The ICE Chest The Monthly Newsletter of the Inclusion and Community Engagement Center
EXPRESS YOURSELF... April 2012 “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” ~ Alan Watts
John Kaulfus and Ruth Coates!
Other changes that are upon us are the push off of three new programs in our area. We have partnered If this is true, then the ICE Center is in the marathon with a student organization to build upon our peer change dance of all time! If you read our March mentor program, called iMentor. We are about to issue of the ICE Chest, you know that Marlon embark upon the formal establishment of the Service Anderson (Director) has moved on to a new position Learning Program. And, we are in the midst of at UTSA with Student Affairs Development. Well, recruiting members for our new peer facilitator as it turns out, Brian Jantz (Administrative Associate group, RAÍCES (Roadrunners Advancing Inclusion, II) has also moved on to a new position at UTSA Community Engagement and Service). with the College of Science Academic Advising Center. In addition to that, Jennifer Rames has Amidst all the changes, some things remain constant. accepted a new position within the ICE Center as the We have some great events coming up for April and Associate Director for Service Learning! Whew! we hope that you will attend as many of the events Congratulations to our colleagues who are taking on as possible. They include First Friday, the Annual new endeavors and challenges! Luau, United to Serve, and a Service Learning Faculty Mixer. See you there! As the ICE Center plunges into change and moves forward, we are very grateful for the support of the Ann Margaret Trujillo Associate Dean of Students office staff – Thank you Associate Director
UTSA was admitted to the 2012 Honor Roll for its work in the San Antonio community including efforts in mentoring, college access and outreach, economic outreach and development, wide ranging volunteerism with hundreds of community agencies, and servicelearning efforts.
For more information, please visit http:// utsa.edu/today/2012/03/honorroll.html.
Service Organizations Spotlight V.O.I.C.E.S Volunteer Organization Involving Community Education & Service VOICES is the Sponsored Student Organization for Service at UTSA. Established in 1993, VOICES is one of the largest organizations at UTSA with over 150 active members. VOICES members participate in service projects all over the San Antonio community and on campus each week during the fall and spring semesters. Participants who complete a minimum of 25 service hours/VOICES points are invited to the induction banquet each semester, and incentives are earned by students at the 50, 75, and 125 hour level. VOICES meets Wednesdays at 5:00pm in the UC Harris Room. To get involved, come to a meeting, visit us in our office UC 1.216, or check us out online at www.utsavoices.org. Health Ambassadors The Health Ambassadors of UTSA is a student organization engaged in community outreach through public health education. They are committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle and wellness via community outreach around the San Antonio and South Texas area. Student members gain training and experience in community and school based health education, and promotion under the mentorship of faculty and staff from the Department of Health and Kinesiology. They have participated in events such as Safe Spring Break, Living a Healthy and Independent Life with Methodist Mission Home, and The American Heart Association. Their next meeting is April 12 in the Anaqua Room, UC 2.03.08. Like them on Facebook to see how else you can get involved. For the Kids For the Kids Dance Marathon at UTSA, affectionately referred to as FTK, is a student-led organization created to ignite a united effort across the UTSA campus in support of local families battling childhood cancer. FTK was created by a small group of students enrolled in the Leadership Challenge class as a service project and has since grown into a registered student organization at UTSA. Every dollar raised by the organization is donated
to the FTK Fund at the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. FTK plans spontaneous events such as flash mobs and letter writing campaigns to gain awareness for donations. Their large event, Dance Marathon, will be April 13th at 7pm –April 14th at 1pm at the UTSA Convocation Center. They are still looking for dancers and volunteers, sign up online at http://www.danceforthekids.org/dancemarathon.html . Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega is a service fraternity that guides themselves under the principles of leadership, friendship, and service. Alpha Phi Omega provides service to the community by donating time and effort to various organizations and causes. Membership for Alpha Phi Omega is open to all and the only requirement is to have an earnest desire to help those in need. Alpha Phi Omega strives to recruit those who will become confident leaders and dedicated members of the chapter. Nationally, Alpha Phi Omega is the largest co-ed service fraternity in the world, with more than 256,000 members on 687 campuses across the nation. Check out their website: http://www.apoonline.org/alphagammaomega/index.php S.A.V.E. Student Association for Volunteer Efforts Founded in 2007 at UTSA, S.A.V.E is a student organization whose primary focus is to promote volunteerism, networking, and leadership in order to strengthen the volunteer force in the San Antonio Metropolitan area. For more information about S.A.V.E, their general meetings are Mondays at 8 p.m. in the Mesquite Room. Check them out on Facebook or by visiting their website www.utsasave.org. All organizations can be found by logging into Collegiate Link: utsa.edu/sa/so
Student Spotlight: Preston Roberts
Preston Roberts is a junior mechanical engineering major from Austin, Texas. When Preston graduates from UTSA, he plans to go to graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in aerospace engineering. “I like the sense of community that being involved at UTSA gives me,” Roberts said. “The voluntary nature of everything on campus gives you the opportunity to define your own experience.” Preston was one of thirteen students to perform four days of service in San Antonio as part of Alternative Spring Break 2012. The students held a garden clean-up and landscaped the courtyard with Lighthouse Hospice, organized a children’s library so students at Guadalupe Community Center have easier access to finding books they want and to speak to young students about the benefits of giving back in their community. The ASB participants volunteered with Habitat for Humanity on Wednesday, and on Thursday, the students bathed and groomed dogs and raised more than $200 for San Antonio Pets Alive at Lucy’s Doggy Daycare. “ASB had a variety of projects that allowed me to see firsthand the impact that volunteering can have on a community,” Roberts said. “I enjoyed making new friends, having the chance to be crazy and do work that benefits our community all at the same time.”
Preston currently serves as the student affairs committee chair for Student Government Association, vice president of the Skeet and Trap Team, which will obtain Club Sports status next semester, and will soon be inducted as a member of VOICES. “I would say that the best thing a student can do for their college experience is to get involved” Roberts said. “I got into student organizations very late in my college career and my only regret is not doing so sooner. My life at UTSA was missing something and now I know what it is, and my GPA is actually better because of it. It’s rewarding and gives me a better connection with the student body than anything else.” “Preston is very friendly, outgoing, and always has a really positive energy,” said John Montoya, Assistant Director of Student Activities for Student Leadership and Student Government Association. “He’s also a very hard worker. We asked him to take over a committee in SGA, and he had to take that task on in the middle of the semester, which wasn’t an easy task. It’s hard enough to do that job at the beginning of the job, much less in the middle of a semester, and he’s really done a great job of leading the Student Affairs Committee.” “Representing my fellow students and their concerns is the best thing I’ve done here so far,” Roberts said.
United to Serve United to Serve is a UTSA tradition and system-wide volunteer initiative involving UT System students, faculty, staff, alumni, and student organizations in an effort to engage and mobilize thousands of volunteers in their community. This will be the 8th annual United to Serve event. UTSA’s projects include working at the Communities in Schools Ropes Course, Any Baby Can at the 8th Annual Walk for Autism, landscaping with Boysville, Inc., improving Head Start Centers, supporting For the Kids, and volunteering at the Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. Each participant will receive a t-shirt (while supplies last) and will be invited to Volunteer Appreciation Day activities during National Volunteer Appreciation Week. UTSA’s annual day of service is Saturday April 14, 2012. There are two options for involvement this year: Student organizations and departments may create their own projects to take place on April 14. Projects should benefit a community agency, school, or other non-profit organization, and volunteer spots must be filled by the group. The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center will provide your volunteers with t-shirts and recognition.
To register a project, log on to CollegiateLink at www.utsa.edu/sa/so, search for Volunteer Services, click Forms, and fill out the United to Serve Project Form. Submit by April 1, 2012! Individual students and student organizations may sign up for projects organized by VOICES and the Inclusion and Community Engagement Center beginning March 28th in the VOICES Office, UC 1.216. Project spots are available with the San Antonio Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Communities in Schools, and more. All volunteers will receive a t-shirt! Volunteers can sign up as individuals or as groups, and faculty, staff, students, alumni, family, and friends are all welcome to participate (minimum age for participation is noted on each project). Registration is now open – please visit http:// www.utsa.edu/ice/vs/unitedtoserve.html to register today! For more information, contact the UTSA Inclusion and Community Engagement Center at 210-458-4770 or email engaged@utsa.edu. Be a part of the tradition!
The University of Texas at San Antonio Inclusion and Community Engagement Center
Service‐Learning Faculty Mixer A mixer for faculty interested in adding service‐learning to their curriculum. Talk with other faculty involved in service‐learning, and hear first‐hand the
benefits to student learning and teaching. Meet ICE service‐learning staff and learn about our resources and services. Downtown Campus Date: Monday, April 16, 2012 Time: 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. Location: Frio Street Building Multipurpose Room (1.402)
Bring your ideas and be ready to mingle! Light refreshments provided. For additional information: 210-458-4770 or E-mail: Vanessa.vela@utsa.edu
Alternative Spring Break 2012
The Alternative Spring Break program has community service trips during spring break for several years no Volunteer Services. This year, we had two Alternative Spring B City and one in San Antonio. Oklahoma City
Twelve students and two staff advisors spent spring break in Ok group completed four projects during the week and still had time STOMP, pay their respects at the Oklahoma City National Mem 66. The first day was spent at the Regional Food Bank of Oklaho took a tour of the state of the art facility and their sustainable Ur participants later landscaped the entrance to the facility and in th food items for distribution. In that time, the ASB participants so that is equivalent to providing 4,846 meals to Oklahomans who meal is coming from. The group spent the second day at the Okl Welfare where they walked and groomed dogs to prepare them f completed a task of putting tags on collars for animals that have their vaccinations. On the third day, the participants took a trip o Campfire USA hosts G.OT.C.H.A. camp for children whose par them during spring break. The ASB participants were activity le such as a zip-line and ropes-course, and some were group assista children to the various activities. On their last day of service, the with the building of three houses for Habitat for Humanity.
s been taking students on ow through VOICES and reak trips, one to Oklahoma
klahoma City, OK. The e to enjoy the musical morial, and sightsee on Route oma City where the students rban Harvest garden. The he afternoon sorted donated orted 6,300 pounds of food don’t know where their next lahoma City Animal for adoption. They also been adopted and received out to Camp DaKaNi where rents are unable to watch eaders at exciting stations ants helping lead the e group went out to help
San Antonio Thirteen students and one advisor stayed in San Antonio to perform four days of service in the community and a fun dinner at Big Lou’s Pizza. For the first day, the participants held a garden clean-up and landscaped the courtyard with Lighthouse Hospice, and in the afternoon had a Garden Party with cookies and juice for the residents. This gave the participants an opportunity to interact with the residents and see how the garden clean-up impacted them. On the second day the group went to Guadalupe Community Center to play games with the children in the morning and in the afternoon organized and categorized the children’s library so students have easier access to finding books they want. They also spoke to the children about the benefits of giving back in their community. For the third day, the ASB participants went to Habitat for Humanity to re-stock and prepare the trailers for the upcoming weekend’s events. The final day of service in San Antonio was spent fundraising for San Antonio Pets Alive at Lucy’s Doggy Daycare. The students bathed and groomed dogs and raised over $200 for SAPA. Some of the things the students had to say about their experience with ASB were: “This program is about students fighting for the greater good.” “To give back to the community is a great experience, especially during a time like spring break. Students can go anywhere they want to during spring break, but some students have giving hearts and love to give back to their community. This gives students the opportunity to share their love and passion for volunteering with their community or in communities in different states.”
Are you interested in leading discussions on the topics of diversity, equality, integrity, culture, volunteerism and service? Apply to be RAĂ?CES Peer Educator. Deadline: April 13, 2012 For more information, and to apply, visit https://utsa.collegiatelink.net/form/start/7545.
EXPRESS YOURSELF
Share what
Service means to you and enjoy free pizza. April 6, 2012 UC Paseo 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. Inclusion and Community Engagement (ICE) Center Staff Ann Margaret Trujillo Associate Director
Jennifer Rames Associate Director
Cristina Dominguez Graduate Assistant
Corey Benson Graduate Assistant
Vanessa Vela Graduate Assistant
Charles Miles Student Assistant
Marcos Vargas Student Assistant
Ajai Muwwakkil Student Assistant
UC 2.01.04 210-458-4770 www.utsa.edu/ice
Eraldo Elizondo Senior Student Assistant Follow Us @UTSAvolunteers & @UTSA_ICE Like Us Facebook.com/ICEatUTSA