In July, UAB’s Office of Innovative Teaching and Academic Engagement, or ITAE, took its annual staff retreat beyond the walls of the university and into the Birmingham community.
The team of about 25 staff members volunteered at Community on the Rise, a local nonprofit dedicated to addressing poverty and homelessness in Birmingham. Community on the Rise recycles #5 polypropylene plastics into jewelry and other handcrafted products. Proceeds from the sales of these items help individuals experiencing homelessness obtain essential identification and other critical documents needed to access services and opportunities.
During the visit, ITAE staff members learned about the organization and then prepared hundreds of plastic surgical trays for recycling.
ITAE offices lead and support several initiatives that encourage UAB students and faculty to engage with the community through the Blazer Core, service learning, the City is Our Classroom QEP, and others. And each year, the office participates in a community service activity as part of their annual retreat.
“It just makes sense that we should practice what we preach,” said Scott Phillips, vice provost for Innovative Teaching and Academic Engagement. “We want our time together to reflect our mission and vision as well as our UAB Shared Values.”