Comm in Action
Community outreach a staple of campus life University of the Pacific physical therapy Professor Todd Davenport knows the importance of experiential learning and immersing students in building stronger communities. Pacific alumna Brenda Huey ’12 and local children with special developmental needs are the beneficiaries of those efforts. She organized a campaign called Perfect 10 at GymStars Gymnastics in Stockton. Huey has taught gymnastics to more than 20 local children to promote the importance and benefits of having physically active lifestyles. “As physical therapists, it's important to become advocates for change to allow patients to receive services beyond treatment in the clinic,” Huey said. “Dr. Davenport supported me in those efforts because he was invested in my professional and personal goals. It was so nice working with a professor who listened to what was important to me and supported my work.” Davenport, in turn, has received the Societal Impact Award from the American
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PACIFIC MAGA ZINE | 2021
Physical Therapy Association for demonstrating compassion, philanthropy and a commitment to improving society through physical therapy. This effort is an example of Pacific’s commitment to community service and outreach. Through classroom and volunteer experiences, students, faculty and staff contribute thousands of hours annually to Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco programs, schools and agencies, providing services in education, health, science, the environment, the arts and more.
Online music lessons: Pacific music education students proved that music has no barriers, even in a pandemic. When the annual “Instrument Petting Zoo” at Family Day at the Park was canceled due to COVID-19, students made 37 online video music lessons—called the Instrument Roundup—as a collaboration between Pacific’s Conservatory of Music
and the Stockton Symphony Orchestra. “The students were so energetic and engaged in this project,” said Ruth Brittin, professor and chair of music education. “What they were able to create can be so helpful and fun for young children who might be interested in music.” Recent alumnus Ryan Abdelmalek ’21 helped start the program. He also provided an online trumpet lesson. Other lessons included Krystal Checo ’24 on bassoon and Ravyn Stanford ’22 on snare drum. “I am proud of all of the music education students. They met their deadlines and put a lot of effort into the videos,” Abdelmalek said.
McGeorge Immigration Clinic: For two decades, the McGeorge Immigration Clinic has been an on-campus legal clinic in Sacramento where law students provide in-depth legal assistance on immigration matters to clients in the Sacramento area. The clinic was founded in 2000 by local
