Under the Arch

STUDENTS DEDICATED NEARLY 46,000 HOURS TO COMMUNITY SERVICE LAST YEAR

Gannon University students volunteered for nearly 46,000 hours of community service during the 2005-06 academic year, according to a new report from the university’s Office of Service-Learning.

More than 4,100 students volunteered for 45,875 hours of community service in efforts as diverse as collecting food and money for the needy, organizing a furniture drive, and helping underserved populations learn how to use the public library. Some students participated in more than one service event; the figure does not represent “unique” student participation.

Gannon faculty, staff, and administrators also volunteered more than 5,100 hours during the past academic year, bringing the University’s total community service hours to more than 51,000.

The Office of Service-Learning’s report details the various sites served and the events for which students, faculty, and staff volunteered. Gannon’s service falls into four main categories: community service (13,182 hours), service-learning (15,160), work-study in community service (16,000), and other service activities (6,715).

A more detailed look at each of the four areas:

I. Community Service – The students participated in several types of events:

· Advocacy – With a number of service efforts, raising awareness of social justice issues was the primary focus. For example, students raised money for the hungry and less fortunate during the university’s observance of Hunger and Homelessness Week. Students also participated in marches for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Take Back the Night, and March for Life. Members of Gannon’s intercollegiate athletic teams, Greek organizations, and honor and professional societies also participated in numerous initiatives.

· Alternative break service trips – Gannon students spent their spring breaks building homes in hurricane-ravaged Florida for Habitat for Humanity, working in a soup kitchen in New York City, and learning about the Lakota Sioux while spending a week at the Cheyenne reservation in White Horse, South Dakota.

· One-time service events – Gannon sponsors a number of annual initiatives, such as GIVE (Gannon’s Invitation to Volunteer Everywhere) Day, United Way Day of Caring, Golden Harvest Food Drive, the Social Work Club Christmas Dinner, and a 30-Hour Fast.

· Tutoring – Students read to young children through the Hooked on Books! program and mentored children at Kids’ Café.

II. Service-learning – Service-learning is a form of education that also has a community service component. Many Gannon faculty incorporate some aspect of community service into their courses and students earn academic credits while also serving the community.

For example, Gannon students in an advanced accounting class prepared income tax returns through a program at Erie’s Martin Luther King Center. Nursing students provided free health screenings to residents of the John E. Horan Garden Apartments. In addition, a Gannon biology major trapped and identified for research – on habitat and endangered species status – shrews living in the Erie Bluffs State Park in Girard.

III. Work-study in community service – The federal government mandates that 7 percent of student earnings from the federal student employment program be directed toward community service initiatives. Gannon placed 76 students in off-campus work-study positions at local agencies and organizations, including the Erie Art Museum, Perseus House, the Erie Center on Health and Aging, Sarah Reed Retirement Center, and the Mercy Center for Women.

IV. Other service activities – Numerous efforts provide a direct benefit or service to the community. For example, the university’s Science in Motion program makes lab equipment and technology more accessible to local schools, and offers high school chemistry and biology teachers an opportunity to enhance their knowledge base by participating in targeted workshops and laboratory work.

The report’s other key findings:

· Last year, Independent Sector, a leadership forum for charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs, estimated the value of volunteer service at $18.04 per hour. Based on that rate, Gannon’s 51,000+ hours of service to the community on a local, regional, and national scale is valued at $921,000.

· Students, faculty, and staff raised and donated more than $10,700 in cash to various organizations and causes. The largest donation, more than $3,400, was raised last September for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Students, faculty, and staff also raised money for local agencies that fight hunger ($1,680); the American Cancer Society ($1,505); Catholic Relief Services ($1,115); and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation ($1,000).

Students also donated more than 200 pints of blood to the Community Blood Bank of Erie and American Red Cross.

RECENT NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

News of interest on and around campus...

In cooperation with Faculty Senate, the CETL, the College of Humanities, Business, and Education, and the maintenance crew, the Distinguished Faculty Portraits have been moved to the hall outside the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. The new portrait placement highlights the inspirational work of Gannon’s dynamic faculty. The signage will identify our proud tradition of excellence in the classroom. There will be a reception following the placement of Dr. Phil Kelly’s portrait in the fall. -- submitted by Mary Carol Gensheimer.
Special thanks to Gannon colleagues for their help with recent media interview requests. Mark Jubulis, associate professor of political science and director of the political science program, and Arlene Montevecchio, director of the Center for Social Concerns, did interviews with Erica Erwin of the Erie Times-News for a story on the fifth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.
This Thursday, Sept. 14, the Office of Alumni Services will host a Golf Outing and BBQ at the Quail Hollow Country Club in Painesville, Ohio.
Faculty Development Grant Deadline: The deadline for Faculty Development Grant Applications is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22. Completed proposals should be mailed to the committee chairperson, Dr. Mehmet Cultu, at Box 3148. Faculty can request applications by calling Dr. Cultu at Ext. 7624 or logging on to www.gannon.edu/faculty_staff/resources/faculty/index.ihtml.

CAMPUS EVENTS

Monday, September 11 – “Pizza with a Purpose: Cultural Responses to 9/11”: The event will be held from 5-6 p.m. in the Stubler Room. Over pizza, students will discuss and reflect how Americans have responded to the events of 9/11 through popular culture.
Thursday, September 14 – Community Mass: 11 a.m. in the Chapel.
Friday, September 15 – Gannon University’s Erie Chamber Orchestra: The concert will feature as soloist Kyoung Cho (soprano). The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick Church, 130 East Fourth Street.
Saturday, September 16 – GIVE Day: Gannon’s Invitation to Volunteer Everywhere. Hundreds of students will perform community service at local agencies and organizations. A rally for the event will begin at 8 a.m.
Tuesday, September 19 – Brown Bag Lunch: The topic will be Personal Finance 101, or Making the Money You Work for, Work for You! This discussion will cover personal finance as well as first steps to get your financial house in order, including saving, protecting your assets, and investing. The session will be held from 12-1 p.m. in the Founders’ Room of the library and will be presented by Larry Maxted, librarian.
“Our Events” is intended to serve as a random sample of campus events. For a more complete listing, refer to Eventcal.

THE PRESIDENT’S SCHEDULE

Tuesday, September 12 – Cathedral Preparatory School Advisory Board Meeting; Strategic Plan II Task Force Meeting. Wednesday, September 13 – Venango Catholic High School visit. Thursday, September 14 – Community Mass; student hour; Order of Omega Initiation for the Spring 2006 Class. Friday, September 15 – Cathedral Preparatory School Visit; Mission Orientation for New Faculty and Professional Staff. Saturday, September 16 – Inauguration of Dr. Thomas Gamble as President of Mercyhurst College. Sunday, September 17 – Honors Program President’s Reception.

PRAYER CONCERNS

Please remember all in your prayers as regretfully we announce the death of:

John McCormick, brother of Tom Wager, help desk supervisor, Information Technology Services.
David Westcott, father of Janet Laboda, senior circulation assistant, Nash Library; and father-in-law of Robin Westcott, receptionist,admissions office.
Nellie Abbondanza, mother of Larry Abbondanza, adjunct professor, Dahlkemper School of Business Administration.
Prayers have been requested for Mary Pol, assistant director, financial aid office. Mary recently had surgery.
Prayers have been requested for Gannon student Scott Lane, who was hospitalized at UPMC.

CURRENT BIRTHDAYS

David Fracassi. Lewis M’Sadogues. Lawrence Kisko. Colin Peterson. Betty Jo Chitester. Shawn Clerkin. Shelly Bentley. Barbara Monschein. Ann Banko. Karinna Vernaza. Tom Jakobic. Wayne Anderson. Charles Dubbs. Donna Skelly. Susan Troutner. David Horton. Ltc. Calvin McCommons. Supawadee Lee. Joseph Mabie. Michael Caulfield. Frank Yohe. Debbie Crosby. Lawrence Morgan. Mary Jo Geertson. Tammy Weary. Thomas Comstock. Berwyn Moore. Mary Jo Hess. Rebecca Willow. Darryl Smith. Greg Mello. Edward Rogers. Terrance Hoover. Catherine Gillespie. David Blaetz. Michelle Costello. John Publicover. Carol Perry. Antoine Garibaldi. Claudia Mosso. Elisa Konieczko. Patrick Headley. Margaret Horne. Thomas Hudson. Ronald Cuzzola. Robin Parra.

FROM THE EDITOR

Gannon University faculty, staff, and administrators: As an employee newsletter, Under the Arch is your publication. The goal is for Under the Arch to be a complete resource for you: a place where you can stay up to date on everything happening on campus: events, news related to the university and its employees, important announcements, etc. Your help is needed to make Under the Arch as effective as possible. Please notify us of any news, specific to you or your department, that would be of interest to the Gannon Community. For example, if you attend a conference, present a paper, complete work on an advanced degree, or have any other news to share with your colleagues, please send it to Nick Pronko, media relations officer. Submissions can be e-mailed to pronko001@gannon.edu. To be included in a forthcoming Monday edition, information should be submitted by the preceding Thursday. Look forward to hearing from you!