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Photographs by Chuck Kimmerle, Office of University Relations. Published in June 2007 by the Office of University Relations. The University of North Dakota is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. |
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| Civic Art |
| Students in the UND Department of Art, with the guidance of graphic arts professor Lucy Ganje, developed and delivered to the city of Grand Forks a series of graphic arts posters that are being displayed at bus stop shelters. The posters were designed to present “typographic portraits” of the architecture, geography or events that highlight the individuality of Grand Forks. |
| Volunteers |
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| They call it the “Big Event.” One Saturday each April, hundreds of UND students fan out through the Grand Cities for a one-day service project aimed at saying “Thank you” to the Greater Grand Forks area for supporting the University. Spearheaded by Student Government, the “Big Event” — part of a national campaign — serves to educate students about community service. That’s the mission of the UND Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, the hub, or “portal,” to a broad range of opportunities aimed at getting students involved with learning and social activities outside of the classroom. With more than 200 organizations on campus, student opportunities for service abound, especially through the center’s Volunteer Bridge, which provides information about opportunities in the Greater Grand Forks community. Volunteer Bridge maintains relationships with agencies in the community who need volunteers on an ongoing basis. Volunteers may commit for a single event, a semester, or for an entire year. Agencies served by the Volunteer Bridge run the gamut from arts, civic and environmental organizations, to health and human services, to opportunities to work with people with disabilities, the elderly and with youth. |
| National Honors for Service |
| The White House and the Carnegie Foundation have each named the University of North Dakota to national honor lists in recognition of “consistent excellence in community engagement.” UND was accorded a spot on the first-ever U.S. President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Only 492 universities were honored with this accolade. And UND is one of only 76 schools nationwide selected by the Carnegie Foundation for inclusion in its new community engagement classification, and one of only nine to make the Outreach and Partnerships category. “The University has been providing services to North Dakota communities from its beginning, so we are very pleased that the White House and the Carnegie Foundation have chosen to recognize our focused ongoing community engagement efforts,” said UND President Charles Kupchella. “UND has a long, rich tradition of public service. The Center for Community Engagement, directed by Dr. Lana Rakow, has helped to crystallize the kind of commitment we’ve made through our Strategic Plan to continue to build service programs and to create experiential learning opportunities.” |
| Experiential Learning and Engaging Communities |
| Experiential learning can take many forms. Perhaps the best situation is when you can combine your education goals and your personal interests. That was the case for Brian O’Neal (right), a student in UND’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program who spent three years as a wide receiver for Boise State University. Athletic training internships with professional football teams combined the best of both for O’Neal. He exemplifies a growing number of students at UND who are taking advantage of the kinds of experiential learning opportunities, such as those provided through the UND Center for Community Engagement, that link academic resources with community needs. The Center coordinates and supports opportunities for faculty and students to learn from and with nonprofit organizations, rural and tribal communities, and other public partners in the state. The Experiential Learning Program promotes opportunities for students to learn their professions, citizenship, and community involvement outside the classroom. The University of North Dakota Public Scholarship Program supports faculty research and creative activity that addresses public needs, especially those of rural communities, tribal communities, and nonprofit organizations in the state of North Dakota. |
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