engaged scholars to evaluate their projects using the Community Engaged and Transformative Research Inclusive Measurement of Projects and Community Transformation (CEnTR*IMPACT) metrics developed by Dr. Price.
CEnTR*SEEK Development: Continuing to develop the Community Engaged and Transformative Research System for Extracting Engaged Knowledge (CEnTR*SEEK), a machine learning system to identify community-engaged research efforts across Indiana University.
CUMU Community Engagement Huddle: Leading a Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) Community Engagement Huddle in 2025, focusing on institutional supports for community-engaged research efforts.
IU Community Engagement Institutes: Helping plan the IU Community Engagement Virtual Institute in Fall 2024 and the in-person IU Community Engagement Institute in Spring 2025.

Alignment with the IU 2030 Strategic Plan

Dr. Price’s appointment as a Faculty Fellow and his commitment to community-engaged and collaborative participatory research aligns closely with the IU Indianapolis (IUI) 2030 Strategic Plan. This alignment underscores IUI’s dedication to fostering meaningful partnerships with local communities and advancing impactful, collaborative research initiatives. Dr. Price’s expertise and dedication will contribute significantly to strengthening the university’s ties with local communities and advancing the field of community-engaged scholarship in line with the strategic goals outlined in the IU 2030 plan.

Are you ready for election season?

Posted on September 4, 2024 by jrboehm

In preparation for the upcoming election season, several resources are available for faculty, staff and students to promote voter registration and voting across the campus.

First, let’s look at some data about student voting at IU Indianapolis (IUI). IUI participates in the Election Day is November 5. Register to vote by October 7. Request an absentee ballot by October 24. National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLVE), which matches our student information with voting records and produces reports on voter registration and voting. In 2020, the last presidential election, 86.1% of students were registered to vote, and 79.3% of those registered actually voted, giving us a voting rate of 68.3%. That voting rate dropped markedly, to 27.1%, two years ago when only state and local elections were on the ballot. If you’d like to explore this data further, including breakdowns by discipline, the reports are posted on the Office of Community Engagement website.

Earlier this year, Chancellor Ramchand recommitted to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) American Democracy Project, a non-partisan initiative to ‘instill all students with knowledge and skills, preparing them to be informed and engaged global citizens, empowered to create a more just society and world.’ To that end, a number of resources are available to increase student voter registration and voter education. They include:

Voter registration and engagement information on the Office of Community Engagement website and linked in one.iu.edu
An Election Engagement module in Canvas that covers voter registration and voting
A political and civic engagement calendar of events
A website developed by the Center for Service and Learning with resources for civics in the curriculum
An Information Literacy module in Canvas
Civic Engagement Assistants in Student Affairs who are available to provide information or present on how to vote, civil discourse, understanding government and more
@IUIJagsVote on Instagram. Follow for the latest on events, including voter registration tabling, a Day of Democracy event on September 12, a National Voter Registration Day and Constitution Day on September 17, and a Voter Registration Bash on October 1.
University Library will serve as a vote center on election day for voters registered in Marion County. Poll hours are 6 am to 6 pm.

Key dates for the upcoming 2024 election are:

October 7: Deadline to register to vote in Indiana
October 8 – November 4 at noon: Early voting in Indiana
October 24: Deadline to request an absentee ballot in Indiana
November 5: Election Day, polls open 6 am to 6 pm

Which offices will be on your ballot can vary by where you live, but most likely will include:

President & Vice President
U.S. Senator
U.S. House of Representatives
Indiana Governor & Lt. Governor
Attorney General
Indiana Senator
Indiana House of Representatives
County Treasurer
County Surveyor
County Coroner
School Board
Township Board
A number of judge retention questions

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IU Indianapolis students join Shepherd Community Center in the work to end generational poverty

Posted on September 4, 2024 by tfrancis

Donna Alexander (blue sweatshirt), director of volunteer engagement at Shepherd Community Center, working with student volunteers.

For over a decade, IU Indianapolis (IUI) students have served at the Sheperd Community Center to support their mission of eradicating generational poverty on the Near Eastside.

Shepherd Community Center, established in 1985, is a Christ-centered non-profit organization on Indianapolis’ Near Eastside that helps children and families break the cycle of poverty by meeting their physical, emotional, spiritual, and academic needs. Shepherd Community Center serves individuals and families on the Near Eastside across various ages and phases of life as individuals transition from poverty to stability.

About the Shepherd Community Center

Shepherd Community Center takes a holistic approach to alleviating poverty, grounded in a Christ-centered life of faith, with a posture of humility. The community center, located at 4107 East Washington Street, recognizes that there is no simple remedy for breaking the cycle of generational poverty, whether it is systematic or situational. For this reason, their relationship-based model focuses on ten fundamental assets: faith, health, support, stability, skills, models, advocacy, knowledge, future, and income.

The community center serves anyone who lives in the 46201 and 46203 zip codes that make up the Near Eastside of Indianapolis. Care for individuals and families is available year-round through the center’s broad spectrum of programs, including support for mothers and babies, the preschool and K-5 primary schools, the 1st-12th grade after-school and summer programs, scholarships, mentor support, access to food and healthcare, various types of counseling, public safety support, housing, and more.

IU Indianapolis Students play an important role in Center

Academic support and volunteer engagement have played a pivotal role in the partnership between IU Indianapolis and the Shepherd Community Center.

Andrew Green, assistant executive director at Shepherd Community Center.

Throughout this partnership, IU Indianapolis (which transitioned from IUPUI in 2024) students provided support to Shepherd through master’s level community and capstone projects. Shepherd’s assistant executive director, Andrew Green identified a “significant project” from 2017 that involved a capstone project involving various groups of master’s level students. The project developed a survey so Shepherd could hear from and understand the needs of the Near East community. Students assisted in the creation of the surveys, the collection of information through door-to-door visits, and the analysis of survey data. “It was a huge help to us,” Green added. The survey was used for several years.

Donna Alexander, the director of volunteer engagement, recalls a meaningful volunteer connection that was initiated by Natalie Back, a former Bridges International Ambassador staff member at IUI, who reached out to Shepherd about bringing a group of students to volunteer at Shepherd Community Center. The IUI students read to youth, assembled weekend packs of food for students to take home on Fridays, and assisted in the food pantry. The group came to volunteer in 2019 and again in 2021. “The students were very helpful and gracious in helping with the Academy here at Shepherd Community,” Alexander said.

Donna Alexander working with student volunteers.

Another student, Carissa, brought her IUI volleyball team to serve at Shepherd. “The group of ladies were very helpful in assisting with the set up for one of the largest events we hold each year, the Christmas Store,” said Alexander. Following their initial experience serving with their team, several members returned to Shepherd on their own at different times for volunteer opportunities.

A substantial portion of these volunteer experiences were spent at the K-5 Shepherd Community Academy, a Christ-centered primary school that promotes each child’s physical, emotional, academic, and spiritual growth. “Having the IUPUI students to work with our Academy children was a big help,” said Green. “Having other interested people come and be a positive influence and build relationships with Academy children is a very important part of our programs at Shepherd Community.”

Shepherd highlights and impact

In partnership with Gleaners food bank, Shepherd staff and volunteers participate in weekly food deliveries to neighbors who are most in need. “We have the opportunity to increase food access for our neighbors by delivering food to those who are home bound,” said Green.

Volunteers serving in the food pantry outside of Shepherd Community Center.

“Additionally, we are excited about our new enrichment programs that involve our STEM lab and mobile Tinker Trailer,” said Green. The STEM lab is referred to as a “maker space,” where individuals can develop items including electronics, crafts such as Legos, IT/tech projects, and more. The Tinker Trailer is the portable lab that they bring into the community and offers similar types of projects. Students are also invited to use the maker space during the school day, after school, or during the summer to develop projects. “We are giving kids the opportunity to create and use their imaginations,” Green said.

Shepherd connects with families and individuals from the Near Eastside through various partner schools, community events, and social media. Families and individuals also reach out to Shepherd to connect and get plugged into opportunities. According to their 2023 year in review, “across all programming, services, events, and engagements, Shepherd Community Center served and built intentional relationships with 10,819 unique individuals, including children, students, seniors, and adults in our neighborhoods.”

Process of recruiting volunteers

Adult volunteer reading a book to children in a classroom setting.

Throughout this partnership, Shepherd has offered numerous volunteer opportunities to students, staff, and groups from the university. On occasion, the university has initiated contact with Shepherd regarding volunteer or academic opportunities.

According to Alexander, IU Indianapolis students and organizations have also helped Shepherd recruit more volunteers by spreading the word about the organization and their volunteer experiences.

“Some of the best practices we have observed and believe are effective in helping students have not only a good volunteer experience, but to promote service as a part of their futures is incorporating the Poverty 101 curriculum from Shepherd,” said Green. Volunteers, businesses, and churches use this curriculum to gain a better understanding of what poverty looks like in the communities that Shepherd serves. “Through helping students learn about the way people think and operate in poverty closes the gap between people,” Green concludes.

Serve at Shepherd Community

Shepherd offers summer internships and year-long fellowships that provide the opportunity to train and form deep relationships with Near Eastside neighbors. Both programs are residential and require a background check. Summer internships pay $2000 for 8 weeks. Fellowships pay a $20,000 stipend for 12 months. Learn more about internships and fellowships.

If you or your group desire to make a meaningful difference in helping to end generational poverty, fill out the volunteer form. All volunteers are welcome.