As we round out the academic year, we want to congratulate several faculty, staff and students who have recently received awards for their engagement with the community.
Herron School of Art and Design professor Youngbok Hong received the Indiana University Thomas Ehrlich Award for Excellence in Service Learning. Hong actively engages with Indianapolis organizations using her expertise in design to address challenges they face. She has partnered with the Latino Health Organization of Indianapolis as a member of the academic team developing the Your Life. Your Story: Latino Youth Summit (YLYS). YLYS is a summer youth day camp aimed at reducing the mental health disparities that affect Latino youth. Hong has served as a consultant for the city of Indianapolis in a partnership between the Herron School, the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the Department of Metropolitan Development to foster a more blended approach to public service design and processes. She has also collaborated with the Indiana Governor’s office and the SENSE Charter School to develop an intervention program for children in early elementary school at high risk for opioid abuse.
School of Health and Human Sciences associate professor Katie Stanton-Nichols received the IUPUI Chancellor’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement. Stanton-Nichols is a committed practitioner-scholar and university citizen with a deep commitment to insuring inclusive education and mobility for all. Her teaching, research, public and institutional research service are rooted in her personal and academic interests to remove barriers to participation for individuals with developmental disabilities through adaptive education. In the Motor Activity Clinic she created, kinesiology students get hands-on experience working with Indianapolis-area families and youth with disabilities.
School of Medicine staff Nicole (Niki) Messmore received the Nan Bohan Community Engagement Award. Niki is the Program Director for Community and Civic Engagement in the Medical Student Education department where she co-instructs a School of Medicine service learning course as well as organizing service projects in the community and civic engagement opportunities for medical students. She goes above and beyond to create partnerships and programming that prepare students for their professions as well as being active citizens.
The Indianapolis Public Library received the Chancellor’s Community Partner Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement. IUPUI schools and units have partnered with the Indianapolis Public Library on numerous projects that address our shared goals of enriching residents’ desire for personal growth and learning, and strengthening Indianapolis neighborhoods and businesses. One example of such a project is with the School of Education where they are collaborating to provide early learning experiences for Indianapolis’ youngest children. The movement is actively joining community efforts to close educational achievement gaps at all levels.
As part of the Bringle and Hatcher Civic Engagement Showcase, 24 undergraduate and graduate students received the Plater Medallion for their exemplary commitment to their communities during their years as an IUPUI student. Take a moment to read a little about their truly impressive involvement with volunteerism, social issue advocacy and political engagement activities in addition to their academic excellence.