The 2006 Faculty Award for Outstanding Contributions to Service-Learning was awarded to Dr. Maria Ramos for her fall 2006 service-learning course Spanish 492.  In this course, students visited a local dairy farm twice a week throughout the semester to tutor immigrant workers in English as a Second Language, as well as tutoring the dairy farm’s English-speaking employers and managers in the Spanish language.  This service component was combined with formal academic study of literature, research, and contemporary events concerning Hispanic immigration, and critically reflective activities that helped students understand the relationships between their service experience, the course content, and the relevant social issues.

The 2006 Outstanding Community Partner Contributions to Service-Learning Award was awarded to The Brookings United Retirement Center Avera for their work with several SDSU faculty members in developing a variety of service-learning projects.  Although many community partners in Brookings have been involved in service-learning, few organizations compare to the United Retirement Center in the extent of leadership provided for service-learning.   Moreover, the collaboration with URC has demonstrated the possibility of partnership, “working with” rather than “doing to” as URC residents have helped to determine the direction of service-learning projects and have formally presented on service-learning outcomes.

The 2006 Outstanding Student Contributions to Service-Learning Award went to Stacy DeVille.  As part of her Pharmacy program, Stacy was required to gain experience working with a variety of people in different settings.  She did this by performing valuable service for the Brookings Community Theatre.  The BCT president said that Stacy’s personable nature, positive attitude, and problem solving abilities made her a wonderful ambassador for SDSU.

Certificates of appreciation went to the Brookings Area Boys and Girls Club for their partnership and support with several communications courses, and to Dr. Aguiar for actively involving his student in community issues.