The Engaged Scholar E-Newsletter - Volume 10 - Issue 1

October 2017 | Volume 10, Issue 1

Featured MSU Engaged Scholars

Michigan State University has long had a presence in Detroit, the state's largest city.

Louise Jezierski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Social Relations and Policy
James Madison College

Detroit, Lansing, Flint, and Beyond: The Fundamental Role of Working with Cities

Louise Jezierski is an associate professor of social relations and policy who integrates theories and methodologies with meaningful experiences that engage students in contemporary challenges.

Cities such as Detroit, Lansing, and Flint in Michigan offer nearby opportunities for Jezierski's students to experience the realities that exist for people living and working in urban and suburban landscapes.

"The Metropolitan Society course (MC 384) that I teach explores the fundamental role of cities. How do they advance democracy, economic growth, and community development? We focus on the rise, decline, and redevelopment of Detroit, and comparative cases such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles," said Jezierski ... read more

Participants discuss the Muslim Journeys program

Deborah Margolis, M.L.S., M.A.
Middle East Studies and Anthropology Librarian
Michigan State University Library
Mohammad Khalil, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies
College of Arts and Letters
Director, Muslim Studies Program
International Studies and Programs
Adjunct Professor, MSU College of Law

MSU Library Facilitates Conversations about Islam in Mid-Michigan

The National Endowment for the Humanities created the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys project to give libraries and other institutions a set of resources that can be used to explore the Muslim world.

Structured as a grant, the Bookshelf is a collection of 25 books and three films "curated to present to the American public new and diverse perspectives on the people, places, histories, beliefs, practices, and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world" (from the Bridging Cultures website). The Bookshelf includes familiar works, such as The Arabian Nights and the poetry of Rúmí, as well as personal memoirs, histories, a graphic novel, and books that explore the Qur'an, the hajj, and Islamic art.

The Middle East Studies and Anthropology librarian successfully applied for the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf and followed that up by obtaining a more competitive grant from the NEH to create programming based on the American Library Association's "Let's Talk About It" model for scholar-led discussion groups ... read more

Jennifer Cobbina, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, School of Criminal Justice
College of Social Science

The Human Side of a Correctional Facility

Jennifer Cobbina's research focuses on issues related to corrections, prisoner reentry, recidivism, and desistance from crime.

Much of her work is framed by the issues faced by those who are incarcerated. In 2016, she accepted a request by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's office to join the Correctional Officers' Training Council for a three-year term. Of eight members on the board, she is one of two representing the academic community.

Her appointment has added context and perspective to her research about those affected by corrections policies and procedures ... read more

Looking for Community Partners

Collaboration and partnership with communities are at the core of engaged scholarship. In all of its work, University Outreach and Engagement emphasizes university-community partnerships that are collaborative, participatory, empowering, systemic, transformative, and anchored in scholarship. If you are a faculty or academic staff member wanting to establish a community partnership, University Outreach and Engagement may be able to help you. Our staff and researchers have connections across the state in areas such as education, mental health, human services, business, and government. For more information, contact Burton Bargerstock, Executive Director of the Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship, at (517) 353-8977 or bb@msu.edu.

Feedback

We would like to hear from you. Contact us with comments, suggestions, announcements, or "engaged scholar" project information for future e-newsletters. Send to: engaged.scholar@msu.edu.

Resources

MSU Graduate Certification in Community Engagement
This program prepares graduate students for careers that integrate scholarship with community engagement. It offers students a transcript notation indicating that they have completed the program.

Community Engagement Toolkits
Designed by the Center for Community Engaged Learning to guide and support MSU faculty, students, staff, and community partners.

Transformations in Higher Education: The Scholarship of Engagement Book Series
Available from Michigan State University Press

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