Service Learning Academy Finds Success With New Faculty Fellows Program

Beginning this past October, the UNO Service Learning Academy (SLA) launched its newly-redesigned Faculty Fellows program in partnership with the UNO Office of Academic Affairs, resulting in an increase to the number of faculty fellowships to support both the colleges and UNO's Big Ideas.

Following a 2020 academic program review, SLA divided its Faculty Fellows program into two cohorts serving both Big Ideas and the six academic colleges.

These 12 new Faculty Fellows were chosen to lead six Big Ideas, identified by the campus as priority projects, as well as UNO's six academic colleges to support a broad range of service learning and community engagement goals.

“As we've seen, several months into its first year, we have had the opportunity to build research, scholarship, and engagement opportunities that will continue to increase our ability to impact the community, increase learning, and access additional resources,” Julie Dierberger, Paul Sather Distinguished Director of the UNO Service Learning Academy, said.

In January 2020 the university identified five Big Ideas to focus on in the coming years, with a sixth being added later that year. As liaisons, faculty members selected as Big Ideas Fellows will connect Big Ideas stakeholders to community engagement resources at UNO.

Ashlee Dere, Ph.D., Faculty Fellow for the STEM TRAIL Center and associate professor of geology, said: “I have been especially interested to explore how we can expand the use of research as a pedagogical tool that also serves community needs.”

Meanwhile, College-specific Fellows have been and will continue to work with the college deans to meet community engagement and service learning goals within each college. For example, one outcome may be to recruit new service learning faculty to increase students’ experiential learning within a specific college.

“I look forward to supporting experienced faculty in their service learning endeavors and to invite others less experienced to give service learning a chance,” said Cecilia Tocaimaza-Hatch, Ph.D., Faculty Fellow for the College of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of foreign languages and literature.

All Fellows are currently serving a 10-month term (October to July), which has allowed them to plan and implement impactful strategies for both campus and community.

“I wanted to serve as a fellow because service learning boosts my seniors’ confidence in client relations and gives our nonprofit clients the necessary gains in views and fundraising dollars their work deserves,” said Andrea M. Weare, Ph.D., Faculty Fellow for the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media and assistant professor of communication.

Jodi Benenson, Ph.D., Faculty Fellow for the College of Public Affairs and Community Service and assistant professor of public administration, added: “I’ve been grateful for the opportunity to think innovatively about the ways service learning can contribute to our understanding and address the critical social, political, and economic issues in our state.”

A list of current Big Ideas and College Fellows is included below. Faculty are encouraged to reach out to any relevant Fellows for ideas, support, or collaboration opportunities.

BIG IDEAS FELLOWS

STEM TRAIL Center

Ashlee Dere
Associate Professor, Geology

Security and Intelligence Studies

Matthew Hale
Assistant Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Informatics

Biomechanical Rehabilitation and Manufacturing

Amelia Lanier
Outreach Coordinator, Biomechanics

Ted Kooser Center for Health Humanities

Roma Subramanian,
Assistant Professor, School of Communication

Samuel Bak Institute

Connie Schaffer
Associate Professor, Teacher Education, CEHHS

Transforming Wellness and Aging through Business, Informatics, and Gerontology

Paul Turner,
Grant Specialist, College of Business Administration

COLLEGE FELLOWS

College of Arts and Sciences

Cecilia Tocaimaza-Hatch
Associate Professor, Foreign Languages and Literature

College of Business Administration

Shannon Cummins
Associate Professor, Marketing and Entrepreneurship

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

Mitzi Ritzman
Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders

College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media

Andrea M. Weare
Assistant Professor, School of Communication

College of Public Affairs and Community Service

Jodi Benenson
Assistant Professor, School of Public Administration

College of Information Science and Technology

Dhundy (Kiran) Bastola
Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Informatics