April 28, 2010 — Fifteen University of Utah students who completed 400 hours of community service each will be honored at the U’s commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 7, at 9 a.m. in the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus.
The U’s Lowell Bennion Community Service Center service-learning scholars were recently recognized for also completing 10 credit hours of service-learning classes and a major integrative service project (ISP) that combines academics with concentrated community work. Next week, the Service-Learning program, now in its eighteenth year, will graduate fifteen students.
The 2010 service-learning scholars are Ada Van Zanten, Carlene Folau, Elise Dumke-Miller, Kelsey Buchman, McKenzie Newton, Daniel Torba, Heather Oldroyd, Jesus Loya, Kristen Bushnell, Rebecca Van Maren, Ruthie Newman, Judith Fuwell, Matthew Pepper, Nattie Morlan and Stanley Lloyd .
“Students in the Service-Learning Scholars program are supported while integrating their academic coursework into the community through service by addressing a community need” says JaNae Lilly, Bennion Center service-learning coordinator. “I know these students will remain engaged citizens throughout their lives by contributing to their communities through service.”
Ada Van Zanten worked with the College of Engineering Outreach Department to develop a manual for students, teachers and volunteers to run after school engineering clubs at elementary schools.
Carlene Folau worked to restructure the Education First mentoring program by building relationships and creating a program manual with policies and procedures to facilitate campus experiences for students of color and initiate recruitment.
Daniel Torba, created The Diabetes Awareness Group, which fundraises for University of Utah diabetes research and volunteers throughout the community to teach the importance of a healthy diet and exercise and its role in the prevention of diabetes.
Elise Dumke Miller created the annual Officers Hollow event to give young students who may not have had a chance to enjoy Halloween the opportunity to Trick-or-Treat.
Heather Oldroyd developed a continuing education course through The Children’s Center for pre-school teachers in the community. This course will result in individualized child behavior support for pre-school teachers.
Jesus Loya developed a program to assist first-generation college students by providing computer training, college orientation opportunities, accounts of others’ academic experiences and materials to build interest in engineering and science.
Judith Fuwell helped organizations make needs assessments of what resources are available to them and learn to research and write grants that would help them acquire funding for their projects or programs.
Kelsey Buchman worked with the Family Self-sufficiency Program, which helps adults in low income housing get their general equivalency diplomas (GEDs). She incorporated the program into the Bennion Center, recruited volunteers and designed a GED math practice manual to assist during tutoring sessions.
Kristen Bushnell engaged in an educational outreach program for Bend-in-the-River to translate responsible building practices through the use of urban ecology. The project included construction documents, plans and diagrams of upcoming technology.
Matthew Pepper created an exercise DVD for Hispanic patients with diabetes to educate and help them understand and manage their diabetes. He will present findings on the DVD’s effectiveness at the American Association of Diabetes Educators annual meeting
McKenzie Newton helped create The U Book for the University of Utah Alumni Association. The book compiles 50 traditions to enhance students’ experience at the U.
Natalie Morlan, in collaboration with Brent Schmidt, worked with Interpreting Services at the University Hospital in order to create a handbook that will aide in the training of volunteer language interpreters.
Rebecca Van Maren worked with the Community Food Co-op of Utah to establish a mobile market in food deserts located in Salt Lake County to provide increased access to affordable, healthy food in areas where the co-op model is not available.
Ruthie Newman developed an educational support system comprised of U. student tutors and mentors for the community of the Homeless Youth Resource Center.
Stanley Lloyd created an Issue Education and Saturday Service Project Binder intended to help future Bennion Center leaders conduct meaningful and educational experiences for volunteers.