A Season of Change—From the Executive Director Thank you,

Fairfield University!

For hosting CTCC the past five years and stabilizing our

organization by providing thoughtful and consistent oversight, leadership and

management. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Compact Initiatives…………..…...2-7 Member Activities…………….…..8-9 Member Achievements…….…….10

From left to right: President Jeffrey von arx and Melissa Quan from Fairfield University, President Anna Wasescha from Middlesex Community College, and Executive Director Matt Farley from CTCC

About Connecticut Campus Compact Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents dedicated to advancing the public purposes and civic mission of colleges and universities. With a national office and 34 state affiliates including Connecticut, Campus Compact promotes community engagement that develops students’ civic learning and commitment; assists campuses forge effective, reciprocal community partnerships; and positions higher education to be a vital contributor to our communities and democracy. Thirty colleges and universities in Connecticut – public and private – are members of Connecticut Campus Compact, making our position and reach in Connecticut unique.

In Review August | Volume 2, Issue 1

Welcome to our reconstituted newsletter, In Review! This newsletter will provide a more in-depth look at the activities and accomplishments occurring within CTCC and our members. Constantly learning, celebrating, and innovating our practice remains vital in our network, and I hope this newsletter can be a component of our individual and collective growth process. CTCC is deeply committed to institutional and community transformation, but before we can have a significant impact on others we must transform our own way of being – and change is the theme of our season! By mid-fall of 2014, the other two positions in CTCC, Program Coordinator and VISTA Leader, will change, bringing new perspectives and experiences to our work. CTCC’s host campus has recently moved from Fairfield University to the University of Connecticut — Greater Hartford Campus. Fairfield University played an instrumental role in strengthening CTCC and UConn stands committed to keep the momentum! I am grateful for the generosity and support both institutions have shown. And finally, CTCC will embark on a strategic planning process during this academic year, which will guide us towards seeking to achieve our mission of educating citizens and building communities. Under the leadership of our new chair Anna Wasescha, President of Middlesex Community College, and CTCC’s revised board of directors will oversee the new planning process. Over the last 2 years, higher education and civic engagement has seen a dramatic increase and deeper understanding of involving students in service, engaged scholarship, community based learning, and academic service-learning. Last year, Connecticut’s colleges and universities involved 18,000+ students in academic service-learning and 17,000+ students in volunteer service activities who contributed 1.8 million+ hours in service valued at approximately $50 million in services to our citizens. These summary statistics demonstrate the ever growing and evolving community engagement efforts in Connecticut. I look forward to partnering with you on strengthening and expanding our work with a focus on educating citizens and building communities across our great state of Connecticut. Sincerely,

Matt Farley, Executive Director

By: UConn Office of Public Engagement February 28, 2014

At the end of February, experts and scholars from universities across the nation gathered for an annual meeting in Storrs. UConn played host to the assembly of academics, which comprise The Research University Civic Engagement Network (TRUCEN), with all secretarial efforts completed by from Campus Compact. Formally founded in 2008, TRUCEN is a project with a clear and determined purpose. TRUCEN’s overall mission is to improve universities’ relations with local communities, but the collection of schools and colleges achieve much more than that. Working towards advancing civic engagement and engaged scholarship among research universities, TRUCEN is motivated to create resources and models for use across high education. Three years after joining the initiative, UConn was selected to host the 2014 TRUCEN Conference. Welcoming

deans, vice provosts, and center directors from other member universities, UConn’s conference was proven to be one of TRUCEN’s most productive forums yet. UConn’s Preston Britner, Professor at the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and Phillip E. Austin Endowed Chair, commented, “The joint presentations by faculty, staff, students, and community partners sent a powerful message about collaboration.” He added, “In addition, some of the outcome data from rigorous studies demonstrated the impact of our programs and partnerships.” The Rome Ballroom in South Campus was filled with attendees on Friday, February 28th for the beginning of this year’s proceedings. After an introduction by UConn’s Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Sally Reis, a number of UConn staff members proceeded to present current engagement-related projects across various fields. UConn’s Engaged

Scholarship initiative was declared a headline project during this year’s conference, setting the tone for a discussion on underserved populations and disparities. With the tagline, ‘Real Needs, Real Partners,’ the Engaged Scholarship Initiative deals with three particular enterprises. The Urban Services Track strives to build a pipeline of well qualified health care professionals, and to equip these specialists to work in inter-professional teams. The valuable exposure to complex and challenging issues of inner-city health care gained will be an overall benefit for members of the community. The project also includes the Health Disparities Institute (HDI), which was founded to help overcome disparities by supporting state goals and enhancing research. Connecticut currently ranks first in per capita income, and second in education levels, but has poorer health outcomes than the rest of the country. (continued on page 7)

2014 Eastern Region Campus Compact Conference Moving Us Forward, Fifty Years On: From Civil Rights to Critical Engagement

October 15 –17, 2014 in Jacksonville, Florida The mission of this conference is to advance institutional and community engagement for the public good. This year's conference brings higher education stakeholders together to advance critical engagement while highlighting the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. Woven throughout institutes, workshops, poster sessions, panels, and keynote addresses, ERCC will honor those who have struggled for equity and recommit ourselves to promote critical engagement toward a more just and democratic society. Galvanize community – campus partnerships for collective impact. Promote twenty-first century knowledge making for healthy communities Build diverse democracies on and off campus. Please visit: www.ercompact.org for more information. Registration is now open!

Compact Initiatives | 2 TRUCEN Annual Meeting

Thank you, 2013-2014 VISTAs!

Jennifer Cunningham | Connecticut College Bronx, New York

Focused on educational partnerships with the New London Public Schools to increase academic success and on capacity building

with a wide range of human service organizations and agencies.

Megan Dial | Mitchell College Shenandoah, Iowa

Coordinated the community service plan for first-year students with the Director of First

Year Experience (FYE) and first-year seminar instructors; resulting in 100% first-year

student participation in community service.

Meghan Gallagher | Goodwin College West Seneca, New York

Supported retention programs and campus organizations that attract and retain low

income, first-generation students who are minority or have other social and/or

economic barriers to education.

Amanda Klay | Higher Edge—New London Alix Lawson |Southern CT State University

Megan Lenzzo | CTCC Member Coordinator Wallingford, Connecticut

Coordinated member trainings, respond to member needs, organize service projects,

develop marketing materials and communication efforts, maintain an online

presence through social media and website

Jon Ruiz | Southern CT State University

Great Barrington, Massachusetts Developed programming : pre-freshman

Orientation, event organizing, one-on-one advising, conducts research & formulates

new strategies for implementation, and enhances campus partnerships.

Milford, Connecticut Addressed capacity building with a

first-year goal of 100% first-year student participation in two service opportunities offered by the campus community during

their first semester.

Erin York | Three Rivers Community College Raytown, Missouri

Focused on integrating Service Learning into First Year Experience classes, helps

with Service Learning projects by building relationships with community partners, and facilitate events on and off campus.

Sam Rigotti | CTCC VISTA Leader New Castle, Pennsylvania

Provided support and professional development for the VISTA team. Recruit

applicants and review host sites to ensure that VISTA programs are ran effectively and

make an impact in the community.

Max Goto | Eastern CT State University Hamden, Connecticut

Worked closely with community partners, faculty and students to address

community concerns through development of mutually beneficial community service

programs for student volunteers.

Wallingford, Connecticut Addressed capacity building with a

first-year goal of 100% first-year student participation in two service opportunities offered by the campus community during

their first semester.

Perdita Das | Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership Dhaka, Bangladesh

Conducted a needs assessment in Bridgeport and propose a potential multisite VISTA

project. Search for funding opportunities and partnerships; create

outlets for community members to stay informed involved.

Kyle Ford | Connecticut College Bronx, New York

Focused on educational partnerships with the New London Public Schools to increase academic success and on capacity building

with a wide range of human service organizations and agencies.

CTCC's AmeriCorps VISTA Project enables colleges and universities to better respond to three primary community needs facing low-income communities: economic opportunity, education, and healthy futures. Projects enhance financial literacy and job placement services, improve educational and behavioral outcomes for students in low-achieving K-12 schools, and connect economically disadvantaged individuals to preventative and primary health care services.

Compact Initiatives | 3

Beyond Service and Service Learning:

The Next BIG Steps for Community Engagement

in Higher Education By: Megan Lenzzo, AmeriCorps VISTA Member Coordinator Monday, May 19, 2014

CTCC’S 1ST ANNUAL STUDENT CONFERENCE

Friday, November 14th

University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus

Part 1: Community Service Learning Practitioner Summit Executive Director of Rhode Island Campus Compact, Carie Hertzberg opened up the summit by highlighting the changes and trends in higher education, leading into the overarching question: Where is the field of community and civic engagement headed and how can we shape its direction? The presentation turned into a discussion, using the World Cafe method. Key insights include: Engagement can no longer just be captured in civic engagement centers (The concept of the engaged campus is growing and has the ability to integrate in every department on campus) Focus on outcomes measurement, economic impact: a

need for evidence that engagement supports success and connectedness through data

Attention to college access, success, attainment to ensure that students from less fortunate backgrounds receive the needed resources to succeed

Partnerships deepen connectivity between college campuses and communities, allowing for mutually beneficial enhancement towards engaged citizenry

State funding is changing – institutions must adapt accordingly and make presence known in communities to receive additional financial support

Part 2: Keynote Speaker and Response Panel Keynote speaker, Dr. Battistoni continued the topic of the next big steps for community engagement in higher education. He challenged the audience to re-define the common terms: service, engagement, and partnership while also defining the struggles higher education professionals face, including: The Problem of Time: Most higher education

“interventions” are one-course, one-semester The Problem of [Democratic] Values: Most programs

are “thin” in their conceptual notions of civic engagement and democracy The Problem of Accountability: Inadequate attention

to what graduates should think & be prepared to do concerning civic action/identity The event closed with an engaging response panel. Panelists shared comments towards Dr. Battistoni’s presentation. Panelists include: Moderator: Carol Polifroni, Director, Office of Public

Engagement at the University of Connecticut Dr. Richard Battistoni, 2013 Ehlrich Award Winner Don Tuski, President, at Maine College of Art Dr. Valerie Smith, Dean, Bunker Hill Community College

With over 90 colleagues from 7 states in attendance, Community Service and Service Learning leaders from across the region met to discuss critical changes in the community engagement and higher education field. The event honored Campus Compact’s 2013 Ehrlich Award Winner, Dr. Richard Battistoni: Professor and Director of Feinstein Institute for Public Service at Providence College, RI. This event was organized by: CT, NH, and RI Campus Compacts. Hosted by: UCONN-Storrs, Office of Community Outreach and Office of Public Engagement.

Compact Initiatives | 4

Dr. Richard Battistoni, CC Ehrlich Award Winner

2nd Annual Awards Breakfast

By: Megan Lenzzo, AmeriCorps VISTA Member Coordinator Thursday, June 5, 2014

On Wednesday June 4, 2014 representatives from 18 Connecticut public and private colleges and universities joined at The Hartford Club in support of Connecticut Campus Compact (CTCC), a statewide coalition that advances the public and civic purpose of colleges and universities. Dedicated solely to building communities and a democratic citizenry, CTCC hosted the 2nd Annual Awards Breakfast to promote and celebrate civic development and community engagement within its membership of colleges and universities in Connecticut. The 2nd Annual Awards Breakfast Program honored three representatives of our member institutions who exemplify the public purpose of colleges and universities by deepening their ability to implement all forms of public engagement, providing civic pathways to academic and career success, and nurturing a culture of engaged citizenship on campus and within communities.

The Faculty Engaged Scholarship Award was given to Dr. Jen Klug who has been a member of Fairfield University’s faculty since 2001 in the Biology department. In 2006, Friends of the Lake (FOTL), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the water quality of Lake Lillinonah, asked her to assist in addressing algae growth. The sensors on the dock monitoring program monitor lake conditions every 15 minutes, getting readings on algae levels, water temperature, dissolved materials, and pH levels. Dr. Klug worked with FOTL to develop a citizen science driven dock monitoring program, which has been a major focus into her teaching and research mentorship. The Campus-Community Partnership Award went to Norwalk Community College (NCC) and Family & Children’s Agency for a program called ASPire!, which provides an after-school program for middle school children and FCA reciprocates with an embedded Mental Health professional to serve NCC students. ASPire! is an innovative and long-standing partnership between NCC and the FCA, one of the largest human service agencies in Fairfield County. By locating the program on NCC’s campus, NCC students have the opportunity to act as tutors and role models for diverse youth through service learning, work study, and student labor. The Presidents’ Choice Award was given to James Barber, Director of the Office of Community Engagement at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) and has been on staff since 1989. From 1989 to 2013, Barber oversaw 11 programs that enhance educational opportunities for youth. Over 30 years ago, Barber founded The New Haven Age Group Track Club, a program that has drawn over 5,000 youth to SCSU’s campus.

Executive Committee Chair: Anna Wasescha | President, Middlesex Community College Vice Chair: Mary Papazian | President, Southern Connecticut State University Treasurer: David Levinson | President, Norwalk Community College Past Chair: Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. | President , Fairfield University Host Site Representative: Carol Polifroni | Director of Engagement, University of Connecticut **********************************************

Cathryn Addy | President, Tunxis Community College Christopher Bruhl | President and CEO The Business Council of Fairfield County Judith Greiman | President Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges Kimberly Goff-Crews | Secretary and Vice President for Student Life Walter Harrison | President University of Hartford Neil Salonen | President University of Bridgeport Mark Scheinberg | President Goodwin College James Schmotter | President Western Connecticut State University

CTCC’s 2014 Award Winners. From left to right: Robert Cashel, President & CEO of Family & Children’s Agency; Pamela Edington with Norwalk Community College; Matt Farley with CTCC; Dr. Jen Klug with Fairfield University; and James Barber with Southern Connecticut State University

Connecticut Campus Compact 2015 Board of Directors

Compact Initiatives | 5

CTCC granted a total of $24,879.80 to support a new or existing initiative that enhances academic service-learning, civic engagement, community service or campus community partnerships. After a peer-reviewed application process, eleven initiatives from nine institutions were selected to receive funding.

Dwight Hall at Yale: Community-Based Learning Initiative Hosted a series of meetings with faculty members, students, and community affiliates to review the current practice of Community-Based Learning (CBL) at Yale and strategize for programmatic enhancements. These included increased offerings for students, improved faculty support, and greater responsiveness to the needs of community-based organizations. Goodwin College: Service-Learning Pilot Project Consisted of three 3-hour workshops and a community partnership luncheon. Fagan Forhan, Director of Experiential Learning Opportunities and Civic Engagement at Mount Wachusett Community College facilitated the faculty trainings. The “Building Bridges” 2+-hour luncheon provided an opportunity for faculty and potential community partners to meet over lunch and explore service learning opportunities.

Housatonic Community College: Food for Thought An interactive symposium to demonstrate nutritional and educational activities appropriate for young children. Bullard Havens Technical High School and Central High School located in Bridgeport attended with their Early Childhood Education students. 53 College Career Pathways students from Bullard-Havens Technical High School and Central High School attended. 35 HCC students also participated. Southern Connecticut State University: Campus and Community Alternative Spring Break The project included 24 students, many of which were freshmen. During the week-long project, some students volunteered at Wexler Grant New Haven Public school, aiding

teachers and students in classes. Half of students volunteered at Animal Assisted Therapy Services Inc. and helped renovate a barn and build parts of a therapeutic riding course. Some students aided with gardening at Mitchell Library and everyone helped make toiletry kits for a local pantry. Trinity College: Fostering Engagement in the Classroom through Community Learning and Research Discussed how faculty can integrate service learning into courses to foster engagement in the classroom, and exchange ideas on how to broaden the ways in which students engage in service learning. Both objectives concentrate on the relational aspect of service-learning projects. The goal was to expand and deepen the possibilities for service learning projects for individual faculty members and as part of further programmatic development at schools.

Tunxis Community College: ePortfolio Initiative for Service-Learning Externally, the ePortfolio site is available to the public and approximately 92,000 students and 5,000 employees of the 17 Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, and community partners. Internally, the SL ePortfolio site is a resource for students, faculty, and staff to view and gain inspiration from the variety of Tunxis SL projects, access a variety best practices and a directory for volunteering opportunities. University of Connecticut: Food Justice in Windham through Community Partnerships Convened members of community organizations in the town of Windham to brainstorm possibilities to enhance existing partnerships and create new ones to address food justice. The program featured high school students sharing their stories of working toward food justice and the challenges they have faced. A key partner in the project is the emerging non-profit CLiCK (Commercially Licensed Cooperative Kitchen).

2014 Mini-Grants Compact Initiatives | 6

University of New Haven: Dental Care for Disabled Veterans Connects UNH engineering students, sustainability studies students, and United Illuminating Energy Engineers with Town and Board of Education administrators and staff to deliver a useful and needed resource to help towns improve their building environments for citizens, employees, K-12 teachers, and K-12 students. The service is valuable because the skillsets and resources are beyond the expertise or funds available to Towns and Boards of Education to pursue building energy benchmarking. University of New Haven: Municipal and Board of Education Building Energy Benchmarking & EPA Portfolio Manager Software Training Allowed 6 engineering and sustainability studies students to connect one on one with 8 town officials in 4 different communities to train them on use and management of their EPA energy portfolio. A crucial aspect of the portfolio is to train staff at towns and boards of education to take over the EPA energy portfolio, once up to date. University of St. Joseph: A Wellness Based Initiative to Address Attention and Hyperactivity Challenges Facing Hartford Elementary School Students Built upon the already established and mutually

beneficial relationship between USJ and Hartford’s Thelma Ellis Dickerson Jumoke Academy Elementary School, 20 students representing a range of professional preparation programs participated in a field experience designed to provide wellness related health education and support services to the Jumoke community with a focus on children who struggle with programs with attention and hyperactivity. University of St. Joseph: School of Pharmacy Medicine Garden Initiative A collaborative initiative between the School of Pharmacy, Elizabeth Park Conservancy, and CT College with a focus on restoring an unused plot in Elizabeth Park, and build a garden of medicinal plants. The main goal is to educate the public about the botanical origins of medicines and raise awareness of the process of drug discovery and development. The garden provides an out-let for students to perform service while growing as pro-fessionals, leaders, and partners.

2014 Mini-Grants (continued) Compact Initiatives | 7

TRUCEN Annual Meeting (continued from page 2) The final component is the ‘Working Together in Rural Haiti’ Plan. 43 student-led research projects have been conducted by UConn in order to help raise Haiti’s Human Development Index – over five times as many as other schools. The Major research areas focus on Community Participation, Child/Infant Health, and Maternal Newborn safety. In addition to UConn’s presentations, the conference was fueled by conversations of community partnerships. TRUCEN members concluded the conference, impressed with the realization that universities need to work more closely with community partners. “It isn’t enough to send students into a community or embark on a research project,” Preston Britner said, “We need to work with community partners to jointly define problems of interest and then document the impact of our efforts. Only then can we truly know the effectiveness of our endeavors.” To learn more, visit this year’s 2– minute TRUCEN Highlight video here. The Research University Civic Engagement Network (TRUCEN) works to advance civic engagement and engaged scholarship among research universities and to create resources and models for use across higher education. TRUCEN calls upon research university colleagues to embrace a bold vision for civic and community engagement and work to bring it about.

David Gregorio, UCONN Director of Graduate Public Health Programs, Professor of Community

Medicine & Health

By: UConn Office of Public Engagement April 30, 2014

On April 28th, UCONN hosted Nico Larco, who is Associate Professor of Architecture and Co-Director of the Sustainable Cities Initiative at the University of Oregon. In this lecture sponsored by the Office of Public Engagement and CT Campus Compact, Mr. Larco talked about ways in which universities like UConn can work together with nearby cities by implementing a dynamic model that he and his team have invented which combines engaged scholarship, service learning and community outreach. The Sustainable Cities Initiative (SCI) is a cross-disciplinary organization at the University of Oregon that seeks to promote education, service, public outreach and research on the design and development of sustainable cities. Noting that cities often lack the funds and knowledge to implement innovative sustainability projects and that college students have professional-level training and a need for practical work, the people at SCI came up with the Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP). Essentially, the SCYP involves having a university work closely with a target city for one year. The city will come up with a series of projects that they want to work on, and then professors at the university will match up their courses with these projects. To give an example, Mr. Larco mentioned a project that took place in Springfield, OR. There was a wayfinding Problem in Springfield: too many of their street signs indicated ways to get out of the city and not enough showed ways to get to its attractions. As the target city of the SCYP that year, they consulted with the University of Oregon, who offered the project to their digital art students. They went about making a survey, asking local residents for suggestions as to how to most effectively make a system of way-finding in the city. ‘Higher education is changing,’ said Mr Larco. ‘With increasing costs and reduced federal funding, universities can’t be ivory towers anymore. We need to prove our value to local communities.’ He believes that the SCYP is an excellent way to do this. As evidenced by the Springfield example, the SCYP is a win-win situation for all of those involved: students gain valuable real-world experience and a strong sense of purpose; universities build relationships with the communities around them;

and cities benefit from being able to test less traditional solutions to problems at a much lower cost than they otherwise would have done. The department heads and faculty who attended the talk at the Konover Auditorium seemed excited by the prospect of the SCYP. It appears as though UConn will be making use of Nico Larco’s model in the near future and applying it to cities like Hartford and Stamford.

New England SENCER Center for Innovation Hosts Spring 2014 Regional Meeting By: Dr. Winnie Yu, Southern CT State University Thursday, April 24, 2014 The New England SENCER Center for Innovation (SCI-NE) includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the eastern Canadian provinces. SENCER stands for Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities. On Saturday, April 5, the New England SENCER Center for Innovation hosted its Spring 2014 regional meeting on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in New Haven. Dean Steven Breese, of the School of Arts and Sciences at SCSU, welcomed attendees and praised the importance of SENCER's work in advancing STEM education through engagement with pressing civic questions. The morning sessions revealed the range, depth and difficulty of just some of the civic questions that are emerging as new technologies develop and occupy such an important place in our lives and the world's economy. Focusing on the professoriate in IT related fields, using data from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Molina reported that the percentage of women who were full-time, full professors with science, engineering, and health doctorates rose from under 10% in 1993 to over 20% by 2010. For underrepresented minorities, the percentage of full-time, full professors with science, engineering, and health doctorates moved from under 5% to over 5% from 1993 to 2010 for all institutions. The next SCI-New England Regional Meeting is scheduled for Fall 2014 and will take place in western Massachusetts. To view PowerPoints, and other resources from the meeting, click here.

Member Activities | 8 Sustainable Cities Initiative Lecture at UCONN

By Makaela Kingsley, Wesleyan University Sunday, Mar. 30, 2014

Four years ago, Jennifer Roach ’14 co-founded Summer of Solutions Hartford, a food justice and youth leadership development program in Hartford, CT. Summer of Solutions was based in Frog Hollow, a low-income Hartford neighborhood, and affiliated with a national youth-led nonprofit called Grand Aspirations. Since 2010, Summer of Solutions has grown to 7 garden sites across Hartford, continuously working to “increase access to healthy food and community green spaces in Hartford by empowering young people as innovators in the food justice movement and providing them tools and opportunities to create solutions to food inequality in the city.” This month, Jennifer and Summer of Solutions were awarded a $10,000 grant from the Kathryn W. Davis Projects for Peace program. The Projects for Peace grant will allow Summer of Solutions to expand its 9-week summer program to a 7-month internship for youth interested in urban agriculture. Now in the its eighth year, Projects for Peace is “an invitation to undergraduates at the American colleges in the Davis United World College Scholars Program to design grassroots projects that they will implement during the summer. The objective is to encourage and support today’s youth to create and try their ideas for building peace.” Four of the Summer of Solutions garden sites are located at elementary schools across Hartford. These use previously empty land to create natural educational spaces. Roach’s team works with 350 students through summer school activities, and they expect to reach at least 600 students as

they expand science programming through the school year. “The students have a hand in every aspect of the garden, from planting to cooking the harvest. These classes provide a peaceful learning setting as an alternative to their daily activities. 41% of children in Hartford and 57% of the children in Frog Hollow live below the poverty level and suffer many barriers to healthy food. By integrating gardening into their school curriculum, we are creating a safe space for them to learn and a healthy food source.” With this Davis Projects for Peace grant, Summer of Solutions will be able to expand to new schools each year, soon engaging thousands of students in urban agriculture. Roach writes, “We are absolutely delighted to learn that we have the support of the Davis Projects for Peace Summer Grant to support the 4th year of Summer of Solutions Hartford. This award will allow us to expand our programming and add a new 7-month intensive urban agriculture internship for 12 youth.” The new 7-month internship program with Summer of Solutions Hartford was also selected as a finalist for a 2014 Patricelli Center Seed Grant, which funds the launch or early-stage growth of a Wesleyan connected project or venture, but Jennifer Roach withdrew from the competition when news of the Davis Prize arrived. In order to maximize support of student-led initiatives, Patricelli Center policies stipulate that no student may receive both.

Jennifer Roach ’14 on a group trip to Wild Carrot Farm, Bantam, CT

The CTCC Team Has New Contact Information!

Keep us posted your great work

www.ctcampuscompact.org www.twitter.com/CTCampusCompact

www.facebook.com/ctcampuscompact

Fax: (860)570-9341

General e-mail account: info@ctcampuscompact.org

Matt Farley Executive Director

(860) 570-9285 matt.farley@ctcampuscompact.org

Katie Coutu Program Manager

(860) 570-9058 katie.coutu@ctcampuscompact.org

Megan Lenzzo VISTA Member (860) 570-9406

megan.lenzzo@ctcampuscompact.org

Wesleyan Student Receives and Summer of Solutions

Hartford receive $10k Davis Projects for Peace Grant

Member Activities | 9

University of Connecticut Greater Hartford Campus

1800 Asylum Avenue Library Building Room #208

West Hartford, CT 06117

CT Higher Education Community Service Awards Winners: Excerpt from: CT Commission on Community Service and Office of Higher Education Wednesday, April 9, 2014

The Connecticut Commission on Community Service and Office of Higher Education recognized six students, student groups, faculty and staff with 2014 Higher Education Community Service Awards. The honorees were announced at a celebratory dinner on April 8, 2014 at Central CT State University. They were selected from 103 nominations based on the extent to which their service projects address community needs, unique approaches, and raise student participation. Note: Below are winners from CTCC member campuses. Non CTCC Members and award winners are not listed.

Member Community Engagement Achievements:

Nordia Meggie, Student from the University of Connecticut, Storrs: Nordia designed and implemented “Pipeline Connect” which pairs mentors from the African American and the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Centers with 7-12 grade participants from Communities That Care in Hartford. The project helps low-income youth and their families learn the ins and outs about college. Nordia coordinated the program and organized all events. The Beta Mu Sigma Fraternity, Student Group from Southern Connecticut State University: The Beta Mu Sigma Fraternity added a new initiative to the University’s partnership with Connecticut Special Olympics – hosting a formal dance for all towns with a registered Special Olympics team. Southern hosts the summer games annually and the Beta Mu Sigma Fraternity works closely with Connecticut Special Olympics throughout the year, holding several fundraisers and volunteering for them. JELLO (January Experience of Living, Learning & Outreach), Student Group from Trinity College: JELLO began approximately four years ago as a winter break service project and now conducts year-round service projects. JELLO members volunteer weekly at A Place of Grace, and at Grace Episcopal Church’s food pantry in Hartford’s Parkville section. Every Wednesday, members pack nearly 200 bags of food for the food pantry’s weekly

food distribution. JELLO members also volunteer every other week at Peter’s Retreat, a local HIV/AIDS residence, and now oversee Trinity’s partnership with the Retreat. Hannah Hurwitz, Faculty/Staff from Central Connecticut State University: Hannah Hurwitz directs the Community Central program which serves the New Britain community while offering students real-world experience. Community Central serves a wide variety of constituencies, ranging from high school students in need of tutoring, to job seekers seeking re-training, to those less fortunate. Community Central provides ongoing opportunities for student volunteers. Stacy Christensen and Jill Espelin, Faculty/Staff from Central Connecticut State University: Stacy and Jill are nursing professors who, with the support of the Office of Community Engagement, secured a storefront location in downtown New Britain to conduct free health screenings and deliver weekly health education presentations. Health clinics, run by nursing faculty and senior students, offer blood pressure testing, diabetes testing, cholesterol screening, BMI calculation, stroke risk assessment, weight loss counseling, and vision screenings. The clinic enhances the health of the New Britain community, and allows students to gain experience and New Britain High School Health Academy students to shadow nursing students.

Robin Crabtree, Ph.D. | Dean at Fairfield University: Among 3 finalists for the 2013 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award—given annually to a senior, tenured faculty member for exemplary leadership in advancing students' civic learning, supporting community engagement and contributing to the public good. Press Release

Fairfield University's partnership with Bridgeport schools earns State Merit Award from The New England Board of Higher Education: NEBHE honors Fairfield University's institutional commitment to Bridgeport Schools, the partnership's efforts to contribute to their goals of preparing students for post-graduate success, and the university's commitment to access & success. Press Release

Jennifer Bruening Deputy Director, UCONN Center for Public Health & Health Policy and Monica Miller-Smith UCONN Human Development and Family Studies Professor: Selected to participate in and completed Maine Campus Compact’s Fusion Project — an online course to prepare and support faculty in the development and delivery of high quality online service learning courses. Faculty learn how to infuse service-learning components into online courses to give students hands-on experience. Learn more

Member Achievements | 10