University of Denver News Releases
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Morgridge Family Foundation funds new student civic engagement programs at DU
The University of Denver’s Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL) has received a $315,000 grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation to create a variety of civic engagement opportunities for DU students.
The Morgridge Community Scholars program is for DU students interested in moving from critical thinking into critical action. Student participants will follow a project structure that includes: research; development of a project plan in collaboration with faculty and other students; and project implementation. Morgridge Community Scholars will receive a $5,000 scholarship to complete their work.
The Community Leader Corps is for students interested in developing community-based leadership skills by working with other students and community partners around social justice issues. Students will learn how to identify local social justice issues, develop public relationships, work with community partners and accomplish community work with other students. Community leaders will receive a $2,000 annual fellowship and are eligible to receive a $500 annual stipend to implement community work.
Foundation support will also be used to develop alternative spring breaks, international immersion programs and a Volunteer Corps for DU students to work in economically-stressed areas of the country and the world and develop skills and habits that will allow them to work with others to make a difference in these communities.
“The Morgridge Family Foundation’s support is important to CCESL because it provides us with opportunities to support students who are interested in accomplishing community-based work,” says Eric Fretz, director of CCESL. “The gift will allow us to provide scholarship dollars and stipends for DU students to work with community organizations, conduct community research with DU faculty members, engage in alternative breaks and international service-learning initiatives and work in summer community-based internships.”
Applications for the Community Leader Corps must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21 and should be sent to Sarah McCauley at sarah.mccauley@du.edu. The application deadline for the Morgridge Community Scholars is 5 p.m. on Dec. 5. Contact Jenny Whitcher at jenny.whitcher@du.edu for information on that program.
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The Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL) educates, engages, and equips the University of Denver (DU) campus community to accomplish tangible, public work that improves the lives of people in our communities. This includes creating opportunities for faculty, students and staff to connect their learning and scholarship to salient community issues and problems; and building strategic partnerships in the community with non-profits and government offices.
The University of Denver (www.du.edu), the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region, enrolls approximately 11,409 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Denver as a Research University with high research activity.
Contact: Jenny Whitcher
Phone: (303) 871-4281
Cell: (303) 480-7382
E-mail: Jenny.Whitcher@du.edu