Volume 13 - Issue 1 - Home Page

Laurie Van Egeren, Interim Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement

Engaging NextGen in Civic Democracy

Dear Engaged Spartans,

The events and rhetoric surrounding the upcoming election have embroiled us in one of the most critical and contentious times in U.S history. Democracy lies at the heart of a country that values freedom and the wellbeing of all its citizens, and central to that democracy is the right to vote. Now, more than ever, it is critical for every American voice to be heard.

At its core, MSU prepares students "to contribute fully to society as globally engaged citizen leaders" (MSU Mission Statement). Every year, the Center for Community Engaged Learning guides thousands of MSU students in making meaningful contributions as engaged citizens by providing opportunities for community-engaged work both as part of courses and through co-curricular civic activities ... Read more

• MiRan Kim, Ph.D.
• Associate Professor, The School of Hospitality Business
• Broad College of Business

Frightful to Delightful: "Customer Delight" as a Sustainable Business Model, Pandemic and Beyond

The year 2020 has been frightful for almost every sector, and few industries have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as severely as the hospitality industry. According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association's State of the Hotel Industry Analysis, as of August 31, 2020, more than $46 billion in room revenue and 70 percent (4.8 million) of hospitality and leisure jobs had been lost.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, the hospitality business faced an increasingly challenging environment. Rising consumer sophistication and expectations, evolving social and generational norms, and fluctuating economic conditions challenged the industry to be continuously innovative ... read more

• Sarah N. Douglas, Ph.D.
• Associate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies
• Director, Research in Autism and Developmental Disabilities Laboratory
• College of Social Science

Building Online Learning Communities to Support Young Children with Complex Communication Needs

When the global pandemic hit in March 2020, Sarah Douglas was not too concerned about moving her research to an online format. Douglas is an expert on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies for young children with disabilities, especially autism spectrum disorder; the family, school, and community partnerships that support these children; and online learning for school-community partners in general. She has been publishing articles on those topics for the past several years.

"Many of the children we work with use alternative means to communicate. They might use picture symbols or apps on an iPad. They might use sign language, different things like that. Children who might have autism, or developmental or genetic disabilities, are included as well," Douglas said ... read more

• Vicki Johnson-Lawrence, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor
• Rodlescia Sneed, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor
• Division of Public Health
• College of Human Medicine

Improving Health and Well-being in the Flint Community: The Church Challenge

In a community lacking some of the most essential needs in life there is one thing that Flint residents have in abundance, and that is faith.

Participation in congregations and faith-based organizations (FBO's) is strong in this predominantly African-American city and serves as an important component of the community's social fabric.

During the past thirty years, public health officials and FBO leaders alike have increasingly explored the value of working together to address the needs of their constituents ... read more