The ICE Chest The Monthly Newsletter of the Inclusion and Community Engagement Center
EXPRESS YOURSELF... March 2012
Director’s Message
Additionally, I need to recognize Jennifer Lilly Rames who was my first hire as Director. Jennifer has not only This is my last message as the Director of the Inclusion helped VOICES become a major organization on campus and Community Engagement Center. Five years ago, with over 100 student members and more than 6000 UTSA and the Student Affairs division made what I volunteer hours logged each year, she also has been believe was a bold decision. We decided that based on instrumental in improving opportunities for our students the growth of our campus, it was time to create a department with dedicated staff who would not only work who are not members of VOICES to be able to volunteer with more than 150 service agencies throughout San diligently to support our mission of diversity and Antonio and Bexar County. UTSA is known throughout inclusion, but who would also expand the conversation the city for having a student body that gives back to the about what it means to be a member of our campus community through service, because of Jennifer’s hard community. work. I have been privileged to work with some of the brightest and most dedicated individuals while Director of the ICE It has truly been a great ride for me in the ICE Center. I will always look back with great pride on the work we Center. Folks like Ann Margaret Trujillo, who we have have done and consider myself extremely fortunate to been fortunate to have working with Multicultural have had this opportunity. I encourage you to continue to programs at UTSA for the past 12 years. Ann Margaret has a heart of gold and is extremely dedicated to you, the support the ICE Center, as I will in my new job. The work the staff does is important to helping build students. Without Ann Margaret most of what happens community on campus. during Latino Heritage Month, GLBTQ Pride Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian/ Looking forward to continuing to support UTSA on my Pacific-American month and with our Ally’s program would not take place. It is her commitment to celebrating newest leg of this journey……. culture and honoring who we are that makes these Marlon programs a success.
Student Organization Spotlight GLBTQ
The GLBTQ of UTSA aims to provide a safe space for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those questioning their sexuality and gender. The group is also invested in ensuring the welfare of the GLBTQ community and its allies. Meetings are every Wednesday at 7 pm in the Hildago and Bexar Room (check the Recent News for weekly room location). “GLBTQ is all about providing an area for people who identify as GLBTQ and as allies to meet and talk about different issues that affect them within the community,” said Justine Blakemore, vice president of GLBTQ. “Our meetings vary for discussion about current issues, to social gathering, to preparing for our many events. We try to create an environment where you can meet people so we have plenty of social events.”
students in San Antonio,” Blakemore said. “It will be Fri., April 13 in the Bexar Room and everyone is welcome. My suggestion for people who are interested or would like more information to come to our meetings, but for those who can't make it to our meetings can look for officers in the ICE office (UC 2.01.04) during our office hours (typically around 11-3pm M-F), our info tables, or join the Facebook group GLBTQ of UTSA.”
In addition to providing a safe space for those who identify as gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, queer, and those who are questioning their sexuality and gender, GLBTQ provides information on issues of sexuality and sexual health through its meetings, the University and other channels; campaigns for the welfare of those who identify as GLBTQ and their allies as well as the equal treatment of student and employees In April, GLBTQ will host Second Chance Prom, irrespective of sexual orientation and gender status, and the eradication of homophobia, which is the group’s largest event in the spring biphobia, transphobia, and all related oppressions. semester. For more information, please e-mail “It's an opportunity for people who were not gayutsa1604@gmail.com. allowed to bring their desired date to proms, and it's also an opportunity to connect with other
Adebisi AdenijiAdele
Jill Marsha ll
Student Spotlight: Alternative Spring Break Trip Leaders
Jill is a senior at UTSA who will be graduating this summer with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She has always had a strong passion for helping others. She plans to pursue a job in healthcare after graduation. She has been a part of the Pre Med Society and AED and is currently a part of the UTHealth Science Center’s Mentoring Program in which she has been shadowing and working with Dr. Campbell in his family practice clinic. She loves being a part of VOICES; some of her favorite projects have been serving the homeless at St. Vinny’s Bistro and helping a family to have a roof over their head by building houses with Habitat for Humanity and has Adebisi was born in Lagos, Nigeria before she made over 56 hours of service with the organization. She is her way to UTSA to major in Mechanical Engineering hoping to reach 75 before she graduates. In her spare time she loves to watch Glee and play basketball. and minor in Business. She has become a strong activist for African culture and awareness through her As both women are strong supporters of helping involvement by being crowned Miss Africa Texas: others, it’s easy to see why they were chosen to lead People’s Choice 2011 and Miss African Student Association 2011 where she has gained a platform to students over spring break. Adebisi lives by the old raise awareness about human trafficking. At the age of Yoruba proverb that says: “Ile la ti n ko eso re ode,” which in translation means charity begins at home. In 13 Adebisi realized that she has a resilient desire for order for one to help outsiders, one has to help those community service, speech, and debate. Deemed Poetry State Champion 2009 and National Forensics in the family. Her community is her family, and that’s why she believes in building a strong community. Jill League Tournament Qualifier in 2010, Adebisi uses has a shorter saying, "Life is a goal...ACHIEVE IT." her sphere of influence to contribute to the progression of African American society. At UTSA, And she plans on achieving all her goals. she is involved in a variety of student organizations including the National Society of Black Engineers and the Young and Misguided. In VOICES she has completed 40 hours of community service. UTSA’s Alternative Spring Break this year will be taking a group of students to Oklahoma City while another group will stay here in San Antonio the week of March 11-16. The students volunteering over spring break will have a variety of projects in both cities to keep them busy, from holding a dog wash to working with children at Campfire USA and building houses with Habitat for Humanity. The two students chosen as Trip Leaders are Adebisi Adeniji-Adele and Jill Marshall. Both are inducted VOICES members and have a variety of experience both on and off campus.
United to Serve UTSA’s annual day of service is Saturday April 14, 2012. This is part of a UT System-wide effort to engage students, faculty, and staff in their communities through service. There are two options for involvement this year: Student organizations and departments may create their own projects to take place on April 14th. 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! Be a part of the tradition! Email engaged@utsa.edu or stop by the VOICES Office UC 1.216 for more info.
2012 UTSA Student Volunteer of the Year Apply by March 9th! The UTSA Student Volunteer of the Year Award honors an outstanding student for their time, effort and personal commitment to volunteerism and enhancing civic life in their community. Applicants should embody the true spirit and UTSA mission of civic engagement and volunteerism.
The award and $500 Sandra Cisneros Scholarship will be presented to the winner at the University Life Awards on April 5, 2012* All applications must be submitted by 3/9/12 via CollegiateLink: https://utsa.collegiatelink.net/form/start/8068 , log in with your abc123 and complete the form. Or visit Collegiate Link (http://www.utsa.edu/sa/so), log in, click “Organizations” tab, search “Volunteer Services”, click Forms option, and apply.
For more information contact: Jennifer Rames at 458-4770 or engaged@utsa.edu; *eligibility requirements on application
March 2012 Events and Projects (highlight/italics indicate UTSA sponsored event) Volunteer of the Year & Cisneros Scholarship – Due 3/9 Apply today for the VOTY Award & Scholarship! See requirements and application info at this link (log in with abc123) https://utsa.collegiatelink.net/form/start/8068 UTSA United to Serve 4/14 – sign up beginning 3/28 UTSA’s annual day of service is coming up! Sign up as a group or individual in the VOICES office UC 1.216 between 8am‐5pm. Projects include Habitat, SA Food Bank, and more. Spots will fill fast so plan to sign up around 3/28! Siclovia Bike Bright Volunteers: 3/4 Help install bike lights – am and pm shifts available. Call 207‐8603 or email Meredith.Ruiz@utsa.edu. Landscaping with Beautify SA at Boone Elem. 3/10&24 Mini‐Graffiti Wipeout: 2/3, 1:00pm Help wipeout graffiti! Meet at 6644 Tezel and work in the area. Email Lisa.McKenzie@sanantonio.gov to help. San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame Tribute: 2/10 Volunteers are invited to help with the silent auction and more at this event honoring former Spurs and other San Antonio stand outs. Visit http://tinyurl.com/773peaa. KLRN Word Building with Woofster! 2/11 Volunteers are needed to help with the info table and set up 8‐11, 11‐2 with this event at South Park Mall. Email dsilva@klrn.org or call 208‐8421. Magik Children’s Theater: 2/18, 2‐8pm Help out with a special Saturday event at the Magik Theater. Email amandapechacek.magik@gmail.com. Viva Voluntarios at Medina River Natural Area: 2/25 Planting, trash pickup and mulching will take place monthly with SA Parks through May. Call 207‐3111 to sign up! UTSA Conversation Partners Do you have one hour a week to volunteer on campus? Be a conversation partner with an international student! Email eis@utsa.edu or visit http://tinyurl.com/7yjh2xu.
Bastrop Wildfire Disaster Relief Groups are needed on weekends and during spring break to help with the clean‐up efforts in Bastrop. Email bastropvolunteer2011@gmail.com or call 501‐827‐8086. Southwest Voter Registration Project Help register people to vote. Email mmunguia@svrep.org, visit www.svrep.org or call 922‐0225. AVANCE Data Entry – beginning 2/1, flexible shifts AVANCE needs volunteers to help convert data to a new format. Email kgalvan.nat@avance.org and help kids learn! Ethnos Missions Center – ongoing opportunities Volunteers are needed to mentor some of the lowest‐ income children in SA. Visit http://www.gotoethnos.com/. CityYear San Antonio – positions available Did you recently graduate? Give a year of service! Visit http://www.cityyear.org/virtualopenhouse.aspx. Breakthrough Fort Worth ‐ summer internships Apply to spend 8 weeks mentoring high achieving, low income middle‐schoolers. Unpaid, free housing available, all majors welcome. Visit http://tinyurl.com/7s6hrbo. Each One Teach One Adult Literacy Program Tutors are invited to help adults learn to read and pass the GED exam at Tripoint. Call Carolyn at 416‐2632. VITA Tax Prep Volunteers provide free income tax assistance to hard working lower income taxpayers by helping them claim important tax credits. Sign up at http://www.vitasa.org/. Triple‐H Equitherapy – Multiple Opportunities Groups and individuals are invited to help out with projects and classes at this horse therapy center. Contact Keisha@triple‐h.org or 830‐510‐9515 to get started. CASA: Child Advocates of San Antonio Advocates are needed to assist abused and neglected children in San Antonio. Visit www.casa‐satx.org today. Children’s Association for Maximum Potential Volunteers are needed to assist with year‐round programs that service children & adults with special needs. Contact Sarah at 210‐671‐5229 ‐ sarah.coulombe@campcamp.org.
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Women’ s HistOry MOnth WOmen’s HistOry BingO March 7 at 7:00 p.m., Main Campus, Denman Room, UC 2.01.28 The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center will host Bingo with a twist. Facts of women’s history in the United States will be used instead of bingo numbers. Participants will have the opportunity to win prizes including an iPod Nano and UTSA t-shirts. Refreshments will be provided.
Film: The EducatiOn Of Shelby KnOx March 28 at 7:00 p.m., Main Campus, Bexar Room, UC 1.102 Winner of the Sundance Best Cinematography Award and the SXSW Audience Award, The Education of Shelby Knox is a fascinating and powerful documentary. Lubbock, Texas has an abstinence-only sex education policy in its schools and some of the highest teen pregnancy and STD infection rates in the nation. Shelby Knox is a devout Baptist teenager who has pledged abstinence until marriage. When her interest in politics leads her to get involved in a campaign for comprehensive sex education in her town's public schools, and then to a fight for a gay-straight alliance, she must make a choice: Stand by and let others be hurt, or go against her parents, her pastor, and her peers to do what she knows is right. Sponsored by The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center www.utsa.edu/ice engaged@utsa.edu 210-458-4770
Soul Food Reception and Award Presentation Monday March 5, 2012 6:00 p.m. University Center Denman Room Outstanding Black Student Leadership Award Presentation Free Food while it lasts Sponsored by The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center For more information, please call 210.458.4770
The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center is proud to recognize Dezranique Stansberry and Kiara Gradney as the recipients of the 2012 Outstanding Black Student Leadership Award.
Are you interested in leading discussions on the topics of diversity, equality, integrity, culture, volunteerism and service? Learn more about the RaĂces Peer Educator Program. Information Coming Soon.
EXPRESS YOURSELF
Share what Responsibility means to you and enjoy free aguas frescas. March 2, 2012 Central Plaza 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. Inclusion and Community Engagement (ICE) Center Staff Marlon D. Anderson Director
Ann Margaret Trujillo Associate Director
Jennifer Rames Assistant Director
Brian Jantz Administrative Associate
Cristina Dominguez Graduate Assistant
Corey Benson Graduate Assistant
Vanessa Vela Graduate Assistant
Eraldo Elizondo Senior Student Assistant
Charles Miles Student Assistant
Marcos Vargas Student Assistant
Ajai Muwwakkil Student Assistant
UC 2.01.04 210-458-4770 www.utsa.edu/ice
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