By Kirsten J. Barnes, CCBP Graduate Assistant
The University of Alabama's Center for Community-Based Partnerships will host its seventh annual Awards Luncheon Friday, April 26, beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Hotel Capstone. The program recognizes the year's most outstanding faculty, staff, student and community engaged scholars and best community engagement projects.
The event is free, but attendees must register by either calling Elizabeth Hartley at (205) 348-8376 or emailing her at ehartley@ua.edu by no later than April 24, 2013. If emailing, please write "CCBP Awards Program RSVP" in the subject line. Space is limited so early registration is recommended.
"This special program honors the most outstanding engaged scholarship projects and leading engaged scholars," said UA Vice President of Community Affairs Dr. Samory T. Pruitt. "This university and the surrounding community are fortunate to have a culture of engagement, where University and community partners pool talent and resources to address serious problems in the community in ways that benefit both our campus and community organizations."
Awards will be made in six categories: Distinguished Engaged Faculty or Staff; Distinguished Engaged Community Partner; Distinguished Engaged Student; Outstanding Faculty or Staff-Initiated Engagement Project; Outstanding Community Partner-Initiated Engagement Project; and Outstanding Student-Initiated Engagement Project.
Again this year, a poster session highlighting current engagement projects will precede the luncheon, beginning at 10 a.m.
"This annual poster session has proved to be an excellent opportunity for faculty, staff, students and their community partners to introduce new research in the field. Each year we get 12 to 20 posters representing engagement research in various stages of development," said Tommie Syx, the CCBP program assistant who oversees the poster session each year. "We expect to have another good session this year."
Janet Griffith, assistant provost, is chair of the Awards Committee. "This year our program will highlight some of the best examples of engagement scholarship, research that very likely later will be presented at international conferences and published in top journals," Griffith said.
Projects to be recognized cover many topics and disciplines "“ from faith-based health initiatives to pre-college support programs like the College of Engineering's "Rockets and Race Cars" program that introduces pre-college students to the concepts of design and engineering to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects and related careers.
This year, the Seed Fund Committee, chaired by Dr. Melanie Miller, CCBP director of Student and Community Development, evaluated proposals early in order to announce winners at the Awards Program. "We look forward to recognizing the outstanding proposals submitted this year by faculty, staff, students and community partners," Miller said. "The purpose of these funds is to help researchers get their research under way while seeking additional external funding."
Proposals are reviewed on the basis of potential contribution to the field, effectiveness of the literature review, project design, potential impact of the research, and other factors.
"The awards program not only attracts faculty and staff, but also many students and members of the community who play critical roles in engaged scholarship," Pruitt said. "This is our opportunity to recognize their work. We look forward to another great turnout.
The Center for Community-Based Partnerships, whose motto is "Engaging Communities and Changing Lives," is an initiative of the Division of Community Affairs. CCBP connects faculty, staff, students and community partners in research-based projects to address important social, health, economic, cultural and other issues.
The event is free, but attendees must register by either calling Elizabeth Hartley at (205) 348-8376 or emailing her at ehartley@ua.edu by no later than April 24, 2013. If emailing, please write "CCBP Awards Program RSVP" in the subject line. Space is limited so early registration is recommended.