The ICE Chest The Monthly Newsletter of the Inclusion and Community Engagement Center
EXPRESS YOURSELF... May 2012
ICE Cubes of Knowledge "You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you." --Barbara Sher First, I would like to say thank you to all our graduating Roadrunners for allowing the ICE Center to be a part of your life for the last four…maybe five years. We hope you will still visit us occasionally and share your future accomplishments. We know you will have many. Second, I would like to introduce myself; I am the newest addition to the ICE Center. My name is Yvonne Peña, I’m the new Assistant Dean of Students. If my name sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve been at UTSA for a little over two years now. My new responsibilities in the ICE Center will include strategic planning, assessment, and University outreach. I look forward to working with the ICE staff. I know that Ann Margaret Trujillo and Jennifer Rames have tremendous strengths that will continue to be utilized as we work to build upon the foundation already in place. I am also looking forward to working with our graduate students. They have energy, ideas and genuine passion for learning and improving their professional growth. I know I will learn a great deal from them. What should you expect to see in 2012-2013 from the ICE Center? For starters, Jennifer Rames will be in a new role. She was recently promoted to Associate Director for Service Learning. She is charged with designing and coordinating a comprehensive service-learning program across the university. Next, Ann Margaret Trujillo will be rolling out a new Peer Facilitator program called RAICES. Peer Facilitators will develop and facilitate out-of-classroom educational experiences to increase understanding of issues relating to culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, volunteerism, and politics. We are also in the process of job posting for the Program Coordinator for Volunteer Services. Lots of change in the ICE Office and we are excited about it! Finally, we are a team and with that, you will start to hear more from our key team players through this newsletter. We are changing the format, so that it’s more inclusive, because we all have knowledge worth sharing. The Director’s Message will now be titled ICE Cubes of Knowledge. Go Runners! Yvonne Peña Assistant Dean of Students/ Director of ICE & SLD
United to Serve 2012 United to Serve is a UTSA tradition and system-wide volunteer initiative involving UT System students and student organizations in an effort to engage and mobilize volunteers in their community. On April 14, 2012 UTSA held its 8th annual United to Serve with 17 different service projects being done in the San Antonio community, 6 of which were organized by student organizations. 25 student organizations provided over 400 student volunteers for projects such as Any Baby Can at the 8th Annual Walk for Autism, landscaping with Boysville, Inc., improving Head Start Centers, painting at Catholic Charities, supporting For the Kids, and volunteering at the Food Bank, Girl Scouts of SW Texas, and Habitat for Humanity, just to name a few.
Rene Amaya from Catholic Charities had this to say about the VOICES and Sigma Lambda Beta volunteers that helped paint the Immigration Services building: “We had a great experience with the volunteers and they made our building look beautiful.” Stephanie Jerger of Any Baby Can also had great things to say about the VOICES and Zeta Tau Alpha volunteers that helped at the 8th Annual Walk for Autism: “Without our volunteers it is nearly impossible to make the Walk for Autism such a great success. We had a great turn out this year and we couldn’t have asked for a better group of volunteers.”
Diversity is‌
The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center has been asking you to express yourself at our monthly First Friday programs. The UTSA Community was asked to share what diversity, service, celebration, and responsibility meant to them.
Working with different types of people! Accept everyone! We are all beautiful! Loving in spite of differences My friends are of all colors! Taking something from all cultures Diversity is Variety Diversity is accepting the differences of others People coming together regardless of race. Different races, genders, people, cultures coming together! Accepting all shapes and sizes Accepting others as they are Not separating people based on essentialized parts of their identities. Recognizing people as people. Everyone is beautiful being themselves Differences make people unique Being knowledgeable not ignorant then laughing at your ignorance! Showing respect for everyone’s different religions, backgrounds and cultures.
Celebration is..
How do you Crush discrimination?
Enjoying great times with those you love, even in bad times. Celebration is joy Groovy Joy Love your neighbor with peace Sports, family friends, getting an “A” on a test! Being with the ones you love in times of joy Rejoicing with the people most important to you and appreciating what’s been given to you in your life. Awesome! Thanks! UTSA Rocks! Celebration is celebrating Love and happiness!
Love all, spread a smile. Be nice to all, don’t be mean. Accept others for who they are. Respect. By fighting ignorance. By calling it out and calling it ignorance. Broaden my diversity across the world. Not being afraid to be yourself. Be open minded. Standing up for others and speaking up. Be nice to everyone. By being accepting of others and learning. Stand up for my culture. No judgment on anyone. Focus on the good of everyone. Thinking of everyone as equals and not judging By contributing to the community. By treating people like people. By speaking up, don’t be afraid to take stance against the confiner and make change. Respect and openness. By providing an equal opportunity to all. To stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Being kind-hearted. Educate yourself.. erase prejudice. Calling discrimination into consciousness is the best strategy to counteract it; unnamed, it cannot be challenged. By respecting everyone.
Service is… What brings a community closer together Caring for more than yourself Kindness, caring, compassion, and community Giving a helping hand to those in need Is indiscernible A non profit way to spread your love and care for humanity despite its faults It gets better, don’t give up Sacrifice for others as they would for you Showing compassion to those who cannot fend for themselves Giving oneself selflessly Being selfless and giving your time Showing compassion and making someone else feel a sense of purpose and hope Creating a greater community with every helping hand Helping any and everybody The ability to learn from everyone Helping save the world Providing what others don’t have Doing the right thing when no one is looking Doing more for others than yourself An academic community supporting diversity Helping out the less fortunate Making a difference
Responsibility is... Getting real Taking care of business Doing what you believe in Doing your stuff on time Being smart with the things you do Being accountable for your actions Supporting the people you love Honesty Commitment Taking a cab home Doing the right thing when no one else is looking Doing the right thing not always the fun things Holding yourself accountable Be yourself every day Keeping your promises Taking care of what needs to be done Make the right choice when no one is looking!
Thank you to the Congratulations to the 2011-2012 VOICES Officers 2012-2013 VOICES Officers Eliana Briceno President Tanita Wiley VP of Programs Steven Ordaz VP of Membership Torrie Jackson VP of Alternative Spring Break Janet Oyeteju Special Projects Coordinator Karina Barger Fundraising Coordinator Nico Cousby Social Coordinator Owanari Bobmanuel Public Relations Coordinator Sabrina Macal Administrative Correspondent Adaeze Okoro Historian Nathan McDuell Webmaster
Tanita Wiley President Nathan McDuell VP of Programs Torrie Jackson VP of Membership Janet Oyeteju VP of Alternative Spring Break Nicci Campbell Special Projects Coordinator Nico Cousby Fundraising Coordinator Christopher Brown Social Coordinator Christina Adebowale Public Relations Coordinator Jantel Fontenot Administrative Correspondent Whitney Hopkins Historian Courtney Hunter Webmaster
Ujima The Black Student Leadership Council and the Inclusion and Community Engagement Center held the 4th Annual UJIMA (oo-JEE-mah) Black Graduation and Achievement Ceremony on Monday, April 30, 2012.
campus job as a resident assistant,” Garrett said. “He has a heart for college students and want students to receive the same great experience he has had at UTSA.” The Ujima Leadership Award was presented Dezranique Stansberry for her leadership, professionalism, and personable attitude.
UJIMA celebrates and honors UTSA's Black and African-American graduating students each year and celebrates the achievements of Black and African-American community members who have “Dezranique is very involved on campus,” Garrett held leadership positions on campus and in the San said. “As part of VOICES, in the past year she has Antonio community. dedicated 150 hours to community service projects. Some of these projects include: working with the “The UJIMA principle teaches each family member homeless population at Haven for Hope and St. to recognize that their own well-being is derived Vinny’s Bistro, as well as Habitat for Humanity, from their family and community’s well-being and Alternative Spring Break, SAMM Ministries, the that they must be concerned with the overall health San Antonio Food Bank, and the list keeps of their family and community; and that the lives of growing.” each family member and that of the community are bound together,” said Victoria Garrett, President of The first Ujima Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award the Black Student Leadership Council. “We believe was presented to Dr. Marcheta Evans, Associate this describes the family and community here at Dean of the College of Education and Human UTSA that each of you has become a part of during Development and President of the Black Faculty your journey towards graduation. It is that and Staff Association. community of faculty, administrators, family members, and your fellow Roadrunners that has “We wanted to recognize an outstanding member bonded together towards the common goal of of this community who has been supportive of the student success. We want to take this time to efforts our African American/ Black community, recognize and celebrate the graduates that have we wanted to recognize a leader amongst our contributed to the collective success of our community, someone who has motivated us not community during their time at UTSA.” only in the classroom but outside as well, a pioneer The Black Student Leadership Council presented who has paved the way for many of us in this three awards during the ceremony: The Ujima room,” Garrett said. Leadership Award, The The Ujima Community Involvement Award, and The Ujima Outstanding Dr. Evans also served as the keynote speaker of the Faculty/Staff Award. event. “Participating in graduation ceremonies is the most favorite part of my job as a faculty The Ujima Leadership Award was presented to member and an administrator in higher education,” DeMarcus Lewis for consistently encouraging Evans said. students to get actively involved in their campus, especially in leadership opportunities. Yvonne Peña, Assistant Dean of Students, concluded the ceremony, “Whereever life may take “DeMarcus is a role model and example to his you – you will always be a part of this family, this fellow Roadrunners through showing how to balance academics, a leadership role in one of the community; we are part of your success and you largest student organizations on campus, and an on are part of ours.”
Congratulations, Cristina! The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center extends a heart-felt congratulations and thank you to Cristina Dominguez, who has served as the Graduate Assistant for Volunteer Services for the past year and graduates this semester with a master’s degree in higher education administration.
Inclusion and Community Engagement (ICE) Center Staff Yvone PeĂąa Assistant Dean of Students
Ann Margaret Trujillo Associate Director
Cristina Dominguez Graduate Assistant
Corey Benson Graduate Assistant
Charles Miles Student Assistant
Ajai Muwwakkil Student Assistant
UC 2.01.04 210-458-4770 www.utsa.edu/ice
Vanessa Vela Graduate Assistant
Jennifer Rames Associate Director Eraldo Elizondo Senior Student Assistant Follow Us @UTSAvolunteers & @UTSA_ICE Like Us Facebook.com/ICEatUTSA