Building a Better Buffalo
Medaille's Role in a Civic and Sustainable Future
In keeping with President Richard T. Jurasek’s inauguration theme, “Our College, Our Community, Our Future,” Medaille students have been involved this semester in community outreach projects focused on “Building a Better Buffalo: Medaille’s Role in a Civic and Sustainable Future.”
Freshman students from the Main Campus will present their findings at the inaugural reception on the Main Campus, on Tuesday, April 1, and adult and graduate students will present their findings at the inaugural reception on the Amherst Campus, on Thursday, April 3.
Each project was designed to support the College’s aspiration for the year 2020: “Medaille College will be known as the leader in preparing learners for career success and a lifelong commitment to a civic and sustainable future in Buffalo, the region, and the world.”
Tuesday, April 3
Learning Community 1
TITLE: BuffaLOVE
DESCRIPTION: There are a variety of ways to get involved in the Buffalo community and become an active and engaged citizen. Throughout the Spring 2008 semester, students researched topics relevant to Buffalo, including architectural renewal and reuse, urban sprawl, volunteerism, historical and cultural events, and local businesses enterprises. Students were encouraged to choose topics they were interested in and felt they could respond to critically. The goal of this project was not only to encourage students to become pro-active learners, but to get them involved in the powerful change-making that occurs when citizens participate in their communities. Students designed and implemented a Persuasive Action that was directly related to the City of Buffalo. Persuasive Action projects included informational boards, PowerPoint presentations, brochures, letters to the editor, op-ed pieces, and becoming involved in community service.
INSTRUCTORS: Andrea Belis and Kari Longin
Learning Community 2 and Learning Community 3
TITLE: Buffalo Urban Blight: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
DESCRIPTION: Buffalo continues to struggle with vacant and abandoned buildings throughout the city. Students are researching the triggers of and solutions for urban blight, specifically focusing on how urban blight has contributed to the decline of Buffalo. Working in groups, the students examined:
Causes – What contributed to urban blight and the decline of Buffalo?
Effects – What effects has urban blight had on the city?
Solutions – What actions can be taken to create a civic and sustainable Buffalo?
INSTRUCTORS: Lisa Black and Amy DeKay
Learning Community 4
TITLE: Buffalo Rewind: Using the Past to Envision the Future
DESCRIPTION: There are many different aspects of Buffalo that once made it a thriving city. The students chose four different aspects that they thought once made Buffalo such a thriving community. The aspects are: architecture, education, sports, and locally-owned businesses. Working in groups, the students are examining (for each topic):
Researching the past – Looking for evidence that each particular topic once made Buffalo a thriving community.
Documenting the present – What is happening now with regard to each topic?
Envisioning the future – How can college students envision a thriving future for Buffalo by using the past and looking at the present?
IINSTRUCTORS: Mary Ellen Mulvey and Samantha Purpora
Learning Community 5
TITLE: What Are We Burning to Change About the World?
DESCRIPTION: Students will create and display visual representations of what they want to change: ending discrimination and dealing with health/obesity issues.
INSTRUCTORS: Cynthia Hermanson and Daniel Krzyzanowicz
Veterinary Technology Learning Community
TITLE: Reading to Rover Literacy Program at Medaille College
DESCRIPTION: Research tells us that reading to dogs programs across the country are successful in building confidence in children who struggle to read. Trained dogs serve as a non-judgmental audience to whom children enjoy reading. These programs help increase students’ reading abilities by providing a safe and comfortable environment for learning. In collaboration with the Veterinary Technology Department and the School of Education, the Veterinary Technology Learning Community designed a reading to dogs program for Medaille College to offer to local city schools. The students have divided the task into four groups:
Benefits of a Reading to Dogs Program
Structure of the Program provided by Medaille College
Financial Impact
Community Connection
INSTRUCTORS: Kerry Spicer and Lisa Black
Leadership Learning Community
TITLE: ‘Let’s Talk Trash’ Recycling Program
DESCRIPTION: In an effort to join the country and the world’s recycling initiatives, the Medaille College Leadership Learning Community worked throughout the Fall 2007 semester to develop a proposal that would implement a campus-wide recycling program. This proposal was presented to the President of Medaille College and supported by the Cabinet. In Spring 2008, the Leadership Learning Community began managing a campus-wide recycling effort. Medaille College is currently participating in Recyclemania, a national college recycling competition. In addition, the Leadership Learning Community has taken steps to educate the campus community on various issues of environmentalism and has held fundraisers in an effort to sustain their program. The mission for the Medaille College recycling program includes: to modify behaviors, to educate campus constituencies about the outcomes of recycling, and to foster active citizenship through personal and social responsibility. The students aim to inspire and assist others in making a difference as citizens by being more environmentally aware.
INSTRUCTOR: Kerry L. Spicer
Thursday, April 3, 2008
School of Education
TITLE: The Role of Education in a Civic and Sustainable Future
DESCRIPTION: Under the influence of Dr. Richard Jurasek and supported by a technology-enhanced environment, the Education Graduate Student Society (EGSS) hosted a scholarly discussion involving educators from the local area and Canada. Medaille College graduate students and panel representatives were invited to join in the reading of three articles, “Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital”by Robert Putnam, and “The Rise of the Creative Class” and “Creative Class War,”both by Richard Florida. After reading about the influences and changes in society and a global economy, participants engaged in a lively discussion of societal issues and trends in education. The event was enhanced with a simulcast, allowing students from Canada who were unable to attend the event in person to participate via simulcast. Festivities took place on March 26, 2008, at the Amherst campus, guided by EGSS advisors Mary Beth Scumaci and Susan Sprague. EGGS cohort representatives, Josh Jones, Fatima Serra, Megan Beckett, Celeste Cavanaugh and Jennifer Fueller assisted with the facilitation of cohort discussions in preparation for the event. Invited panel quests were Mr. Yahya Qureshi of Canada, Mr. Ken Van Ry, Mrs. Marianna Cecchini, Mr. Peter Scumaci and Mrs. Cynthia Magera, all local area school teachers. The scholarly discussion challenged the thinking of students and professionals alike. The event was well received by all.
School of Adult and Graduate Education: Master’s of Business Administration
TITLE: Get Dressed, Downtown: Developing a Downtown Community
DESCRIPTION: MBA students in the Accelerated Learning Program at Medaille’s Amherst Campus currently create business plans for “incubator businesses” that desire to open in the Buffalo area. These plans are then used to obtain funds and solicit investors. This presentation details the inception of the idea, discusses the initial business plan, and demonstrates how creative capital can help to build WNY’s economic infrastructure.
PARTICIPANTS: Deidre Whiteside, Jason Wolf, Sonia Burgin, Todd Boci, Wendy Chomaniec.
School of Adult and Graduate Education: Master’s of Organizational Leadership
TITLE: Leadership and the Four Foundations of a Sustainable Society
DESCRIPTION: Four key economic factors have been identified as contributing to a sustainable society: education, health care, community development, and energy. Students and alums of Medaille College’s Master of Organizational Leadership program will discuss how systems thinking, change management, and leadership skills can impact, optimize, and promote these four sustainable factors.
PARTICIPANTS: Bobbi Bilotta, Darius Pridgen, Mike Moley, Nathan Wright.
