Research Day 2006—A Big Success [06/01/2006]

by USF Collaborative for Children, Families and Communities

Shining a spotlight on USF-community partnerships was the theme of the Collaborative’s ninth annual Research Day, held April 27, 2006. More than 100 attendees from the community and the university listened to students present the results of service learning classes and community based research. The event was held at St. John's Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in East Tampa and highlighted the University’s continuing partnership with the East Tampa community and the growing interest in the Central Park area. [visit the photo gallery and the speakers gallery]

“Research Day is a prime example of how the Collaborative touches lives and improves communities every day,” says Judi Jetson, Director, USF Collaborative for Children, Families and Communities. “It’s exciting to see these projects conducted by bright, enthusiastic students who will become tomorrow’s leaders and policy makers.”

Sam Kinsey, Chair, East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership (ETCRP), agrees. “There was some really great useful material presented here today,” he says. “Before the event, I didn’t have any idea what Research Day was, but now I’ll be telling everybody I know about it.”

Students and professors from seven service learning classes made presentations at Research Day 2006. Service learstyle of teaching that combines traditional classroom teaching with service in the community. The 2006 Research Day Presentations included:

• One Community, One Partnership: Documenting the East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership. Course title: Communication, Culture, and Community—USF Department of Communication)

• Computer Science and Engineering Volunteers: Computer Technical Support in East Tampa Schools. Course title: CSE Volunteers—USF Department of Computer Science and Engineering

• Using Asset Mapping to Identify Community Facilities. Course title: Introduction to Anthropology—USF Department of Anthropology.

• Potential Impact of Relocating Residents of Central Park Village. Course title: Graduate Methods in Applied Anthropology—USF Department of Anthropology.

• The Central Avenue Area: Contemporary and Historical Perspectives. Course title: African-American Community Research—USF Africana Studies Department

• What Can Be Learned in 15 Hours of Service in East Tampa? Course title: Introduction to Urban Government and Politics—USF Department of Government and International Affairs

• For Better or for Worse. Course title: East Tampa Oral History Project—Joint project with Middleton High School Department of Social Studies and the USF Departments of Psychological and Social Foundations and Special Education.

Research Day 2006 also featured community and university speakers including Maxon Victor, USF Student Body President; Robert Blount, President, Abe Brown Prison Ministries, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and Sam Kinsey, Chair, East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership (ETCRP).

A panel discussion titled Making Partnerships Work rounded out the event. Participants were Robin Jones, USF College of Arts & Sciences, Community Initiative and Evangeline Best, East Tampa-Neighborhood Organization Works (ET-NOW). Research Day 2006 ended with an open discussion on all aspects of the East Tampa revitalization efforts and university-community partnerships.

Links for more information:
Click here to view or download the Research Day 2006 Program Book.
Click here to visit the photo gallery or the speakers gallery]
Listen to a report from WUSF University Beat on research day.