Students share their time with elderly residents at Elderwood Assisted Living at West Seneca. Student volunteers assist with residents’ activities, such as bingo.
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Alternative Spring Break
In spring 2015 the University at Buffalo Honors College participated in an Alternative Spring Break trip to the Dominican Republic. Students worked with a nonprofit organization called Outreach360, whose vision is to “transform the world so that every child is able to pursue a college degree or to be gainfully employed upon reaching adulthood, enabling them with a life of choice.” The experience is congruent with the Honors College mission of fostering leadership, global perspectives and civic engagement. While in the Dominican Republic, students taught English to disadvantaged children. Participants were given a once-in-a-lifetime chance at leadership development and cultural immersion.
Honors College Sophomore Civic Engagement Practicum II
This one-credit graded course is intended for Honors College sophomores participating in the Greiner Hall Special Interest Housing (SIH) and will be applied towards their honors experiences. Through team building exercises, guest speakers, reflective responses and community service, students will embark on a journey of self-discovery and learn more about themselves and the many options ahead of them in their next two years of college and beyond.
Honors College Sophomore Civic Engagement Practicum I
This one-credit pass/fail course is intended for Honors College sophomores participating in the Greiner Hall Special Interest Housing (SIH). Over the course of the semester, our goal is to deepen students’ thoughtful appreciation of community service and to foster their continued commitment to civic engagement. We also aim to cultivate a sense of community amongst second-year honors scholars through their shared service, monthly meetings and social events in Greiner Hall.
Freshman Honors Colloquium
HON 102 is a two-credit service-learning course required by all freshmen honors scholars in their first semester. All students in the course perform 25 hours of service during the fall semester.
Community Development in Context: Mara Region, Tanzania
Through this winter session study abroad course, students travel to the Mara Region of Tanzania to explore community development through a number of interconnected lenses including education, health, economics and infrastructure. By visiting community sites and engaging closely with Tanzanian partners (including leaders, students and members of the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa), students will explore the complexities of community development while gaining insights into their own cultures and communities.
General Chair for the ASME International Design Engineering and Technical Conferences (1500+ international attendees)
I was the General Conference Chair of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC2014), August 17-20, 2014, and Inaugural Advanced Design and Manufacturing Impact Forum (ADMIF). The International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE) is the annual flagship conference sponsored by the Design Engineering and Computers in Engineering Divisions of the ASME. It serves as the premier venue for disciplinary dissemination and professional networking within the corresponding technical communities. Held in downtown Buffalo in 2014, it was attended by 1,500 people (with about 1,000 papers presented in 20 parallel tracks). The Inaugural ADMIF featured 50+ high-level speakers (including CEOs of ICONICS, MOOG, Kitware, Siemens Industry and Airsep). A number of our undergraduate and graduate students participated in various technical and experiential learning capacities at the event, including: (1) UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Open House (where various departments and clubs showcased activities); (2) technical presentations at the conference; (3) showcasing UB strengths at the UB booth; and (4) participating in Career Fair held on Aug. 20, 2014. These activities were recognized by a Distinguished Service Award at the 5th Annual National Travel & Tourism Beacon Awards, Visit Buffalo Niagara, “In recognition of bringing the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Conference in 2014 which had an economic impact of $1,424,274.”
Service-Learning in the Buffalo Public Schools
Students from the Academies support the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership (ISEP) and National Science Foundation (NSF) grant-funded initiative.
Community Gardens
Undergraduate Academies students, faculty and staff work in collaboration with Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo to support Community Gardens on an annual basis for the Academies-sponsored early move-in experience.
ReTree the District
Experiential learning experience for students in the Undergraduate Academies in support of the University Heights Tool Library and University Heights Collaborative initiative to improve the neighborhood through the reinvestment in the urban tree canopy. Additional location: University Heights District