Service Learning Commons^™

Ipfw Collaboration With Blackford County Concerned Citizens, Sherrie M. Steiner

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

This presentation describes a collaboration between IPFW and Blackford County Concerned Citizens (BCCC) that spans multiple courses over a two year timeframe. BCCC is concerned about improving public health. Residents have higher rates of colon, thyroid and bladder cancers than other counties in the state of Indiana. BCCC has been investigating possible pollution in soil, water and now air in relation to the industrial history in the county. Students helped map the industrial history, and assisted BCCC with testing water and soil for industrial contaminants. Students are now assisting with testing moss samples as a surrogate for air contaminants in …