Dr. Meghan L. E. Kirkwood is an Assistant Professor of Visual Art at Washington University in St. Louis where she teaches Photography. She earned a B.F.A. from Rhode Island School of Design in Photography before completing her M.F.A. in Studio Art at Tulane University. She has received numerous fellowships, including funding to participate in artist residencies through the National Parks Service, the Vermont Studio Center, and the Lakeside Lab (Iowa). Kirkwood’s photography has been exhibited throughout the United States, Europe, and South Africa.
Hero City: Documentary Photography by Meghan Kirkwood features a collection of silver gelatin and inkjet photographs made as part of a documentary project about modern Mongolia and its capital city, Ulaanbaatar. Kirkwood’s images of modern Mongolia capture the unique and storied history of its capital city, and its transition through economic and cultural change – and the rich and thriving culture that animates this young Asian nation.
80% of the Earth’s inhabitants are not considered by designers of infrastructure, goods, and services.
The Global and Community Engagement Conference (formerly D80) is a dialogue and celebration of our efforts to solve issues that confront the world’s poorest 80%. Together we are creating a better future.
Throughout the month of October, we’ll be featuring interviews with changemakers on this blog. You can also take a walking tour of photography by keynote speaker Dr. Meghan Kirkwood. For more information, and a conference schedule, visit the Global and Community Engagement Conference website.
KLT is leveraging resources by working with Huron Pine AmeriCorps to get more projects done for our local human and natural communities!
KLT is looking for a Water Trail Coordinator to help us update the Keweenaw and Portage Water Trail maps and web info as well as help with infrastructure and programming at KLT water trail sites. We hope to provide water trail users with up to date information on water safely, partner sites and infrastructure and consistent signage to allow for enjoyable and safer paddling opportunities in our area. Applications are through Huron Pines please follow the instructions on their site to apply, Look for KLT on the list of available positions.
The Huron Pines AmeriCorps program has been developing leaders in conservation in communities across Michigan since 2007.
Huron Pines AmeriCorps members strive to enhance Michigan’s natural resources and foster environmental stewardship by engaging local volunteers, community groups and schools in service projects, hands-on learning opportunities and educational workshops.
This is an opportunity to join others with dedication, passion and enthusiasm for the environment and for national service, develop real-world skills, increase your experiences and have the opportunity to network with other resource professionals. Benefits include a living stipend of $14,279, an education award of $6,195, health care, child care and student loan deferment.
Apply now at www.huronpines.org.
Accepting applications through October 12, 2020.
For more details or questions contact Amanda Vanaman at amanda@huronpines.org
What is community engagement?
Community engagement is a broad category that includes:
- Service and volunteering in any community, at home or abroad
- Projects and research in partnership with community members and community organizations
- Addressing issues affecting a community in a way that is mutually beneficial to all participants
Who participates in community engagement at Michigan Tech?
Students in many majors and aspiring to diverse careers choose to engage with communities.
For example:
- Students in pre-health programs get involved in the EMS program at Michigan Tech or volunteer at a local hospice or hospital
- Students interested in youth and STEM education volunteer to work with Tech Tutors, Young Women’s Leadership Program, youth programs abroad, the Western UP MiSTEM Network, or other opportunities
- Students in environmental fields (Forestry, Biology, Sustainability Science and Society, Environmental Engineering, etc.) collaborate with the Keweenaw Land Trust, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, local K-12 schools, rural communities in Panama for iDesign, and the Green Campus Enterprise team
Can I do international community service?
Interested in international service?
- Join Peace Corps Prep, a program that helps you gain technical and cultural skills to be successful working in cross-cultural service
- Students in Peace Corps Prep typically integrate a study abroad and/or community project into their Pavlis experience
- Peace Corps Prep is an official partnership between Michigan Tech and the U.S. Peace Corps. It prepares students to serve in another country in the Peace Corps or other community service opportunities.
- You can earn a certificate from the Peace Corps, a minor at Michigan Tech, and honors recognition from Pavlis by completing Peace Corps Prep
What kinds of work have Pavlis students done?
Here are some stories of Pavlis students who focused on community engagement in their honors program.
- Elise Cheney Makens designed a Science Fair Mentoring Program for 4th and 5th graders, and volunteered at a Ronald McDonald home during a research summer experience at Mayo Clinic. She earned two Michigan Tech awards for Community Service and is now in medical school at Michigan State.
- Addie Saltarelli coached basketball and designed a greenhouse and gardening course at Jeffers High School. She was awarded the Exceptional Community Service Project Leadership Award from Michigan Tech for this work. Also highlighted in this video is Lydia Savatsky, who has managed low-income housing projects with the Appalachian Service Project for two summers. She also has worked extensively with K-12 students, including helping to found a new virtual tutoring group during the pandemic, TechTutors.
- Quite a few students have used the International Senior Design Program in Panama, faculty-led study abroad, and/or European Project Semester for part of their honors experience and Peace Corps Prep.
Who should I contact to learn more?
Kari Henquinet (kbhenqui@mtu.edu) can help you find the right connections for a community-engaged immersion, project, or leadership/mentorship experience. Other Pavlis faculty and
staff also have great connections, such as Dar Slade, Mary Raber, and Vienna Leonarduzzi.
Zoe is a third-year majoring in psychology and math. For her immersion experience during summer 2020, Zoe had a global virtual internship through the Spanish company Eloquenz, researching and curating podcasts to help kids learn comprehension and communication skills. Zoe also volunteered this year with the Young Women Leadership Program mentoring middle schoolers.
Lydia is a fourth-year majoring in math. For three summers, she has worked with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP), a non-profit organization that provides home repairs for low-income residents in five states. This summer for her honors project, she designed surveys to gauge general homeowner satisfaction and basic needs, and to track how utility bills change after ASP completes repairs. She is compiling the data from these surveys to improve the organization’s impact and help secure grant funding. Lydia is also on the leadership team of Tech Tutors, a student and alumni-led Covid-19 response to virtually tutor K-12 students.
Avi is a pre-med student majoring in biomedical engineering. She was trained in and volunteered for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program for her immersion. Through this program, she was able to gain clinical experience and give back to the local community. She is also a Pavlis Learning Facilitator this semester.
Are you ready to vote? Are you registered? Do you have questions about voting? Visit the Michigan Tech voter registration drive on Tuesday, September 22, from noon-3 p.m. Bring a valid driver’s license/state ID and a mask, and make sure you know the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
Michigan residents who are unable to make it to the Voter Registration Day event can register to vote online until Monday, Oct. 19. They may also visit any Michigan Secretary of State office. Residents of all states can find voter information at http://www.vote411.org
Last year, Michigan Tech was awarded a bronze seal for excellence in voter engagement, but there’s still a long way to go.
“The (Washington Monthly) listing reflected a significant increase in voter registration, But MTU is still well below our peers. I’d like to increase our numbers so we are above the national average,” said Zach Olson, USG’s Political Affairs Committee chair and a recently named fellow of the Campus Election Engagement Project.
So: visit the drive if you’re not registered to vote, or have questions. And vote this November!
[Portions of this post were excerpted from Tech Today. Read the full article.]
Read about honors student and recent graduate Addie Saltarelli (Forestry, 2020) in the Western UP Food Systems Collaborate blog. Addie designed and co-taught a greenhouse and gardening course at Jeffers High School. She was awarded the Exceptional Community Service Project Leadership Award from Michigan Tech for this work.