Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry
2023 Service Learning Award Recipients
Instructional Innovation in Service-Learning Award
Presented to CSU faculty members who demonstrate an innovative contribution to service learning curriculum development and/or community outreach.
Dr. Allison White
Job Title: Interim Director and Assistant Professor
Department: Master of Public Policy and Administration
Since 2021, Dr. White’s MPPA classes have partnered with local organizations working on gender equality in East Africa. Each semester, students produce collaborative research projects that address questions of interest to the partner organizations. In 2022, student research on Rwandan government contracts and tax policies allowed The Women’s Bakery, to implement policies to diversify its board and workforce, and to boost resources for frontline services.
Exceptional Achievement in Service-Learning Community Partner Award
Presented to a CSU community partner for their commitment to building university-community partnerships that meet community-articulated needs and challenges while supporting the holistic education of the next generation of professionals, leaders, and citizens.
Patricia Garcia-Nelson
Job Title: Colorado Fossil Fuel Just Transition Advocate
Department/ Organization: GreenLatinos
Patricia Nelson is a longtime advocate for communities disproportionately impacted by the emissions of air toxics from oil and gas development. In 2022 graduate students in an Air Quality Characterization course partnered with Patricia to continue air toxics monitoring near the Bella Romero 4-8 Campus in Greeley. Patricia’s efforts and expertise enabled an authentic and meaningful instrument deployment for graduate students, helped the class organize a bilingual event teaching families about local air quality, facilitated new observations of air quality issues near the Bella Romero School, and expanded student understanding of Community Engaged Research.
Exceptional Achievement in Service Learning Student Award
This award is presented to a student or student group for their remarkable social or environmental contributions achieved through an academic service-learning course, a supervised internship or professional project, or community-engaged research.
Allison Kohler
Job Title: Graduate Student
Department: Graduate Degree Program in Ecology
Allison conducted dissertation research on the impacts of disjointed deer management on SARS-CoV-2 dynamics. In order to meet social and ecological needs, she worked with a variety of agencies to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and sync project goals with community interests.