Displaying items by tag: uabteach

From left to right: Chattada (Pi ) Viriyaphap, Bryce Hampton, Emma Bocanegra (front), Dallas Blackwell, Philip Hyde, Laquandria Leatherwood, David Hedrick (project data guide, ThinkData Solutions Inc.), and Lauren Rast. Photo credit: ThinkData Solutions, Inc.On April 14, 2023, 16 University of Alabama at Birmingham students took the stage at the Alumni Auditorium in the Hill Student Center for the second annual Magic City Data Collective (MCDC) Demo Day. During the event, the UAB students—along with students from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, Samford University, and Lawson State Community College—presented data analysis projects to an audience that included faculty members, students, community partners, and entrepreneurs.

For Philip Hyde, a senior studying computational physics, the experience illuminated the value of conducting work that might lead to real outcomes and change. “I found the MCDC experience to be profoundly beneficial. It gave me the opportunity to expand upon both my personal and professional development through the interaction with a real company and real data. Not only that, but the knowledge that the final product will be used for real world purposes also helped create a sense of reward and fulfillment upon completion,” said Hyde.

The MCDC launched in the summer of 2021 and is a public-private partnership between UAB, the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), and other local stakeholders. Through MCDC, undergraduate and graduate students take on paid projects with local employers in business, tech, education, and philanthropy to work on real-world projects that require them to use their data analysis skills. Lauren Rast, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Physics, serves as the project director and principal investigator (PI) for the initiative, which receives grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (part of the U.S. Department of Commerce). She views the MCDC as a multi-faceted experience through which students gain skills and a better understanding of how their work can impact the community.

“I think it’s important when we teach our students data analysis, data science, and any data-driven discipline that they also get the side of data that is civic, and that they’re making a contribution to the public space,” said Rast. “That seemed to be the thing that impacted the students the most.”

The April Demo Day featured the second official cohort for the MCDC. MCDC is supported by several businesses and organizations in Birmingham, including the Birmingham Business Alliance, Landing, Prosper, and ThinkData Solutions, Inc. The second cohort received both sponsorship and data from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA), a nonprofit organization that works to inform and improve the decision making of state and local leaders in Alabama through objective research and analysis. PARCA provided the students with a range of data sets all focused on a common issue: education in Alabama.

“It’s one thing to read about and study the generalities from textbooks and journal articles, but it is an entirely different experience to dig into the nitty-gritty of real-world observations, where messy, contrary data points humble one’s confidence about the precision of policy-making assumptions,” said Joe Adams, Ph.D., research coordinator for PARCA. “It’s always better to examine outcome data to see how well our expectations match reality. With the understanding that comes with that experience, wiser policies can be crafted, grounded in a better understanding of reality. Data analysis can change policy conversations.”

“I think it became very clear where the needs are in public education in the state of Alabama… and that’s something they can take with them as future leaders,” said Rast.

The students in this MCDC cohort formed four teams to analyze the data, and they pursued the following projects: School Systems Budgets and School Performance; Failing School Performance, School Budgets, and County Population Demographics; School System Budget Tool; and School Performance Comparison Tool. Within each team, students brought varied perspectives, experiences, and disciplinary interests, ranging from computational physics to economics to world languages. For Rast, it is important to make sure the program is inclusive and welcoming to a diverse group of students.

“The people who work in STEM and work in data really shape our future,” said Rast. “It’s very important that when students are doing data science that they have diverse perspectives, so that as the world is shaped it is shaped by a wide variety of people. Diverse problem solvers are better problem solvers.”

After two successful cohorts, Rast is looking to the future with expanded goals in mind. Specifically, she hopes to reach more students with hands-on data analysis projects through a new course in the Blazer Core (titled “Community Data Research”) and further build out data infrastructure for the city of Birmingham. In addition, she aims to continue aligning the MCDC project with the labor force needs of the community and prepare her students for the opportunities and challenges presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. And, given the experience of her most recent group of students, her approach appears to be working.

“My experience with the MCDC and PARCA has demonstrated to me the influential role of data in shaping and enhancing public education in Alabama,” said Dallas Blackwell, a public health major who participated in the second cohort of MCDC. “Through data analysis, I witnessed the potential for impactful change and gained invaluable skills in collaboration and problem-solving as well as analysis tools like Tableau and Microsoft Power BI. This experience has enriched my career prospects and instilled a sense of purpose and passion for data-driven solutions in me."

Every academic year, the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s College of Arts and Sciences receives departmental nominations for the Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Undergraduate Students and Outstanding Graduate Students. The dean’s selection committee gives these awards to exceptional undergraduate and graduate students in the College who have made significant contributions to the UAB community.

After carefully reviewing the 2023 nominations, Dean Kecia M. Thomas, Ph.D., and her committee have selected three undergraduate students and four graduate students for the awards. At the upcoming 2023 commencement ceremonies, the College will acknowledge and celebrate the recipients.

Congratulations to the following students for receiving this award:

2023 Undergraduate Dean’s Awards

2023 Graduate Dean’s Awards

Maria Suter-ThallemerThroughout her college career, Maria Suter-Thallemer has maintained an open mind and a willingness to try new things.

When she first arrived at the University of Mississippi (“Ole Miss”) after finishing high school in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was focused on cheerleading for the university and enjoying the small, college-town environment of Oxford. She also sought out and explored a range of academic experiences, prompting several changes in her major.

“I switched my major, admittedly, six times,” said Suter-Thallemer.

Eventually, she discovered social work, a discipline that stoked her passion for helping others.

“[I study social work because of] my desire to really know the world. I think social works offers a really awesome opportunity to focus on diversity and inclusion,” said Suter-Thallemer. “[It makes you consider] what role you can play in adding to the progression of what our world is going to be in 20 years.”

As her interest in social work grew and graduation neared, she began to evaluate Master of Social Work (MSW) programs. During this period, a dear friend unexpectedly encouraged her to take a brief trip to Birmingham to visit the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She embraced the advice, made the trip, and spent a whirlwind 11 hours in the city and on the campus.

“I walked around the campus by myself, and I was blown away by the diversity that UAB’s campus had to offer and Birmingham in general,” said Suter-Thallemer. “It was unlike any other place in the South... I’ll probably be here the rest of my life.”

She was also attracted to the uniqueness of the university’s MSW program. Currently, UAB’s Department of Social Work offers one of the only Clinical/Medical MSW programs in the country, which piqued Suter-Thallemer’s interest.

According to the department, “The mission of the Clinical/Medical MSW program at UAB is to educate students for careers in specialized, competent, and evidence-informed practice in health and behavioral health that responds to the complex needs of people and community in the face of an increasingly interconnected world.” It is a mission that aligns with Suter-Thallemer’s career aspirations and values, so, she enrolled in the program in Fall 2022.

So far, the program has equipped her with new skills, experiences, and connections that will benefit her for years to come.

“Our professors have so much background…in clinical and medical social work. While they’ve provided us with the tools to handle the realm of healthcare, they’ve also given us a lot of tools to figure out things that set our soul on fire for social work and different outlets and avenues for what this job can look like,” said Suter-Thallemer. “It’s been a huge gift to learn from them. [And] my cohort has been great.”

Currently, Suter-Thallemer is navigating a 600-hour clinical placement at the UAB Center for Psychiatric Medicine. She focuses on adolescent psychiatric social work, while working alongside an interdisciplinary team of social workers, occupational therapists, doctors, and others. The experience has had a powerful impact on her.

“It’s something I hope to pursue after graduation [in December 2023]. As of right now, I definitely plan to take the mental health care route,” said Suter-Thallemer.

And, clearly, the department and its faculty have helped to illuminate that route for her.

“One thing, specifically, that the MSW program is good at… is cultivating us to be people with our own personalities to go out and do a job that we really love to do. And, in doing that, I feel like they are able to really take what we have to say and turn it into something very meaningful. They’re able to prepare us for what’s to come after graduation,” said Suter-Thallemer. “It has been nothing short of perfect.”

Learn more about the Clinical/Medical MSW program at UAB by visiting the Department of Social Work’s website.

Alexandra “Lexie” Woolums, a junior pursuing an individually designed degree in Environmental Sciences and a minor in English through the UAB College of Arts and Sciences with a minor in public health from the School of Public Health, has been awarded the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service. Lexie, who is also a part of the UAB Honors College and serves as a Solar House Policy Intern, will be a member of the scholarship’s inaugural class of just 100 students chosen from a pool of nearly 1800 applicants.

The Obama-Chesky Scholarship, also known as the Voyager Scholarship, was created by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO, to provide meaningful financial aid combined with transformational travel to students passionate about public service. The award includes up to $50,000 in “last dollar” financial aid for students’ junior and senior years, a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing for a “summer voyage” work-travel experience, annual fall public service summits, access to a network of leaders through an ongoing speaker series, and a 10-year post graduation travel stipend.

“It is exciting to see a Blazer among the first cohort of Voyager Scholars,” said Michelle Cook, Ph.D., director of UAB’s Office of National and International Fellowships and Scholarships. “This award presents a truly life-changing experience in that it empowers recipients with financial need to pursue service opportunities and internships that might otherwise be inaccessible to them. This is the perfect opportunity for Lexie to expand her public service portfolio in preparation for future award competitions, graduate school, and beyond.”

How exactly did Woolums, a Mobile native, discover her interest in sustainability and find herself in the position to apply for and receive the Obama Voyager Scholarship? Read below to find out!

How did you discover your interest in Sustainability and Public Health?

I decided to take an extra science class during my junior year of high school. I ended up taking an AP Environmental Science class, and it absolutely changed my life. When I came to UAB, I was an undeclared major and I realized that anytime I got to choose a project topic, I choose something related to environmental policy and the human relationship with the natural environment. After being a public health major for a while, I designed my major with a focus on the human relationship with the natural environment.

What would you say your specific interests or passions are within the field of Sustainability?

My main interest is in improving environmental policy to preserve biodiversity and to improve human health. I am mostly interested in the way a healthy environment impacts humans. I am also interested in writing/communications about climate change and sustainability because much of the current discourse among the public surrounding it is incomplete or politicized, making it much harder to help Alabamians understand why protecting the environment is important and how our survival relies on a healthy environment.

You’ve previously mentioned an interest in social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Most people have heard the word sustainability as it relates to the environment but may not have heard of social or economic sustainability. How do you explain these aspects of sustainability?

When most people think of sustainability, they think about the images of saving endangered species or reducing their single-use plastic consumption. While those things are important, it is more important to consider the three pillars of sustainability, which are social, economic, and environmental. Sometimes, people refer to this as the 3 Ps instead: “people, profit, and planet.” Regardless, these three pillars are intertwined, and they are all important for long-term sustainable development. At the end of the day, the economy cannot exist without a society to support it, and society cannot exist outside of the natural environment. We see examples of social and economic sustainability everyday but may not recognize them as such. For example,

Historically, many indigenous populations have been removed from their lands in the name of conservation, even though they protected the environment they lived in for centuries. Many other minorities have been forced to live in polluted areas due to government inaction or large businesses polluting the air and water. Each of these situations are examples where social sustainability is not included as a part of the conversation.

Additionally, the United States has a fast-paced culture, valuing a quick profit over quality and long-term economic sustainability. We live in a culture dominated by fossil fuels, fast fashion, and a disconnect from the people and places that produce the food and products we purchase. Many of the current industries in the US are not able to continue growing even within the next twenty years. It is imperative that we invest in systems that can outlast outdated systems relying on substances that are becoming increasingly limited. These issues show how much work we still have to do in terms of economic sustainability.

How have your experiences at UAB so far prepared you for the Obama Voyager application process and for future work within your field? Tell us a bit about your involvement.

Two main experiences have critically impacted me and helped prepare me for the Voyager Scholarship application process.

The first of these is my program within the Honors College, The Global and Community Leadership Honors Program (GCL). GCL students take a course called “Burning Issues,” which helps us identify what the issue we are most passionate about is. I took it in the spring of my freshman year, and the realization that hit me was how closely related all our Burning Issues were. We had projects about redlining, lack of mental health care access, limited sex education in Alabama schools, high maternal mortality in rural counties, food insecurity, wage discrimination, and the politicization of climate science (my project). As we presented, I realized how interconnected our issues were, despite that they outwardly appeared to be independent problems. Seeing how systems fail the communities who desperately need them made me angry. That semester, I decided I wanted to work to make Alabama’s environmental policy better.

The other experience is my time interning at UAB Sustainability. I have been with them as the Solar House intern for about a year now, and I have learned so much about how environment-related policy functions in Alabama. That knowledge coupled with the professional experience of facilitating applications on behalf of the university are experiences I never expected to gain until after college. I am very thankful to have the experience with them and firmly believe it has helped prepare me for further professional experience.

The Obama Voyager Scholarship not only provides tuition assistance but also provides a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing for a summer work-travel experience. Have you already made plans for your travel and how you will use this funding to gain more experience in your field?

So far, I am mostly considering interning in Washington, DC. Many of the environmental nonprofits there have a heavy policy focus due to their proximity to capitol hill. I hope to intern and volunteer with several nonprofits there to learn more about the way policy works in relation to environmental issues.

What are your plans after graduation?

As far as plans after graduation go, I’m still uncertain. I’ve looked into several Environmental Policy master's programs, and even considered some graduate programs at UAB. I would like to work in the nonprofit sector at a local environmental nonprofit. I’ve also looked into several internships with the EPA and other government agencies, which I think could be a good path for me too. In terms of the travel stipend provided through this scholarship, I am hoping to use it to travel abroad, since I have never been outside of the United States. Many other countries have much different approaches to the way they view the environment, causing different policies and attitudes towards preserving it, so I would like to be able to travel and learn more about the relationship other cultures have with the natural environment.

If you are interested in learning more about applying for the Voyager Scholarship or other prestigious awards, contact the UAB Office of National and International Fellowships and Scholarships for application and essay assistance through email at fellowships@uab.edu or visit their website.

Photo Courtesy of Taylor Williams. Taylor Williams, a doctoral student in the Department of Biology, was recently named a 2022 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

According to NOAA, the competitive Nancy Foster Scholarship Program provides support for independent graduate-level studies in oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology, particularly to women and students from underrepresented communities.

This year, the organization selected seven graduate students from across the country for the scholarship. Each scholarship recipient will receive an annual stipend of $30,000 and up to $12,000 annually as an education allowance. Additionally, recipients may receive up to $10,000 to support a 4–6-week research collaboration at a NOAA facility.

Williams, who is from Orcutt, California, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology under faculty advisor Stacy A. Krueger-Hadfield, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biology. Her research will focus on a cryptogenic alga that is acting invasively within the boundaries of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM), a U.S. National Monument and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. According to Williams, Chondria tumulosa is a red macroalga that was found growing in dense mats and smothering the coral reefs at Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Atoll) and Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawai’i. She will be using a combination of population genetic analyses and laboratory experiments to assess the reproductive system of this alga.

"The Nancy Foster Scholarship provides me the opportunity to work directly with our NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries Program to use our science to best meet the needs of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument while also bridging the gap between science and place-based community outreach," said Williams.

Williams completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa where she first became involved with the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument as a scientific diver. She then earned her Master of Science in Marine Biology at the College of Charleston under Dr. Heather Spalding before coming to UAB.

“The Nancy Foster Scholarship will afford Taylor the exceptional opportunity to continue work on Chondria and collaborations with researchers in Hawai'i and at the College of Charleston,” said Krueger-Hadfield. “We will be gaining valuable data with direct benefits to understanding the natural history of organisms in the PMNM as well as population genetics in organisms that undergo both sexual and asexual reproduction. Surprisingly, we don't have good tools for this and the Chondria data Taylor generates during her dissertation research will be invaluable to testing theoretical predictions in different biomes and ecosystems.”

Students who participate in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Pre-Law Program in the Department of Criminal Justice have access to pre-law advising, an academic minor, and activities designed to build pre-professional competencies, including legal research and critical thinking.

UAB’s Pre-Law Program partnered with Redemption Earned, Inc. for the new Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Pre-Law Student Initiative. Clockwise from top left: Brandon Blankenship, Paul Littlejohn, Martha Earwood, Darrius Culpepper, Shae Thomas, Sue Bell Cobb.According to Brandon Blankenship, J.D., assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and director of the Pre-Law Program, these skills—along with many others—consistently prove to be valuable when practicing law or working in careers in law. In addition to the core competencies, Blankenship also emphasizes community engagement and restorative leadership with his pre-law students.

“[We’re] proactively building community,” said Blankenship.

Engaging Students

For Blankenship, community-building often begins with engaging middle and high school students in hands-on learning experiences.

One of the longest-standing experiences available through the Pre-Law Program is Journey to Attorney, an innovative summer camp for rising high school juniors and seniors that includes mock mediation and mock trials. During the camp, UAB pre-law students support camp participants as they retry a historic case (the last camp focused on the Scottsboro Nine case). Attendees dig into the facts of the case and aim to achieve a just result—an effort that often requires 12-hour days and intensive preparation.

As the students retry the case, they also examine ways in which they can restore justice in the community. The experience builds knowledge, relationships, and empathy, and, often, inspires participants to become life-long learners. Although the camp will not take place in Summer 2022, it will reemerge in Summer 2023.

Along with engaging high school students in hands-on summer learning experiences, Blankenship and his team also find opportunities to reach students in classrooms. Megan Edwards, an AmeriCorps VISTA with the program, recently helped coordinate and facilitate a digital learning experience for middle school students in Shelby County for Law Day 2022.

The American Bar Association (ABA) annually sponsors Law Day on May 1. According to the ABA, the program aims to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. To support the mission of Law Day 2022, Edwards recruited judges and district attorneys from across the state of Alabama to record engaging video presentations for Shelby County students based on the following theme: “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change.” Edwards also made the videos available to the Alabama State Bar, so the organization could share the content with schools outside of Shelby County.

According to Blankenship, Judge Bill Bostick—the presiding judge on the Circuit 18 court in Shelby County—delivered one of the most compelling video presentations. Bostick shared insights with the students and also gave them a virtual tour of his courtroom. For Blankenship, this kind of exposure to the legal profession is a driving force behind the community engagement work of the pre-law program. And, based on the feedback he received from one of the teachers who shared the video presentation with her class, it’s working.

"My 7th- and 8th-grade students thoroughly enjoyed the Law Day 2022 experience. The program was well produced and offered such a variety of speakers,” said Julie P. Kennedy, social studies teacher at Oak Mountain Middle School. “It was intriguing to hear from our county and state judges, attorneys, and state representative and the impact they have on the lives of our community. Hopefully, their words inspired my students to give back to their communities when they are older."

JEDI

Exposure can take other forms too. In the case of the newly-established Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Pre-Law Student Initiative, UAB students get the opportunity to develop competencies that will help them in law school, while also supporting community organizations and attorneys that have limited resources and staff. Blankenship developed the service-learning program in partnership with Brandon Wolfe, former Assistant Vice President for Campus and Community Engagement in UAB’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The program is now managed by an undergraduate student, Parth Sharma, who is majoring in criminal justice and mathematics and serving a Fellowship in Restorative Justice and Leadership. The fellowship was made possible by the LifeCrafter Foundation, a strategic partner of the Pre-Law program that provides substantial support in the form of scholarships and AmeriCorps VISTAs.

This past academic year, the JEDI program created an opportunity for Eshandae (“Shae”) Thomas—a pre-law student who is majoring in criminal justice and minoring in legal affairs—to work alongside Redemption Earned, Inc., a nonprofit organization that identifies, assists, and represents incarcerated individuals worthy of parole or work release. Sue Bell Cobb, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, serves as the executive director of Redemption Earned, Inc. and sought out meaningful opportunities for Thomas to support the organization’s work.

“All of us were so excited when Professors Brandon Blankenship and Martha Earwood informed us that Redemption Earned, Inc. would be given the opportunity to work with a UAB pre-law intern,” said Cobb. “Shae Thomas was simply extraordinary and completely dedicated to our efforts to assist worthy ‘aged and infirmed’ incarcerated individuals with gaining parole. Shae helped us synthesize and manage reams of data from the Alabama Department of Corrections. She provided valuable insight as we developed processes to be able to chart a new path to fill this huge gap in the criminal justice system. Her help was invaluable.”

Thomas conducted research and developed a system to identify potential clients for Redemption Earned, Inc. Along the way, Thomas also received mentorship and guidance from Darrius Culpepper, a law fellow at Redemption Earned, Inc., and Paul Littlejohn, a subject matter expert who experienced incarceration for 35 years.

“My time with Redemption Earned has shown me how time can change people,” said Thomas. “It's something we hear all the time, but I got to experience it firsthand.”

That experience led her to present at UAB’s Service Learning and Undergraduate Research Expo. Thomas created a poster highlighting her research and work with Redemption Earned, Inc., and she went on to win first place in the Social and Behavioral Sciences for Online Poster Presentations.

Moving Forward

As Blankenship reflects on Thomas’ research and accomplishments, he acknowledges the value of students “building a body of work” and doing work that energizes them. Now, Blankenship’s vision for experiential learning has uncovered a new priority for future community engagement efforts within the program. Moving forward, Blankenship and his team plan to focus their attention on ensuring that students in Alabama are reading on grade-level by the fourth grade. At first, some may wonder how literacy fits into the community work of the Pre-Law Program—for Blankenship, the answer is clear.

“I see pre-law as cradle to grave. I really think our pre-law journey, as far as UAB’s concerned, really starts with elementary-level reading,” said Blankenship. “If our [pre-law] students can participate in helping students be on grade-level with their reading by fourth grade, then those fourth graders have an opportunity to one day practice law… if that’s what they want to do.”

And, perhaps, that is the overarching goal of the UAB Pre-Law program. Connecting students of all ages with learning experiences and community partners to ensure anyone who wishes to pursue a career in law can do so. Thankfully, the program is getting closer to achieving that goal each day.

Students in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) College of Arts and Sciences are applying their knowledge and skills in real-world settings through a collaborative service-learning partnership between the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Alabama Interfaith Refugee Partnership (ALIRP).

In Fall 2021, Lourdes Sánchez-López, Ph.D, professor of Spanish in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, taught SPA 485 Spanish for Leadership at the Workplace, a capstone course for the Applied Professional Spanish major concentration. In the course, students develop leadership skills, explore career pathways, and practice their applied professional Spanish through service-learning. Since the course has a strong emphasis on service-learning, Sánchez-López connects students with well-established community partners to explore and transform Birmingham’s linguistic landscape. By doing so, the students—alongside the community partner(s)—make public spaces more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to the Spanish-speaking community.

In the fall, Sánchez-López connected 15 of her students with the ALIRP, an interfaith group of religious leaders and laypersons who help refugees and asylum-seekers. Throughout the semester, students translated the organization’s website and other resources to Spanish to make the information accessible to ALIRP´s Spanish-speaking refugee families—many of which are from Central America—as well as for Spanish-speaking volunteers.

“This service-learning project is meaningful, and it contributes greatly to the transformation of Birmingham´s linguistic landscape,” said Sánchez-López. “The Applied Professional Spanish students made an important contribution in our joint journey to more equitable access to resources for all. I am very proud of each one of them.”

One of the course objectives for SPA 485 is for students “to acquire a more profound understanding and appreciation of one´s own community.” According to Lindi Deboer, a recent UAB alumna who participated in SPA 485, the course clearly achieved that goal.

“My time working with the ALIRP was a humbling and rewarding experience. I was able to learn about the pressing issues impacting immigrant families, as well as the support the ALIRP gives them,” said Deboer. “As a Spanish major, being able to help Hispanic immigrant families by translating the ALIRP’s resource guide was very special. I could not have done it without such an amazing team—Lisandra Carballoza Quesada, Dalton Scott, Jane Vines, Lynda Wilson, Katherine Fulcher, and Dr. Sánchez-López—who were very encouraging, attentive, and compassionate.”

The team at the ALIRP also viewed the experience as a success. Specifically, Lynda Wilson, president of the ALIRP, believes the partnership helped the organization reach more people and deepen its impact.

“These resources will be extremely helpful for ALIRP volunteers and asylum-seeking families that we serve,” said Wilson. “Thanks to this wonderful collaboration, the ALIRP will be able to expand its reach to the Spanish-speaking community in Birmingham and beyond. We are extremely grateful to Dr. Sánchez-López for her leadership in developing this collaboration!”

On Friday, September 17, 2021, in honor of Constitution Day and to fulfill the requirement of Public Law 108-447 (enacted in late 2004, which requires an educational institution receiving federal funds to hold an education program on the United States Constitution on this day for its students) the Department of Political Science and Public Administration and the Department of Criminal Justice sponsored a scavenger hunt across campus. The overarching theme for this year was “Public Health and the Constitution.” Thirteen student teams participated in the event representing 38 students.

Students were provided questions and a resource bank ahead of time to prepare for the event. Students competed in teams of three. Stations were posted throughout campus. Participating units included:

• Collat School of Business
• AEIVA
• Honors College
• Department of Philosophy
• Department of History
• Office of Service Learning and Undergraduate Research
• Career Center
• Lister Hill Center for Health Policy
• School of Public Health

At each station, students were asked a specific question for which they were required to provide the correct answer to advance. Station masters initialed the team’s score card before the team could leave for the next station. To avoid guessing, students received reduced points for each attempt at the question. Students also received points for their finishing time.

One team was a clear winner with both the number of correct answers and the fastest time. That team was Maya Crocker, Roshan Dahale, and Anthony Venesia. Two teams tied for second place and three teams tied for third place. The 17 students representing the winning teams are invited to an educational encounter with Judge Elisabeth French. Judge French will make a presentation on her path to the judiciary and will be available to answer questions from the students. All students who participated, as well as station masters, received a pocket Constitution, which contains the entire Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Each member of the first-place team will also receive a Black’s Law Dictionary. All student participants enjoyed Steele City Pops on the Campus Green after the event.

Students commented that this event was fun, made constitutional law relevant to current events, and provided an opportunity for them to see parts of campus that they had not seen before. We also noted the significant exercise that students received in accumulating approximately 7,600 steps in completing the scavenger hunt. Professor Brandon Blankenship, director of UAB’s Pre-Law Program, stated, “I can't imagine an area of American life that is not impacted by the Constitution. It was encouraging to see students engage it in an energetic and physical way, some for the first time.”

Stacy Moak, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, commented, “I wanted students to see the Constitution in a practical way with a significant contemporary issue. Each of the 10 questions dealt with some issue of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as with federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights.”

The departments intend to make this an annual event. The theme will change from year to year depending upon current events.

Lourdes Sánchez-López, Ph.D.During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lourdes Sánchez-López, Ph.D., professor of Spanish in the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, received an unexpected invitation.

At the time, public health experts and campus communicators across UAB were working swiftly to share information about the emerging pandemic with faculty, students, staff, and the community. The effort — now known as UAB United — was instrumental in raising awareness of the pandemic and prompting people across UAB and beyond to take measures to limit risk and exposure to the virus. That said, the team behind the campaign recognized one substantial gap in its communications assets — everything was in English.

Sánchez-López is an avid proponent of making Birmingham a more equitable and inclusive community for Spanish-speaking residents. So, when UAB reached out and asked for her assistance in translating the COVID-19 messages for those residents, she did not hesitate to offer her expertise and support. She, along with her colleague María Antonia Anderson de la Torre, Ph.D., translated the website content and signage in a relatively short period of time and learned a lot along the way.

Through this experience, Sánchez-López was inspired to take a broader, systems level view of the issue presented by the UAB United campaign. As she contemplated future translation projects, she looked to her service learning courses (FLL 333 – Foreign Language Service Learning and SPA 485 – Spanish for Leadership in the Workplace) in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Historically, the courses included significant capstone projects where students worked alongside nonprofit organizatiosn to address a challenge or opportunity — clearly, there was a need to reimagine the capstone component of the courses during the pandemic.

"I knew students could not be in the community due to COVID-19," said Sánchez-López. "I decided to ask my students to help nonprofits that serve the Latinx community and translate their website content, therefore addressing the disparity in our linguistic landscape."

Emma Kate Sellers was one of the students in Sánchez-López's Foreign Language Service Learning class and is also pursuing her Spanish for Specific Purposes Certificate. For her capstone, she translated content for the 1917 Clinic at UAB, the largest HIV health care unit in Alabama and one of the country’s leading HIV clinics. Sánchez-López encouraged Sellers to work with the 1917 Clinic because she knew the institution aligned with Sellers's interests and passions. Her project was entitled, "Improving Access to HIV Care for Spanish-Speakers at UAB's 1917 Clinic," which she presented at the 2021 UAB Expo and garnered her the first place award in the service learning category.

"Service-learning allows students to apply the content we learn in the classroom to real-life situations, which is what I was able to do by working with the 1917 Clinic to translate their website," said Sellers. "In class, we covered the importance of translation and interpretation in making healthcare more accessible to non-English speakers, which I was able to apply through my service-learning project."

Other students in the Spanish for Leadership class partnered with nonprofit organizations outside of UAB, including the Coosa Riverkeeper, Cahaba Valley Health Care, and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

For each student, Sánchez-López aimed to illuminate potential career pathways.

Through the capstone projects, some students, including Sellers, actually discovered they do not wish to pursue careers in translation, which, according to Sánchez-López, is a valuable insight to uncover before graduating and entering the workforce.

"While I do not want to be a translator in the future, this course did solidify my passion for health equity and collaborating with community partners, and I am grateful that myself, the clinic, and patients all benefitted from this partnership," said Sellers.

According to Sánchez-López, these first-ever website translation projects deepened relationships with community partners and catalyzed long-term change for Spanish-speaking residents in Birmingham and the community’s linguistic landscape. "It's a sustainable approach," said Sánchez-López.

Visit the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures website to learn more about the Spanish for Specific Purposes Certificate.

Pursuing a double major requires focus, effort, and passion. Add a global pandemic to the situation, and the experience becomes even more complex.

Veronica Mixon, a graduating senior in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s College of Arts and Sciences who will earn a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology this spring, navigated the experience with grace.

“Since I’ve been at UAB, I’ve learned the importance of self-care and community. I’m on the spectrum for Autism, and, before UAB, I always felt isolation and exhausted from masking 24/7,” said Mixon. “However, I learned how to manage my self-care and create boundaries that made it easier to feel comfortable in social settings. My experiences in the African American Studies Program really helped lay the foundation of my growth through the support I received from my mentors, professors, and friends.”

According to her professors and mentors, Mixon did in fact lay a strong foundation from which she grew and thrived. Her hard work garnered her both praise and scholarship opportunities throughout her tenure at UAB. She is a McNair Scholar and earned both the College of Arts and Science’s Dean’s Leadership Scholarship and the African American Studies Director’s Award. Also, she won the 2021 College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Dean’s Award and the Outstanding Student Award for African American Studies, and, last April, she was initiated into the historic Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

“Veronica is passionate about learning and an advocate of social justice. She is not afraid to speak out on issues affecting the quality of life in our society or show compassion towards those who need a ‘voice,’” said Kathryn Morgan, Ph.D., director of the African American Studies Program. “In my academic career, I have encountered students who are certain to succeed and sure to make a difference. I find myself grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the educational experience of these students. Veronica is one such student.”

Alongside her academic pursuits and achievements, Mixon is also the President of the African American Studies Organization, a Research Assistant in C.L.A.Y.S Lab in the Department of Psychology, and a mental health advocate. Her commitment to and interest in mental health will lead her to become one of the first students to attain the Certificate in Mental Health from the Department of Psychology this spring. Also, as a result of her work as an intern, mentor, and suicide prevention advocate, UAB’s Student Counseling Services named her a Mental Health Champion.

Through courses like Black Psychology and an emphasis in global health and justice studies, Mixon has found numerous points of intersection between African American studies and psychology. Recently, she shared her insights at a panel entitled “Breaking Down Barriers: Supporting Marginalized Communities During COVID-19,” which was sponsored by Kognito, a health simulation company. By building her critical thinking skills with an interdisciplinary focus, she is now in a position to pursue her career goals.

Mixon looks to the future with both optimism and excitement. “After graduation, I will be attending the Community Psychology Master’s Program at Florida A&M University,” said Mixon. “I plan to do a thesis and focus on mental health, racial identity, and social connectedness among people of African Descent. After my master’s, I plan to apply to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs!”

Dr. Morgan is also optimistic about Mixon’s future. “She achieves excellence in everything that she does, and I know, without reservation, that she will be excellent in her future endeavors,” said Dr. Morgan.

As Mixon prepares to graduate magna cum laude with distinguished honors and reflects on this past year, she has many thoughts regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think UAB students did an amazing job of being resilient,” said Mixon. “It’s important for us to give ourselves grace and not put ourselves to an unrealistic standard when we had so many negative things come our way. I genuinely believe that everyone overcame the semester in the best way they could.”