UA Students to Present ‘Diversity Demonstrated’

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After spending more than 300 hours in the Tuscaloosa community this semester, 26 students in The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences will showcase to the UA community what they have learned in a “Service Learning Revue,” an event co-sponsored by the College and the UA chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

The event, which includes light luncheon refreshments, takes place at noon Wednesday, May 2, in the Ferguson Forum on the third floor of the Ferguson Student Center. Participating students were enrolled in a spring 2012 communication and diversity course.

“Diversity Demonstrated brings together the University’s Academic and Student Affairs divisions in a rare event connecting an upper-level academic course to an award-winning chapter of a national nonprofit academic honor society,” said George Daniels, associate professor of journalism, who teaches the course.  “The whole concept of diversity comes alive in the types of experiences for each of the students and the manner in which they are serving those outside the boundaries of our campus.”

Some of the experiences involved direct service to those affected by the April 27,2011, tornadoes, while others were more indirect where UA students produced media products such as newsletters, magazines and videos. Five community partners offered service opportunities for students in the spring course: the State of Alabama’s Office of Minority Health, Temporary Emergency Services, Al’s Pals After-School Program, the Tuscaloosa One Place Family Resource Center and DA-SH Magazine, which is based in Bessemer.

Even though each student was only required to work outside of class for a total of 12 hours over the 15-week semester, some voluntarily signed up for after-school programs that required a much longer weekly time commitment.

The May 2 presentation will be the second time such a University-wide activity has served as the culminating event for the class. MC 413 has been offered as a service-learning course each spring since 2010.

“In both of the previous Communication and Diversity classes, some students have taken their relationship with their community partner to another level by volunteering to come back the following fall semester and continue their work,” Daniels said.  “I could see the dedication of the students in the current class as early as February in the service learning journals that were submitted. Now the entire UA community will get a chance to see this same dedication on display.”