Success in the CityFall 2013

LAS 110

Students connect with

LAS advisors,faculty, staff,

classmatesand the city of Chicago

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Many thanks to Dean Astrida Tantillo and Senior Associate Dean Emanuel Pollack for their support to revitalize LAS 110 as a catalyst for student success.

Thanks to the Fall 2013 LAS 110 instructors: Gary King, Alejandro Mendoza, Sandra Picciucia, Shannon Resowski, Stuart Robinson, and Justin Wier (Fall 2013 Coordinator).

About LAS 110

LAS 110, Success in the City, is a class designed for first-year LAS students to:

Explore the diversity of Chicago’s neighborhoods through class projects.Get connected to campus during the first semester at UIC.Be involved in Chicago with a community service experience.Meet new friends.Learn about LAS and UIC.

With an emphasis on small class discussions and immersive field experiences in Chicago, the purpose of the seminar is to allow students to collaborate with classmates and LAS advisors to explore Chicago and learn how to be a successful first-year student at UIC.

Thank You!

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Studies show that first-year seminars improve student success by building community and by establishing an early connection between individual students and their college. With this in mind, LAS Dean Astrida Orle Tantillo charged LAS Student Academic Affairs with revising and revitalizing the first-year seminar LAS 110: Success in the City. Taught by LAS academic advisors, the course was offered during fall 2013 term, and proved to be a great success with the nearly 120 students enrolled in six cohorts.

Students were connected with campus resources including the LAS Internship Program, the African-American Cultural Center, Office of Career Services, the Writing Center, and the Science Learning Center. Every student participated in informational interviews with faculty and staff members. Many students enjoyed how the informational interview experience provided a great avenue for students to learn from their instructors on a personal level and helped to create connections and perform better in class. A student remarked in the class evaluation, “Interviewing my professor helped me because if it wasn’t for this assignment, I probably would not have met with my professors this semester.”

As an anchor institution in Chicago that reflects the diversity of the city, it is important that LAS students learn about all the exciting things available to them as residents. Through LAS 110 classroom discussions and service projects, students deepened their knowledge about Chicago’s history, geography, and culture—and the many opportunities available for civic engagement.

Sandra Picciuca’s cohort explored food security issues from both the local and global perspective. Students volunteered at City Farm Chicago, an initiative that turns vacant urban land into productive farmland to provide organic produce, create jobs, and increase green space. They also attended a lecture on global food issues by Ertharin Cousin (’79 Criminology, Law and Justice), Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme, who was a featured presenter in the Chancellor’s Lecture Series. According to Picciuca, “I feel that I knew much more about my students’ individual circumstances and I was able to advise and help them accordingly. Alternately, I feel like my students in my LAS 110 class got the unique opportunity to know me a little better. This really did a lot to develop a trustworthy relationship between advisor-advisee.”

Shannon Resowski’s cohort volunteered with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Students supported runners at Mile 21, the most challenging point of the race. This is where where many athletes “hit the wall and their day either comes together or falls apart,” according to Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. Back in the classroom, Pinkowski discussed the global significance of the event and detailed security concerns in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, noting that security was one of the most elaborate aspects of the event and required an extraordinary level of planning and integration of federal and local resources.

Success in the City focuses on engagement with the campus and city

Justin Wier

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Open House Chicago is an annual event presented by the Chicago Architecture Foundation that provides access to 150 architecturally significant Chicago buildings. Students served as volunteers at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, the Elk’s National Veteran Memorial, and the Brewster Apartments. “I got to experience the beautiful exterior and interior design and even one of the last working manual cage elevators in the historic Brewster Apartments, built in 1893,” said freshman Christine Lam. “I will definitely try to bring my friends and family to Open House Chicago next year to show them how cool it is to live in a city like Chicago.”

Jasmine Rodriguez was part of the cohort that explored the history of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. One of the few remaining physical legacies from the exposition is Jackson Park’s Wooded Island, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. “I enjoyed being able to experience this beautiful place I never knew existed,” said Rodriguez, who joined with fellow students to volunteer with the Nature Conservancy and the Chicago Park District for a work day on Wooded Island. During their project, students mulched native oak tree seedlings and built protective fencing around the young trees. They also toured some of Hyde Park’s important cultural institutions including the University of Chicago, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House, and the Oriental Institute.

The topic of local economies was the focus of Stuart Robinson’s cohort. These students worked with the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce to explore the concept of “place-making” and learn about the economic and

social transition the north-side neighborhood has undergone in the last 30 years. They gained insight into the impact of locally-owned businesses on the Chicago economy, and various methods of community governance in Chicago.

Alejandro Mendoza’s cohort volunteered at the Chicago International Film Festival for their service learning project and really related to the 2013 theme of “Because Everybody Loves Movies.” “Interacting with my students on a weekly basis, I gained a greater understanding of their academic skills and readiness for college based on the activities, discussions, and assignments in the course,” said Mendoza. “The first-year seminar helped me developed strong relationships with them and I can now be more proactive as an advisor.”

At the conclusion of Success in the City, student Sal Salem said, “The class was a great opportunity—everything from the volunteer engagement to the Chicago exploration projects. It was something new and fresh, something regular college students don’t usually experience their freshman year. In addition to gaining valuable life-long experience, it was a great introduction to the UIC student life.”

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City FarmInstructor: Sandra PicciucaGuest Lecturer: Dan Hurowitz, City FarmOctober 12, 2013

LAS 110 students learned about food security issues on both a global and local perspective in class and volunteered at Chicago’s City Farm on October 12. To complement the issues discussed in class and the trip to City Farm; many students also attended the Chancellor’s Public lecture by Ertharin Cousin ‘79 LAS, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme at UIC on October 11th.

City Farm is an urban farm concept that turns vacant land into produc-tive farmland to help create jobs, green space, and fresh produce for the community that it serves. This program started as a part of the Resource Center, a not-for-profit environmental organization founded by Ken Dunn that strives to improve the quality of life in Chicago by finding new uses for old resources.

Explore Chicago Through Service

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“It was nice to be more hands on and really grasp a better understanding on what were discussing in class.”- City Farm volunteer

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Wooded Island & Hyde ParkInstructor: Justin WierGuest Lecturer: Jerry Levy, Wooded Island Volunteer Site Steward,Chicago Park District September 28, 2013

In class, LAS 110 students learned about the history and importance of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition Fair in Chicago’s Hyde Park. One of the few remaining legacies from the Fair is the Wooded Island, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. For the service component, students partnered with the Chicago Park District and the Nature Conservancy for a work day on September 28. Students learned about the Wooded Island’s natural conservation areas, mulched native oak tree seedlings, and built fencing to protect these seedlings to ensure their survival. Students enjoyed a chance to relax in the Osaka Japanese garden on the Wooded Island, and toured Hyde Park’s important cultural institutions including the University of Chicago, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House, and the Oriental Institute.

“I enjoyed being able to experience this beautiful place I never knew existed.”- Wooded Island volunteer

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Chicago International Film FestivalInstructor: Alejandro MendozaGuest Lecturer: Michelle Boley, Volunteer Coordinator,Chicago International Film FestivalOctober, 2013

The Volunteer Coordinator from the Chicago International Film Festival visited class to talk about the events associated with the 49th annual Chicago Interna-tional Film Festival. The theme of this year’s festival, “Because Everybody Loves Movies” under-scores why the LAS 110 instruc-tor selected the service experience for students to welcome guests to the festival. Across countries, lan-guages and cultures, film opens a window onto new worlds, demon-strates the promise of new pos-sibilities, and gives expression to different ways of thinking, all the while confirming shared stories and common humanity.

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Andersonville’s Clark StreetInstructor: Stuart RobinsonGuest Lecturer: Ellen Shepard, Executive Director, Andersonville Chamber of CommerceOctober 5, 2013

LAS 110 students explored the effect of buying local on the Chicago econ-omy and the idea of ‘place-making’ by working with the Andersonville Cham-ber of Commerce. The project allowed students to explore the economic and social transition Andersonville has undergone in the last 30 (or so) years, learn about the impact of locally-owned

businesses on the Chicago economy, gain insight into different methods of community governance in Chicago, and be involved in a service experience that reflects UIC’s community engagement within Chicago. Andersonville works to encourage foot and shopper traffic through inter-business cooperation (often in planning events), emphasizing green initiatives, and maintaining clean streets and facilities (among other things). During the service project,

the class worked on three projects: distributing posters advertising the Andersonville Dessert Crawl, preparing compost buckets for distribution to local residents and businesses who joined the compost program, and cleaning light poles, trash bins, and recycling bins.

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Open House Chicago presented by the Chicago Architecture FoundationInstructor: Gary KingGuest Lecturers: Kyla PageVolunteer Coordinator & Garrett KarpProgram Coordinator, Open House ChicagoOctober 19, 2013

Experts from the Chicago Architecture Foundation visited LAS 110 to inform students about the cultural event known as Open House Chicago, scheduled for October 19 & 20. Open House Chicago provides the opportunity to go behind the scenes of 150 buildings across the city. The Chicago Architecture Foundation reported 50,000 visitors attended the cultural event. The LAS 110 volunteers helped with visitor check-in, welcomed and greeted visitors, and worked behind the scenes in Lincoln Park at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, Brewster Apartments, and the Elk’s National Veteran Memorial.

“I will definitely try to bring my friends and family to Open House Chicago next year to show them how cool it is to live in a city like Chicago.”- Open House Chicago volunteer

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Bank of America Chicago MarathonInstructor: Shannon ResowskiGuest Lecturerrs: See belowOctober 13, 2013

Students volunteered from 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Chicago Marathon by distributing water, Gatorade and bananas to Chicago Marathon participants, as well as assisting with the set up and clean-up of Aid Station #16 at mile 21 of the race.

During class we hosted several guest speakers who shared different perspectives on running and the Chicago Marathon. The guest presenters included:

September 18: Rebecca Lind, LAS Associate Dean, spoke on the importance of volunteers for the motivation of the runners and for ensuring a safe and successful race. She has participated in many marathons in both the role of a runner and volunteer.

September 25: Brad Kitzerow has run the Chicago Marathon five times. He shared his experiences as a runner and what motives him to continue running in marathons.

October 2: Kellie Klinck, LAS Social Science Advisor,talked abut her training to run the Detroit Marathon. She discussed key topics including diet, training schedule and the motivation for running a marathon. Kara Goodbrand is from the UK. She spoke on the marathon experience from an international perspective. She participated in the 2o13 Chicago Marathon.

October16: Carey Pinkowski, the Executive Race Director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, spoke to LAS 110 after the race about the Marathon, focusing on security, event planning, the global influence of the event, how this event affects the Chicago community and the history of the Chicago Marathon.

“I loved volunteering at the Chicago Marathon.”- Volunteer

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1. Uptown 2. Humboldt Park 3. Cambodian American Heritage Museum 4. Lincoln Park5. National Museum of Mexican Art 6. Bridgeport7, Rogers Park8. National Hellenic Museum9. Wicker Park10. Hyde Park11. Pilsen12. Southside Community Art Center13. Albany Park14. Casa de Cultura Brasileira15. Greek Town16. Grant Park17. Argyle Street18. Little Italy19. Gold Coast20. Chinatown21. Art Institute of Chicago22. Andersonville23. Jackson Park24. Lincoln Park Conservatory25. Navy Pier26. Casa Michoacan27. Logan Square28. Museum of Science and Industry29. Elks National Veterans Memorial30. Brewster Apartments 31. River East 32. Goose Island

33. Auditorium Theater

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Neighborhoods & Cultural Institutions LAS 110 Students Explored

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Campus Collaborators

Wellness CenterCampus RecreationJane Addams Hull-House MuseumLAS Student AffairsScience Learning CenterGender & Sexuality CenterStudy AbroadAcademic Center for ExcellenceStudent Ombudsperson & Dean of StudentsMathematical Sciences Learning CenterOffice of Career Services

Disability Resource CenterCampus ProgramsLAS Internship ProgramLanguage StudioAfrican-American Cultural CenterStudent Leadership Development and Volunteer ServicesWriting Center Office of Special Scholarship ProgramsOffice of Women’s Leadership and Resource Center/Campus Advocacy Network

LAS 110 students connected with the following campus partners during the class:

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“Interviewing my professor helped me most because if it wasn’t for this assignment, I probably would not have met with any professor this semester.”

“It is an extremely good class for freshmen...”

“I really enjoyed the speakers we had.”

“Being able to have a class with my advisor was great. I felt like it gave us a more personal connection.”

LAS 110 Student Evaluations

“I really enjoyed the

connecting with the staff

assignment. It’s a good way to

interact, especially as a

freshman.”

“I learned a lot about internships and how they are beneficial.”

“I learned the most from our group projects. We got to strengthen our friendships and learn at the same time.”

“Exploring Chicago was exciting.

There are all kinds of different sites to

see and learn about.”

“I learned the importance of being involved in college and how to meet with people to network.”

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LAS 110 Fall 2013 Learning OutcomesEvaluation Scale:1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent). Sample size: 101 LAS 110 students

Help you transition to the UIC environment3.99

Inform you about campus resources available at UIC4.60

Connect you with your LAS 110 classmates4.00 Connect you to College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Advisors4.07

Introduce you to opportunities for learning at UIC outside the classroom 4.28

Introduce you to opportunities to explore Chicago neighborhoods and cultural institutions4.36

Help you to increase your knowledge of the diversity of Chicago 4.37

Enhance your ability to be successful in college4.17

Overall, did you find LAS 110 to be a valuable learning experience4.19

“The class was amazing. We had a wonderful experience and it was productive.”

“I enjoyed the team projects. It was cool having an assignment that forced us to leave UIC and see what else is out there.”

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Success in the CityFall 2013

LAS 110