St. Olaf J-Term Partnership with HECUA Introduces Students to Cities’ Rich Diversity

52 St. Olaf College students spent two weeks living and learning in the Twin Cities.

Some students lived in Minneapolis and engaged in numerous site visits, field speakers, theater events; others stayed on the West Side of St. Paul with Mexican and Hmong families and studied the experience of new immigrants in Minnesota.

The partnership is part of a three-year project to infuse curriculum with diversity and experience. It is focused on freshmen seminars and includes faculty/course development.

Martin Luther King Day Event Draws Over 60 People

In partnership with Walker Church and St. Olaf College, HECUA presented a panel discussion entitled “Challenges and Choices for a Diverse Democracy: Lessons from the Freedom Movement.”

Panelists Nasrin Jewell, Nehrwr Abdul-Wahid, and Michael Andregg highlighted current challenges to democracy in the U.S. following September 11th and lessons from the civil rights movement that speak to today’s political climate. HECUA alumni, St. Olaf’s Hewlett Interim Program students, HECUA staff, and members of the Walker Church community attended.

Environmental Project Funds 6 Mini-Grants. HECUA Program Planning Continues

Supported by a McKnight Grant, HECUA awarded grants to support a variety of sustainability projects: David Kelly (UST), Bob Douglas (Gustavus), Dan McGuiness (Audubon), Mark Muller (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy), Peggy Knapp (Center for Global Environmental Education), Derek Larson (St. John’s University). For more information, see elsewhere on this web site.

Faculty and community group continues to plan for a HECUA environmental program.

Partners Internship Program Selects 21 Non-profit Sites for Paid Internships for Summer. Soliciting Student Applications.

Selected organizations in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota will hire a full-time paid intern to work on particular projects this summer using the PIP grant. Descriptions of internships and applications are posted on HECUA’s web site (www.hecua.org/pip/student_pip.html). Student applications are due April 1, 2002.

Alumnus Research on Environmental Threats to Lake Atitlán, Guatemala Gets Widespread On-Site Use and Recognition

Joe Carlile’s (Gustavus College) research, conducted while on a HECUA program, is being used by Guatemalan development organizations and was the subject of a December story in the country’s leading daily newspaper, La Prensa. The article will soon be posted on HECUA’s web site.

Carlile participated in HECUA’s Environment, Economy and Community Program in Guatemala (EECLA) in 2001 and returned to complete a senior research project. He has presented his findings to community development organizations, authorities and at home. The data is being used in on-going work in Guatemala.

Funding Available from The Kellogg Forum On Higher Education For The Public Good

Up to $3000 grants (up to five awards) are now available to pre-tenured faculty, young practitioners, and advanced graduate students in any discipline in U.S to support research that explores higher education’s role in serving the public good.

Applications are due April 15, 2002 and available at: http://www.kelloggforum.org/activities/rising_app.html

Impact Evaluation Project Gets Underway with Funding from The St. Paul Foundation

HECUA will evaluate and articulate the depth and breadth of the impact of HECUA on partnering organizations and community. It also will identify strategies to deepen the relationship with member college and community partners, as well as inform the restructuring of the governance function.

Emil Angelica and Becky Wolfgram-Davis, consultants from the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, will assist. Completion is targeted for June, 2002.

A Steering Committee comprised of colleges, community, and alumni will guide the design of the project.

Staff Present At Several Area Conferences

Sara Carpenter, program assistant, and Margit Johnson, board member/Carleton College, presented a short program on intercultural transition learning at the Minnesota Study Abroad Professionals (MSAP) meeting

HECUA served as special resource to the fall and winter conferences of the Collaboration for Advancement of Teaching & Learning. Nan Kari, Director of New Program Development & Professional Education, and Sara Carpenter represented HECUA in two sessions: a pre-conference workshop and a concurrent session with three HECUA alumni on “Designing Experience-Based Learning” and “Civic Education As Public Work”.

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