Civic and Community Engagement Commons^™

Community Connections - Vol. 01, No. 01 - Fall 2013, Office Of Community Partnerships, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Community Connections Newsletter

The premier issue of Community Connections, published by the Office of Community Partnerships in the Division of Government Relations and Public Affairs at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Engaging And Expanding Communities: Widening The Circle Of Stakeholders, Lisa Deangelis, Maureen A. Scully, Andrea Wight

Emerging Leaders Program Team Projects

The 32 fellows in the 2013 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) worked with community partners to investigate the theme, “Engaging and Expanding Communities".

They worked with six community partners, and identified ways to help them expand beyond their core stakeholders to a wider circle of stakeholders and broader potential impact. The fellows gave their time and professional skills to understand how to reach new business partners, new participants, new advisors, and new donors. They conducted surveys, interviews, and focus groups; explored social media options; examined best practices; and considered ways to tell powerful stories about the vitally important work of the …

Projectserve, Kenneth Andejeski, Kenyora Johnson, Projectserve, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The mission of Strong Women, Strong Girls is to utilize the lessons learned from strong women throughout history to encourage girls and young women to become strong women themselves. By building communities of women committed to supporting positive social change, Strong Women, Strong Girls works to create cycles of mutual empowerment for women and girls.

Project Serve engages UMass Boston students and community organizations in a variety of civic engagement activities in order to create positive change in Massachusetts. There are many ways to get involved in this program ranging from being a leader, coordinator, or a participant in our …

Tamziq, Scattered And Connected: A Conversation In Art By Middle Eastern And American Artists, Paul Atwood, William Joiner Center For The Study Of War And Social Consequences, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The number of Iraqi refugees resettled in the United States has grown from only 202 in 2006 to approximately 17,000 in 2009. Since 2007, 58,810 Iraqi refugees have arrived in the United States. This group now forms the largest refugee population in the state of Massachusetts. At the same time, a large number of veterans are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

This project recognizes the increasing need for dialogue and exchange with and within these communities and a further need to broaden understanding of the cultural influences on our changing communities.

Connecting University Teaching, Research, And Expertise To Communities In Massachusetts And Beyond, Luciano Ramos, Lauren Anderson, Kathleen Banfield, Sandhya Kshirsagar

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) was created in 2011 to promote collaborative campus-community partnerships that advance UMass Boston’s mission as a student-centered research university while addressing critical challenges in society. This effort is aligned with the vision of the university to advance engaged teaching, research, and service through mutually beneficial and equitable campus-community collaborations.

Thrive In 5 – Boston Initiative, Center For Social Policy, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Center for Social Policy (CSP) is the external evaluator of Thrive in 5 Boston. Thrive in 5 is transforming Boston into a city that values and proactively nurtures young children’s school readiness – because when our youngest children thrive, we all prosper. Thrive in 5 envisions a city where families, educators, providers, business leaders, and communities come together with the knowledge, skills, and resources to prepare children for success in school and beyond. The center is helping to identify, implement, and evaluate community interventions designed to increase Boston children’s readiness for success in school at kindergarten age.

The Tech Apprentice Internship Program: Engaging Youth In It, Felicia Vargas, Olu Ibrahim, Neil Sullivan, Deborah Boisvert

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Tech Apprentice program was designed to provide Boston Public School (BPS) students work-based learning opportunities within information technology (IT) departments across a diverse array of industries for seven-week, paid summer internships. A robust technology internship program encourages BPS students to pursue IT-related post-secondary degrees. Tech Apprentice has expanded from 25 student placements in the first summer to 123 who were employed in 2012, and the program has placed over 600 students in internships since the program launched in 2006. 98% of graduates attend colleges and 78% are pursuing an IT-related degree.

Veterans Upward Bound: A Federally Funded Trio Program, Preparing Veterans For College At Umass Boston Since 1973, Veterans Upward Bound Program, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Veterans Upward Bound Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston provides a unique opportunity for men and women veterans of all ages to acquire the academic skills required for entry into higher education and/or to acquire the equivalent of a high school diploma.

Community University Project For Literacy (Cupl), Carol Chandler-Rourke

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Community-University Project for Literacy (CUPL) provides an academic structure for undergraduates to provide 40 hours of service each semester as tutors at community-based learning centers while attending a credit-bearing seminar at UMass/Boston. Course are: Language, Literacy and Community (Fall) and ESL Tutor Training Seminar (Spring).

The Umass Boston Bachelors Of Science In Information Technology, Deborah Boisvert, Ricardo Checchi, William Campbell, Jean-Pierre Kuilboer, Roger Blake, Robert Cohen, Oscar Gutierrez

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The BSIT is a 21st Century degree that supports and extends the BATEC vision of curriculum – advanced in content and pedagogy, regionally-coordinated, and industry-linked. Every exercise assigned throughout the BSIT emphasizes collaboration, competence, and outcomes assessment. Faculty and business partners regularly participate in professional and curriculum development to ensure the program’s continued industry relevance.

Batec Bridge To Community College, Deborah Boisvert, Paula Velluto, Dawn Zapata

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Bridge to Community College Program is a comprehensive college program that creates postsecondary education access for nontraditional learners with limited technology skills. It offers two credit-bearing technology courses combined with English and Mathematics tutoring to reinforce the basic math and literacy competencies required for entry into a community college. The Bridge Program transitions students into higher education by partnering with trusted community organizations to offer introductory college technology courses at a community site with a facilitated transition to the partner community college.

Umass Boston’S School Counseling Program At Dever-Mccormack School, Amy L. Cook, Laura A. Hayden, Allie Scherer, Raphael Apter, Pamela Belford, Michael Sabin

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Given the burgeoning Latino population and the minimal research on school counseling interventions with this population, we purport to implement a culturally sensitive intervention promoting academic success among Latina youth that includes life skills, academic skills, and Latino dance.

Planning For The Growing Older Population: Conducting Community Needs Assessments, Caitlin Coyle, Hayley Gravette, Jan Mutchler, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Goals and Objectives: To describe the aging population of each community; To investigate the needs, interests and opinions of mature residents relating to their aging needs for age-related services in their respective communities; To provide recommendations to community partners and their stakeholders about how to create strong communities for older adults, based on needs assessment results; Generate reports and other documents to be used by the Department of Elder Services, other town offices, organizations that provide services, advocates, and community members.

Inclusive Concurrent Education Partnership, Aimee D’Avignon, Laura Vanderberg, Felicia Wilczenski, Institute For Community Inclusion, University Of Massachusetts Boston;

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Inclusive Concurrent Education Grant was implemented at the beginning of the fall 2012 semester after a planning period covering the spring and summer of 2012. Seven students from Boston Public Schools participated in the program’s first semester at UMass Boston, auditing a class each chosen from their personal interests. Five students completed.

The objective of the Inclusive Concurrent Education partnership is to provide secondary students with significant intellectual disabilities an opportunity to take an undergraduate course at UMass Boston. The goals are to provide an opportunity for these students to pursue their interests and to learn such skills as …

Admission Guaranteed Program (Agp) At Umass Boston, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Jeremiah E. Burke High School, Boston Green Academy, Dorchester Academy

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Initiated in 1989, the Admission Guaranteed Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston guarantees admission to the university for students enrolled at partner high schools. Through AGP, students who take courses in the required subject areas and meet specific program criteria are assured admission to the university in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Science and Mathematics.

Umass Boston Project Reach Talent Search, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Jeremiah E. Burke High School, Dorchester Academy, Madison Park High School, Dearborn Middle School, Mccormack Middle School

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

REACH identifies and serves disadvantaged young people who have the potential for education at the post-secondary level and encourages them to continue and graduate from secondary school and enroll in programs of post-secondary education. High school and post-secondary dropouts are also encouraged and assisted in returning to school.

Project Reach Talent Search At Umass Boston, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Jeremiah E. Burke High School, Dorchester Academy, Madison Park High School, Dearborn Middle School, Mccormack Middle School

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

REACH identifies and serves disadvantaged young people who have the potential for education at the post-secondary level and encourages them to continue and graduate from secondary school and enroll in programs of post-secondary education. High school and post-secondary dropouts are also encouraged and assisted in returning to school. Project REACH was first funded by the U.S. Department of Education in September 1985 and at the time became the first Educational Talent Search Program in the nation to serve low-income, first generation college bound, urban youth with disabilities. Today, REACH remains a national model for successful inclusion of youth with disabilities …

The Massachusetts Early Education And Care: Professional Development Study, Anne Douglass, Alice Carter, Frank Smith

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

This study is a research-policy partnership. This study used workforce registry (n=55,768) and professional development attendance data to examine early educator characteristics and patterns of professional development participation in one state.

In the paper, we describe how these new workforce data can inform professional development. We present the concept of density in professional development participation, discuss its potential benefits, and highlight the utility of state-wide digital tracking of early educators’ patterns of professional development for informing policy. We suggest that professional development policy can impact professional development participation density, and can thus be used intentionally to promote investments that have …

Mass. Memories Road Show: Your Place In Massachusetts History, Andrew Elder, Carolyn M. Goldstein, Joanne Riley, University Archives & Special Collections, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Mass. Memories Road Show is an event-based public history project that digitizes family photographs and stories shared by the people of Massachusetts. We work with local communities to organize free public events where everyone is invited to bring photographs to be scanned and included in the archives at UMass Boston.

To date, the Mass. Memories Road Show has digitized more than 5,000 photographs and stories from across the state, creating an educational resource of primary sources for future generations. Over time, we plan to visit each of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.

The Post Master's Certificate Program In Early Education Research, Policy, And Practice, Anne Douglass, Mary Lu Love, Lynne Mendes, Angi Stone-Macdonald, Lisa Van Thiel

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) has selected the University of Massachusetts Boston to lead this innovative initiative. The development of a Post Master’s Certificate Program in Early Education Research, Policy, and Practice will build much-needed capacity for advanced graduate study in early education in Massachusetts. This model program is designed to address the demand for new leadership in the rapidly advancing field of early education and care.

Jumpstart At Umass Boston, Office Of Student Leadership And Community Engagement, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Department Of Psychology, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Dever Elementary School, Early Learning Center, University Of Massachusetts Boston, John P. Holland Elementary, Yawkey Center, Dorchester Head Start, Gertrude Townsend Head Start, Roger Clap Innovation School

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Jumpstart is a national early education organization that recruits and trains college students to serve preschool children in low-income neighborhoods. Our proven curriculum helps children develop the language and literacy skills they need to be ready for kindergarten, setting them on a path to close the achievement gap before it is too late.

Gokids Boston Youth Fitness, Training, And Research Center, Gokids Boston, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

GoKids Boston embodies innovation and leadership in youth health through life-changing programs, groundbreaking research, exceptional training opportunities, and dedication to the community with a focus on eliminating health disparities.

Healthy Aging In Massachusetts: Reporting Indicators, Identifying Resources & Activating Allies, Elizabeth Dugan, Frank Porell, Nina Silverstein, Ruth Palombo, Chae Man Lee, Kristina Turk

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

In Massachusetts, a Healthy Aging Collaborative comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders has been formed for multiple purposes: information sharing around healthy aging, idea generation, partnership building and activity mapping.

Camp Shriver – A Free Inclusive Summer Sports Camp For Children With And Without Disabilities, Gary N. Siperstein, Mark Spolidoro, Barbara Gildea, Center For Social Development And Education, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Camp Shriver at UMass Boston provides a free and fully inclusive summer recreational program for children in the surrounding communities of Boston and Quincy. Through Camp Shriver, UMass Boston reaches out to children and families who have few opportunities, particularly families of children with disabilities.

Helping Developing Countries Implement The Young Athletes Program, Paddy C. Favazza, Kathleen Ghio, Gary N. Siperstein, Center For Social Development And Education, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Center for Social Development and Education is implementing Young Athletes (YA), a motor play program, in five developing countries: Kenya, Romania, Malawi, Venezuela, and Tanzania. Young Athletes is a theoretically-based program designed to improve the motor development of children with disabilities (ages 3-7) through various motor activities. Clinical trials conducted by CSDE (Favazza et al., 2013) indicate that the Young Athletes program significantly improves the motor skills of children with disabilities. The program is now being introduced internationally to address the needs of children in developing countries.

Cruza: The Alliance For Latino Health Through Faith And Action, A Umass Boston - Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Partnership For Community-Based Research, Gaston Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

CRUZA is a community-based participatory research partnership aimed at shifting the focus from intervention delivery on an individual level to a focus on enhancing the capacity of community organizations. CRUZA intends to activate collective resources to translate scientific evidence into strategies that increase cancer screening among Latinos in Massachusetts.

The Gastón Institute’S Partnership With The Puerto Rican Cultural Center In Springfield, Ma, Gaston Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

No abstract provided.

John W. Mccormack Graduate School Of Policy And Global Studies Food Pantry Service Project, John W. Mccormack Graduate School Of Policy And Global Studies, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The faculty, staff, and students of the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies are very pleased and excited to partner with UMass Boston’s Office of Urban and Off-Campus Support Services U-ACCESS initiative to empower and support all UMass Boston students who are experiencing complex personal and social issues that might prevent their academic success. Members of the McCormack Graduate School community are “walking the talk” to serve underserved populations and to help remedy economic and social inequities “in our own backyard.” Through this service project, we hope to make a positive contribution to help alleviate food …

Teach Next Year, Lisa M. Gonsalves

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Teach Next Year, a nationally acclaimed teacher residency program. TNY is an alternative, experiential urban school-based route to earning a master’s degree in education (M.Ed.) and Massachusetts initial teacher licensure through the UMass Boston in approximately 12 months. The program is designed to build on the interests and expertise of its students, faculty and the students in Boston Public Schools. Because it is an intensive site-based educational experience, it provides the support of professors, practitioners and colleagues while it supplies the challenge of study, practice and exploration.

The Living Labs: Nantucket Island, Anamarija Frankic, Robyn Hannigan, Sarah Oktay

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Living Labs are a practical response to growing environmental challenges, including habitat degradation, loss of biodiversity, and global climate change. Nantucket Living Labs develops and implements holistic solutions to environmental challenges right here and now. The School for the Environment (SFE) established this concept in Conjunction with the Nantucket Field Station, Nantucket Conservation Foundation and ReMain Nantucket, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting a year-round community in the town center.