Community Work Learning

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Annual Report

2015-2016

Note from the Director This year, after 10 years of amazing leadership, Martha Malinski transitioned to Executive Director of the Association of Colleges of Sisters of St. Joseph, and I was hired as Director of Community Work and Learning. It has been a year of change and growth for our Center, both in terms of programming and staffing. We are excited to share some successes and highlights with you.

42,500+ Total hours of student engagement

1,800+ Students across disciplines/degrees

94 Engaged faculty and staff

Service-learning programming increased to 99 courses across 26 departments, with 85 percent of students expressing that service-learning enriched their overall experience at St. Kate’s.* Our student employment and leadership programs also impacted student development; 100 percent of Assistantship Mentoring Program students felt they gained skillsets that would benefit their work after graduation, and 100 percent of America Reads tutors believed the program increased their understanding of diverse perspectives and social justice.*

We finished the pilot year of our Career Ready Internship Program and were thrilled to receive a nearly $400,000, three-year grant from Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation to continue our efforts. St. Catherine University was one of 33 colleges and universities to receive this grant. Career Ready continues to deepen our students’ experience and St. Kate’s work with the greater community. This spring, 95 percent of students expressed that Career Ready allowed them to gain skillsets that would benefit their future work, and 100 percent of participating community partners indicated interest in hosting future interns.* All of us at Community Work and Learning are honored to be an integral part of the St. Kate’s student, faculty, and staff experience, and to collaborate with the community. The positive outcomes of our efforts are only possible in partnership with others, and we are so thankful to work hand-in-hand with so many. We feel community engagement has deep impact for our students and community. We also want to thank Sister Andrea Lee for her many years of leadership as president at St. Catherine University, and to welcome ReBecca Roloff as she takes the helm this summer. We wish you all the best in the coming months, and look forward to continued collaboration. Sincerely, D’Ann Urbaniak Lesch Director, Center for Community Work and Learning *Based on 2015-2016 Evaluation Data

About Community Work and Learning St. Catherine University’s Center for Community Work and Learning facilitates student leadership and positive community engagement through service-learning and student employment. Our programs challenge students, faculty, and staff to deepen their understanding of social responsibility and refine their practice of ethical leadership in the tradition of Catholic Social Teaching and our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph. St. Catherine University has received numerous honors and awards for community engagement, including: ⦁ The Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification ⦁ The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll ⦁ Great Lakes Foundation Career Ready Internship grants

Through service-learning, the America Reads Program, Career Ready Internships, and the Assistantship Mentoring Program, we engage with over 125 community organizations annually. We strive for mutually-beneficial partnerships that meet the learning goals of our students, faculty, and staff in combination with the expressed needs of our community partners.

Professional staff D’Ann Urbaniak Lesch, Director Elizabeth Dunens, Assistant Director Jewelly Lee, Assistant Director Megan Gilmore, Program Coordinator Megan Voorhees (through August 2015) Lorissa Gottschalk (through January 2016) Kendall Clements, Graduate Student Intern Student staff Fira Abdishikur, Denyce Alvarez, Alex Determan, Vishana Jaipat, Emily Fiske, Marlee Mfalingundi, Kara Nelson, Maggie Singerhouse, Keetha Vue, and Leslie Yang Elizabeth Dunens, Jewelly Lee, Megan Gilmore, and D’Ann Urbaniak Lesch.

Service-Learning In service-learning courses, students and faculty partner with community organizations to engage in collaborative work that enhances course curriculum and learning. Community Work and Learning supports faculty and community partners in service-learning design, implementation, and evaluation.

1,675

99

63

15,796

Students

Courses

Faculty

Student hours

Learning just from a book would not have provided anywhere close to the knowledge I gained from servicelearning. It enhanced the quality of the class exponentially. - Service-learning student

We love working with St. Kate’s. It is the primary university we work with in service-learning by choice. We are happy to provide a space for students to engage, learn and grow. - Community partner

As faculty we deeply appreciate the rich learning opportunities that are provided through service-learning. - Service-learning faculty

(Top) COMM 1020 students engage with seniors at Keystone Community Services; (Middle) RN-BS student from NURS 4110 teaches a health lesson to youth on handwashing; (Bottom) BIO 1140 students learn about urban farming at Frogtown Farm.

America Reads Our America Reads program employs St. Kate's students from varying disciplines as tutors at five schools and community organizations across the Twin Cities: Anishinabe Academy, Crossroads Elementary, Laura Jeffrey Academy, Project for Pride in Living, and YWCA St. Paul.

36 Tutors

I have been so impressed with the tutors’ ability to establish positive relationships with our youth to support their learning. - Community partner

6,000+ Student tutor hours

We give students the chance to build relationships with college students and see that they can work towards a college degree as well. - America Reads tutor

27 Tutor trainings

I was new this semester [to America Reads] and felt welcomed right away. I have met a lot of St. Kate’s students I would not have known otherwise. - America Reads tutor

(Top left) YWCA youth get help from tutors Rana and Brianna; (Top right) Tutor Mai Yang works with a pre-K student at Crossroads Elementary; (Bottom) Spring ‘16 America Reads Anishinabe Academy tutors.

Assistantship Mentoring Program The Assistantship Mentoring Program (AMP) creates the space for students and mentors to engage in intellectual creativity and collaboration through teaching, research, and project assistantships.

11 Project Assistants

19 Research Assistants

27 Teaching Assistants

9,000+ AMP student hours

While I was interviewing for jobs, recruiters and search committees were very interested in my research experience ... [AMP] absolutely helped me secure a position that I am very excited about. - AMP Research Assistant

I just love introducing students to research, and I love that they can get paid for it so they can focus on the work. The students get such an enriching experience and it can drastically change their perceptions of themselves and their future careers. It's a game-changer. - AMP Mentor

I am so thankful for AMP. I've been able to take what I’ve learned in the classroom for the last two years and apply it to hands-on work. I've gained real life work experience and skills that I know will benefit me in whatever career I pursue. - AMP Project Assistant

(Top) Assistant Tinodaishe Mandevbu presents at the Spring CWL Final Symposium; (Middle) Mentor Dr. Kim Ha and Research Assistant Yenchi Tran; (Bottom) Assistant Rachel DuBose works with students from Dr. Erick Agrimson’s course, Physics for the Health Sciences.

Career Ready Internships Career Ready provides paid internships to juniors and seniors with financial need. Students gain leadership and professional skills related to their academic areas of study while contributing to the greater community.

73 Career Ready Internships

11,863 Student hours

The most rewarding aspect of my internship was learning what goes into running a nonprofit organization. It helped me develop my career plans for the future. - Spring 2016 intern

We have hosted two St. Kate's Career Ready interns in the past. We are an extremely small organization, so the help and energy that our interns bring truly builds our capacity in very meaningful ways. We're so grateful for this resource, and for working with Katies, who have reliably been smart, insightful women. - Internship site supervisor

(Left) Education student Laura Mena working with immigrant youth through WISE’s Girls Getting Ahead in Leadership summer program; (Right) Public Health student Kalice Allen interning at West Side Community Health Services.

Community Partners Aeon African Development Center African Economic Development Solutions Ain Dah Yung Alley Shoppe Ann Bancroft Foundation Anishinabe Academy Anoka Family Promise Arlington Hills Library Art Buddies Asian Economic Development Association Asian Women United of Minnesota Association of Colleges of Sisters of Saint Joseph Athletes Committed to Educating Students (ACES) Augsburg Campus Kitchen Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative Breaking Free Breakthrough Twin Cities Bridging Inc. Brian Coyle Community Center CAPI Carondelet Village Catholic Charities Cedar Riverside Adult Education Cedar Riverside Health Commons Celeste’s Dream Cerenity Senior Care Communidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio Communication Services for the Deaf courageous heARTS Crossroads Elementary Cycles for Change Dakota Valley Learning Center Dress for Success Twin Cities East Side Learning Center Ebenezer Senior Housing Ecumen Eureka Recycling Fairview Health Services Flipside, St. Paul Community Education Fraser Independent Living The Food Group GEMS

Green Central Park School HealthEast Passport Hennepin County Medical Center Higher Ground Opportunity Center Highland Catholic School Hmong American Farmers Association Hmong American Partnership Hmong Cultural Center Horizons Unlimited Foodshelf Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning ICA Food Shelf Immigrant Law Center of MN Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners International Education Center Jane Addams School for Democracy Jeremiah Program Karen Organization of Minnesota Kateri Residence of St. Stephen’s Keystone Community Services Korean Service Center Laura Jeffrey Academy League of Women Voters Lifeworks Services, Inc. The Lift Garage The Listening House of St. Paul Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota Lyngblomsten Mano a Mano Mary’s Pence Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging Minneapolis Adult Education Minnesota Campus Compact Minnesota Children’s Museum Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless Minnesota Historical Society Minnesota Internship Center High School Minnesota Literacy Council Mississippi Park Connection National Parkinson Foundation of Minnesota Neighborhood House NorthPoint Open Door Learning Northeast Our Saviour’s English Learning Center

Our Saviour’s Housing The O’Shaughnessy Parkinson’s Dance, HealthEast Peace House Community People Incorporated People Serving People Phalen Lake Elementary Phillips Eye Institute Project for Pride in Living Rebuilding Together Ronald McDonald House Charities Rondo Library Homework Center Roosevelt High School St. Mary’s Health Clinic Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Saint Paul Public Library Saint Stephen’s Human Services The Sanneh Foundation Sarah’s. . . an Oasis for Women Second Harvest Heartland Sexual Violence Center Sholom Sierra Club Sojourner Truth Academy Take Action MN Three Rivers Park District Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Twin Cities Housing Development Corporation Urban Strategies at Heritage Park Wellington Senior Living WellShare International West 7th Community Center West Side Community Health Services Wilder Foundation Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment Women’s Prison Book Project Women Venture Youth Farm YouthLink YMCA YWCA St. Paul

Contact Us Center for Community Work and Learning St. Catherine University 2004 Randolph Avenue, Coeur de Catherine 233 St. Paul, Minnesota 55105 651-690-6842 stkate.edu/cwl

[email protected] Stkatescwl

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