Metro State’s role as an “urban land grant” institution has been an
underlying theme of President Jordan’s since his arrival at the College
in 2005. The newly constituted Urban Center for Civic Engagement task
force is expected to develop the programmatic framework for Metro
State’s civic engagement with the city of Denver.
The task force was developed to clarify Metro State’s ties to the
Denver metropolitan community, particularly with respect to service and
outreach activities.
“Many faculty and staff are already actively engaged in these
activities,” said Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs Linda Curran, “and the benefits to both our student and to the
city of Denver have been incalculable.”
“Through the task force,” Curran added, “Academic Affairs and
Student Services will work jointly to learn how the members of the
Metro State community are currently involved in service and outreach
and to explore new ways for our community to engage with the greater
Denver community.”
Vice President for Student Services Kathy MacKay, who along with
AnnJanette Alejano-Steele, director of the Institute for Women’s
Studies and Services and professor of psychology, co-chairs the task
force, said, “This initiative makes so much sense, given our mission.”
According to its formal charge, the task force will have the following goals:
1. Develop an inventory of existing College programs and projects
that serve the Denver metropolitan area and its people through direct
public service and/or community engagement.
2. Capture through surveys and other methods, the full range of
public service activities currently being conducted by colleges,
departments, programs, special projects, as well as by faculty,
students and staff.
3. Profile exemplary projects and name best practices related to
public service and community engagement that can serve as models for
the Denver community and college partnerships and important public
service examples for the entire College community.
4. Identify critical issues, needs and opportunities that should be
addressed and/or improved upon within the College’s public
responsibility mission, including but not limited to enhancing the
goals of research and teaching through service.
5. Assist with the development of appropriate awards and recognition
to help create a culture of civic engagement and partnership with the
Denver community. Students, faculty and staff who have demonstrated
their ongoing commitment to civic engagement through public service
and/or community activities would be eligible for the awards.
MacKay said, “We know lots of people are involved in connecting the
College to the community; our first step is to catalog these efforts,
so we can build on them.” If you know of examples, please email them to
MacKay at kamackay@mscd.edu or Alejano-Steele at alejanos@mscd.edu.
Members of the task force are listed below:
Bridgette Coble, Director, Career Services
Brooke Dilling, Director, Student Activities
Brooke Evans, Assistant Professor, Mathematical Sciences
Kelly Felice, Director, Center for Nonprofit Studies/Human Services
Theresa Godinez, Associate Director, Customer Service, Financial Aid
Sandra Haynes, Dean, School of Professional Studies
Mick Jackowski, Director, Center for Innovation
Jayne James, Associate Director, Cooperative Education/Service Learning
Cathy Lucas, Associate Vice President, Communications and Advancement
Janelle Lindsey, Director, Special Initiatives for Alumni & Enrollment, Alumni Relations/Enrollment Services
Elizabeth McVicker, Assistant Professor, Management
Anders Minter, Graduate Assistant/UCAN Serve AmeriCorps Campus Coordinator, Academic Affairs/Student Services
Cherrelyn Napue, Assistant Vice President and Alumni Association Executive Director, Alumni Relations
Hal Nees, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice & Criminology
Elizabeth Parmelee, Assistant Director, Center for Individualized Learning
David Rein, Director of Private Grants, Development Office
Rae Shevalier, Chair/Associate Professor, Sociology
Randi Smith, Assistant Professor, Psychology
Tara Tull, Assistant Professor, Human Services
