April 2021 Message from the Executive Director
When we start each new month, I love to look at the list of “National Days” – just for fun. April has over 50 such days including National Soft Pretzel Month and National Canine Fitness Month! Two that really inspired me were National Month of Hope and Second Chance Month. I had to ask myself, “How would the month of April be different for me and those around me if I focused on hope and second chances?” This could especially have a significant positive impact on the students, faculty, and staff we interact with. Without any additional funding or training,…
VISTA Spotlight: Stephanie Jones
Meet Stephanie Jones “I am a first-seed, lifetime resident of Somerset, KY,” Stephanie Jones said. “I am the mother of two daughters and a caregiver for my mom.” She serves as a KyCC VISTA for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, housed at Somerset Community College (SCC) in Somerset, Kentucky. This institution offers academic, general education, and technical curricula leading to certificates, diplomas, and associate’s degrees. SCC is also accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Jones is a lifetime learner, earning an Associate in Arts from 1999, with general education to…
KyCC Faculty Spotlight: Abe Cross, Assistant Dean of Students
Service-learning is next-level teaching. If students cannot retain what they learn, or if they cannot apply it, then are they really learning? Abe Cross Assistant Dean of Students Lindsey Wilson College When asked to describe service-learning, Cross shared it is a way to engage in a hands-on, tangible learning methodology that positively impacts a community. He noted that it is one thing to understand the theory – and that is important – but it is another thing altogether to apply this approach. “That’s what service-learning enables our students to do: They get the added bonus of doing it within the…
Supporting Free Speech for All on Campus Event
Supporting Free Speech for All on Campus April 13 (2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.) Hosted by our NC Campus Compact partner Recent years have seen the values of free speech, diversity, and inclusion in tension with one another in higher education. These principles must be harmonized, balanced, and upheld in tandem for the rising generation and our democracy. This presentation will draw on the nuanced history of free speech to present a vision of ‘free speech for all,’ a belief in both upholding free speech and ensuring that people from all backgrounds have opportunities to speak, be heard and be…
KyCC Faculty Spotlight: Thomas R. Wójcicki, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Bellarmine University
“The least of the work of learning is done in the classroom.” – Thomas Merton Thomas R. Wójcicki, Ph.D. Associate Professor Exercise Science Department School of Movement & Rehabilitation Sciences College of Health Professions Bellarmine University While Dr. Thomas Wójcicki believes that attending lectures and taking notes is a time-tested pedagogical approach, he recognizes the need for and value of active learning – especially via community engagement – as it can greatly improve the comprehension of the material being taught and significantly aid in the realization and subsequent appreciation of its social utility. “Demonstrating one’s ability to successfully apply the…
KyCC Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Heather Pruss, Asst. Professor of Criminal Justice Studies, Bellarmine University
“The urgency of ensuring we prioritize community needs in this process cannot be understated.” Dr. Heather Pruss teaches in the discipline of criminal justice – she and her students study systems built to marginalize and dehumanize people. In this disciplinary context, experiential learning has the potential to disrupt that. It requires a critical lens and real intentionality but can positively impact the community members and students. The service-learning engagement has encouraged her to reach out, develop, and maintain relationships with community partners she may not have otherwise. Too often, academic training teaches that practitioners and scholars operate in two different…
March Message from the Exec Director
Celebrating KyCC Women Presidents A 2019 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education explored “What Happens When Women Run Colleges?” The tag line suggests “Democratic, communal, inclusive. That may be the future of college leadership.” As we celebrate Women’s History month, Kentucky Campus Compact (KyCC) would like to celebrate three women history-makers who are leading KyCC member institutions. All three share a passion for students, a deep connection to community, and a spirit of innovation. The three include Bellarmine University President Susan M. Donovan, Madisonville Community College President Cynthia Kelley, and Spalding University President Tori Murden McClure. Thank you for…
Campus Compact Announces 2021 Cohort of Newman Civic Fellows
BOSTON, Mass. – March 1, 2021 – Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the students who will make up the organization’s 2021 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. The 2021 cohort comprises 212 students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. The 2021-2022 cohort of Fellows includes students from three institutions across Kentucky. Kentucky Campus Compact is excited to congratulate the following students who have been named Newman Civic Fellows public problem solvers: Marcus Stubbs- Bellarmine University Autumn Harvey- Berea College Ashley Smith- Lindsey Wilson College The Newman Civic Fellowship…
