Community as Colleagues: You are hearing, but are you listening!
Let's really listen to what our community colleagues have to say about service learning and community engagement. Through community partner voices, we can truly find our own service learning and community engagement voices! Lyvier Conss from the Community College National Center for Community Engagement (CCNCCE) will facilitate a lively panel discussion in which outstanding community colleagues help us rethink how we work together. Panelists promise to tell us what it "really" feels like to have the college come to visit. The discussion will also explore creative models of partnering, how to bridge cultures, and ways community partners can play active roles in enhancing projects and programs, including student learning.
Facilitator: Lyvier Conss, Executive Director, Community College National Center for Community Engagement
Panel Members:
Karen Solomon joined the staff of the Higher Learning Commission in August of 2003. As Vice President for Accreditation Services,
she serves as the Commission's accreditation liaison to approximately 180 institutions involved in the traditional accreditation process,
the Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality (PEAQ). In addition, Solomon is a co-leader and presenter of Education and Training
workshops offered by the Commission, including workshops on assessment of student learning, best practices in partnering, online
education, and web-based services for students. Solomon came to the Commission from Northern Illinois University
where she was Coordinator of Research and Evaluation in Adult Continuing Education. Before her work at NIU, she was an Education
Associate in Outcomes Assessment for ACT, Inc. (American College Testing). Solomon has also served as Executive Director for Illinois
Campus Compact for Community Service, and at Benedictine University (IL) as Associate Dean of Student Development for Co-curricular
Activities, and other positions. Solomon has delivered many national presentations on outcomes assessment, evaluation service learning,
and student development, and has served as a paid consultant on assessment adult learning, and development of international
accreditation processes. She holds an Ed. D. in Adult and Continuing Education from Northern Illinois University, a M.B.A from Benedictine
University (IL), and a B.A degree in Business from North Central College (IL).
Shirley Pineiro, LMSW, is the Director of After School programs at the Shorefront YMYWHA
in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Pineiro specializes
in community building and education at her after-school center, where students learn with
academic support and enrichment in various modalities such as dance, music, art, cooking, etc.
Ms. Pineiro's after-school site has been the recipient of multiple awards under her leadership of
the center. Such awards include, Citigroup Promise in Practice Award for Parent Engagement,
the Pacesetter Award for After-School education, and numerous others.
Diana Bucco is the President of The Forbes Funds, a Pittsburgh-based foundation that
supports nonprofit capacity-building, research, and leadership development. Previously she was
the founding director of the Coro Center for Civic Leadership and The Mentoring Partnership
of Southwestern Pennsylvania. She is on numerous boards and advisory committees including
YouthPlaces, the YWCA, Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors and Advancing
Academics and is a member of the Women’s Funders Roundtable. Nationally, she serves on
the Independent Sector Public Policy Advisory Board and the Grantmakers for Effective
Organizations 2010 planning committee. She has been recognized by Pittsburgh Magazine’s
40 Under 40, a list of rising young leaders in the Pittsburgh region, and was recently awarded a
German Marshall Fellowship. She was also recognized by the state as one of the top ten of the
GenX generation. Ms. Bucco holds bachelors degrees in communications and political science
from the University of Pittsburgh.
Stephanie Hahn, M.Ed. is an Education Program Specialist in the Career and Technical
Education (CTE) unit at the Arizona Department of Education (AZ D of E) where she
manages the Learn and Serve Arizona Service Learning program (L&S AZ), and the Early
Childhood Education and Education Profession CTE programs located in many high schools
throughout the state. Stephanie has been at the AZ D of E since July, 2007 and truly enjoys
her work.
Stephanie began her educational and career adventure by earning her Associate Degree in Early
Childhood Education from Mott Community College in Flint, MI in the early 1990’s. She
then earned her Bachelor Degree in Community Service from Siena Heights University in
Adrian, MI in the mid 1990’s. After working for a company that brought her to AZ, she
decided to return to school and pursue her teaching certification. After her first year in the
classroom, she returned to school to complete her Master Degree in Education. Finally, after
three years of teaching, Stephanie began working at the AZ D of E and plans to stay there for a
long time. One of the primary reasons Stephanie was chosen for this position was having her
Bachelor Degree in Community Service. This made her a perfect fit for the L&S AZ Service Learning program.
Closing Reflection
Reflecting on Our Story
"The shortest distance between a human being and truth is a story" (Anthony de Mello). The truth is, the work that we do is important for a multitude of reasons...not only does it enhance student learning, increase student engagement, and foster critical thinking skills. The work we do also has the power to transform ourselves and the communities that we are a part of. The work we do also creates some powerful and moving stories. In this closing reflection we will take some time to hear a few stories, to possibly tell a few stories, and to reflect critically about the stories that we are a part of.
Keynote Speaker: Joseph Swaba has more than fifteen years experience in higher education including alumni relations, student activities, program development, fundraising, teaching, grant writing, and student training. He has extensive experience coordinating special events and programs at local and national levels. He is a highly effective speaker and writer and is an experienced grant writer and fundraiser. He is the Associate Director of the Grants and Corporate Development Office for the Maricopa Community Colleges.
Hotel Information
This year's conference will be held in
Scottsdale, Arizona, at the
DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort/Scottsdale. The conference room rate will be
$115.00 plus applicable sales tax per night, single or double occupancy.
This rate will be available 4 days pre and post based on availability. Please make your
reservations early so you can take advantage of our special conference rate. This room rate
is only guaranteed on reservations made prior to Tuesday, April 28, 2009. Please call the
DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort directly at 1-877-445-6677 and
request the group rate for CCNCCE or Center for Community Engagement.
Don't delay-call in your hotel reservations now at the DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort-
480-947-5400 or 1-877-445-6677. Deadline: Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
Room rate is being made available four nights prior and after the conference based on
availability. Check-in time is 4:00 pm and check-out time is noon.
If you check out prior to your reserved checkout date, the hotel will add an early checkout fee of $50 to your bill. To
avoid an early checkout fee, please advise the Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort at or before your check-in of any
change in planned length of stay.
Cancellation-If you cancel your reservation less than 72 hours before your scheduled arrival date, you will be charged
for 1 night of room and tax.
DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort/Scottsdale
5401 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, Arizona 85250-7090
Tel: 480-947-5400
Fax: 480-946-1524
For reservations, call 1-877-445-6677.
Transportation Information
Plan to arrive at Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona Sky Harbor Airport at least two
hours before the first session you want to attend. This will allow time for
unforeseen delays and to obtain ground transportation. You will need a minimum
of 30 minutes of travel time to the hotel for hotel and conference registration.
Ground Transportation
SuperShuttle vans are available outside the baggage claim area. Please be aware
that there may be multiple stops depending on the number of passengers. They are offering a special discount to our conference attendees. Please CLICK HERE to view/print out the coupon you will need for this discount.
Taxi Cabs are available outside of the baggage claim area. They may run over $30.00
depending on the time of day.
Rental Cars are available at the airport. Also, Avis is located
in the hotel lobby.
Special Activities
Keynote Speaker: Patrick McWhortor is President and CEO of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits. The Alliance is a statewide membership organization dedicated to serving, support, protecting and promoting all Arizona nonprofits. McWhortor's background in the nonprofit community includes being founder of NPower Arizona, serving as Interim Executive Director of the NPower National Network, working as Assistant Director at Data Network for Human Services, and serving on many nonprofit boards of directors. He also taught public policy and political science courses at ASU and in the Maricopa Community Colleges. McWhortor cut his teeth as an advocate in the late 1980's and early 1990's as a lobbyist for education and environmental causes. He is a 2004 graduate of Valley Leadership and serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Council of Nonprofits. McWhortor earned both a B.A. in political science and M.A. in public administration from Arizona State University. A resident of Arizona for more than 25 years, he and his wife live in Cave Creek, Arizona with their three sons.
