Category: Reflections

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Community Partners Event Reflections

Research and Creative Posters Presented at the Place-Based Community Engagement Symposium

During day two of the third annual Place-Based Community Engagement Symposium, the morning opened with a poster presentation session featuring faculty, staff, and community champions sharing research studies focused on various community engagement efforts.  

The first research poster presented was titled During and Post-COVID-19 Community Engagement Expectations Research Poster written by Audryanna Reed & Dustin K. Grabsch, Ph.D.

Their research study discusses how they utilized a post-positivist worldview and employed a cross-sectional survey research study to explore how undergraduate students’ attitudes, behaviors, and intended skill development through community service changed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Their findings have implications for service-learning faculty and higher education professionals working in functional areas of community engagement. 

The second research study presented explored Contextualizing Serviceships: Describing and Understanding the Influence of Financial Compensation on College Student Intern Performance written by Audryanna Reed, Dustin K. Grabsch, Ph.D, David Summers, and Kennedy Honors.

These scholars analyzed serviceships, within the non-profit organization community engagement field and the return on investment that intern supervisors receive from interns. Since non-profit organizations do not always have the budget to support an intern, they may select an intern for an unpaid position benefiting them with practical work experience or may seek an internship sponsor to financially support the intern experience. Their findings have implications for non-profit partners who host interns as well as universities looking to maximize the benefits of high-impact practices for their students. The core focus and themes found from analyzing the discussion within the focus groups were great opportunities to share with non-profit organizations that supervise interns as well as for students to understand what supervisors for service and community engagement internships desire from workers. 

Thirdly, a research study was presented on Patterns in Community Partners Experiences Research Poster The Intersection of Knowledge and Engagement: Patterns in Community Partners’ Experiences with a Place-based Community Engagement Program written by Sondra N. Barringer, Ph.D., Dustin K. Grabsch Ph.D., Kalkidan W. Desta, Caitlin Anderson, Ed.D. & Sakshi Hinduja. 

Their research discussed how High Education Organizations, while invested in service-learning, internships, and community-based research, poorly understand the impact of these programs on the community partners. Their focus groups revealed a two-dimensional understanding of community partners’ experiences. Their findings suggest that HEOs can leverage this two-dimensional understanding, prioritize mission alignment, and emphasize assessment and mitigation of costs to support community partner organizations better. 

These three research posters emphasized scholarship produced by SMU faculty that highlighted the importance of evaluating place-based community engagement organizations and their partnership with higher education. Through Engage Dallas, increased scholarly research, and other community engagement organizations on campus, SMU has shown its commitment to creating a learning engagement that ignites faculty, staff, and students to serve others through academic and other activities. 

In addition to highlighting research, Engage Dallas gave community partners the opportunity to share creative features as well. Ms. Alendra Lyons and Filmmaker Vonnie Smith, who spoke on the Day 1 pre-symposium panel, presented a Don’t Mess With Mill City poster.

These community champions worked together to create a documentary showcasing Ms. Lyons, a proud member of Mill City, dedicating herself to investing in this marginalized community that faces struggles that often go neglected. The creation of the Mill City Community Association has helped provide stem education, sustainable agriculture, and other avenues for approving the quality of life for residents in their community. To learn more about the Mill City Community initiative, connect via Linked In or the Mill City website for more information about the finished production of their documentary or volunteer opportunities.

The poster session was an excellent opportunity to showcase the work that SMU and community partners are doing to better understand, recognize, and support the Dallas community. These posters left many faculty, staff, and community partners inspired to continue to learn about and even pursue research dedicated to place-based community engagement.

For those interested in developing a research study related to community engagement, SMU offers Research grant opportunities through Engage Dallas, the Office of Engaged Learning, the Maguire Center of Ethics, and a host of other opportunities, such as faculty and department-led research. Get connected today and stay updated on all things Engage Dallas by subscribing to our blog.

 

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Community Partners Event Reflections

Engage Dallas Hosted Third-Annual Place Based Community Engagement Symposium

On October 2nd and 3rd, Engage Dallas hosted the third-annual Placed Based Community Engagement (PBCE) Symposium. The theme for the sympodium was Listening, Learning, and Leading Locally, with an emphasis on the Place-Based Approach to Amplifying Community Champions and Mobilizing the Next Generation. 

The symposium had 130 people registered, giving community partners, non-profits, faculty, staff, and students an opportunity to learn from different speakers and panelists who shared their expertise and experience to foster meaningful discussion and inspiration on community engagement.

Participants had the opportunity to collaborate, learn, and adapt together and built shared understanding through networking, asking critical questions, and exchanging ideas. The PBCE Symposium gave participants the opportunity to gain more historical context about the community they serve, including Engage Dallas’s focus on South and West Dallas.   

Day One Recap 

The first day of the symposium kicked off with a pre-symposium panel discussion with community Champion Ms. Alendra Lyons and Filmmaker Vonnie Smith. These community partners discussed their Mill City documentary, which highlighted the work Ms. Lyson did to enhance the lives of marginalized communities through agricultural sustainability, STEM education, youth engagement, and community development. Vonnie Smith discussed how he crossed paths with Ms. Lyson, the unique challenges and opportunities that came with filming the Mill City community project, and how focusing on blackness and identity in Mill City is different from other projects he has done in various states.  

After the Community Champion discussion, Rev. Richie Butler, a board of trustee members for SMU, founder of Project Unity, and senior pastor at St. Luke United Methodist Church, led the symposium into a mindful Together We Dine conversation. This conversation allowed a diverse group of participants to converse and share their experiences and beliefs to create understanding among each other.

  • 88 percent of participants who gave Day 1 feedback strongly agreed that the event activities addressed the symposium’s theme.
  • 86 percent felt a positive range of satisfaction with the opportunity to make professional connections, with 54 percent of attendees making 3-5 connections and 26 percent making more than 6 connections.
  • The most enriching part of day 1 activities expressed by attendees was the conversation, being able to hear others’ perspectives healthily, and being able to talk openly and freely.

Day Two Recap 

Day 2 of the PBCE Symposium was hosted on the campus of UNT Dallas. We kicked off day 2 with a pre-event poster session sharing research that faculty and community partners have done related to place-based engagement in the Dallas area.  

The first speaker attendees heard from was Morgan Glover, a senior at SMU who serves as an Engage Dallas Area Coordinator. She shared her ideas on how Generation Z can engage with disadvantaged communities. Then, attendees heard from Taylor Toynes, a proud third-generation Oak Cliffian, who shared his experience serving as the CEO of For Oak Cliff. This place-based initiative has strived for transformational change in the community for 10 years.  

After hearing from two community champions, attendees listened to different breakout sessions hosted by several community champions:  

  • Donald Payton, (Historian & Community Advocate)  The Dallas Texas Impact On The National Civil Rights Movement From 1945 To 1965 
  • Priscilla Escobedo (president of the DMAHL): History and the Presence of Systemic Racism by the Dallas Mexican American Historical League 
  • Dr.Michael Reimer (Director of Community Activation ) & Cheryl Mathis (Program Manager at United to Learn ) Listening First, a Programmatic Model for Accompanying Under-Championed Communities  
  • Dr. Laura Robinson-Doyle: (Clinical Assistant Professor at SMU) Community First: Elevating Voices and Redefining Expertise Beyond the Degree 
  • Nitashia Johnson (multimedia artist and educator), & John Spriggins (General Manager of SDCC)The Beauty of South Dallas: Crafting a Community Conversation 

The last session hosted at the symposium was a panel discussion facilitated by Ed Gray with community champions Taylor Toynes (CEO of For Oak Cliff), Sienzhi Kouemo (Way of Metropolitan Dallas), Kazai Drew (Soulstice Consultancy and Dallas Afterschool), and Dr. Karla del Rosal (Director of Graduate Studies Department of Teaching & Learning, Clinical Assistant Professor).  

Engage Dalles concluded the symposium with a spoken word performance centered around the Dallas community and black identity by Derrick “iamdwalk” Walker.  

  • 83 percent of attendees thought the day 2 activities aligned with the theme of the symposium.  
  • 85 percent of participants felt satisfied with the opportunity to make professional connections ranging from 3 to over 6 plus connections for over 91 percent of attendees.  

Overall, attendees expressed that the most enriching parts of day two were the informative breakout sessions and Derrick Walker’s spoken word.

For students, members of the rising Generation Z, or seasoned professionals looking to mobilize the next generation to serve their communities, SMU has many opportunities to serve the great Dallas area. Engage Dallas is an excellent way for SMU students to serve in multiple forms, such as 2 in 2 pathways, solo service, and individual pathways. Student organizations like Mustang Heros and Big Event host volunteer opportunities to mobilize students to learn about how to give back to communities in Dallas effectively.

Additionally, faculty, staff, students, and community partners are welcome to participate in Engage Dallas One Night for Dallas on April 9th, 2025.

To stay updated on all things Engage Dallas, please subscribe to our blog.  

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Armstrong Commons Boaz Commons Cockrell-McIntosh Commons Community Partners Crum Commons Event Kathy Crow Commons Loyd Commons McElvaney Commons MHPS Commons Morrison-McGinnis Commons Reflections Service Trip Virginia-Snider Commons Ware Commons

Engage Dallas Hosts Fourth Fall Day of Service

On October 12th, Engage Dallas held the 4th annual #1Day4Dallas fall day of service. On this day, students from every Residential Commons, along with staff and faculty, were able to engage in serving the city of Dallas. Engage Dallas offered service opportunities with ten of our community partners during this event.

Students served with Trusted World, Empowering the Masses, Austin Street Center, The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, Mercy Street Ministries, Brother Bill’s Helping Hands, Keep Dallas Beautiful, Our Saviour Community Garden, Senior Source, and Trinity River Audubon Center. 127 volunteers spent their Saturday morning assisting these community partners in serving the people of South & West Dallas.

Several of the community partners shared gratitude for the service that students offered. One of Ware Commons’ partners, Empowering the Masses, hosted one of the sites where students served:

“Keeping our space tidy and presentable is an underrated part of providing our services.  Whether you’ve broken down boxes, wiped down tables, swept and mopped the floors, or anything in between, we thank you for your diligence and dedication.Your positive attitude and willingness to serve is noted by the members of the church and staff of Empowering the Masses. Every aspect that goes into serving our community, no matter how small in the grand scheme, is crucial to the progress we’re achieving. We cannot thank you enough.”

Students from Crum Commons were able to serve with their community partner, Senior Source/Modern Senior Living. They were able to facilitate activities and interact with the residents who reside there. Senior Source staff shared their gratitude for the students who came to their site: “I cannot THANK the students from SMU Engage Dallas Crum Commons enough for hosting their #1Day4Dallas Fall Service Project at Modern Senior Living Nursing & Rehab Center in South Dallas this morning. The residents enjoyed meeting and socializing with the students. So many residents do not have family and seldom have visitors, therefore, the students made an immeasurable impact in the residents’ quality of life.”

Students at other sites engaged in trash pickup, gardening, donation sorting, and facilitating sports camps for youth. Overall, student volunteers had an excellent experience learning more about their city and how they can impact others. When asked what was impactful for them about the experience, students shared that the opportunity to give back and to connect to the community was really meaningful. One student shared, “Meeting people who live so close to me and have fallen on tough circumstances while I am so privileged has humbled me significantly. It has made me both more grateful for what I have and more determined to give back.”

A big thanks to all who came out to serve, and to our community partners for offering opportunities for SMU to learn and serve alongside them to better our city.

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Alternative Spring Break Event MHPS Commons Reflections Service Trip

An Alternative Break Reflection

This past March I, along with a staff advisor (Brandon Kitchin), and four other SMU students (Ava, Liah, Ben, and Tommy), embarked on an Alternative Breaks trip.

Alternative Breaks offers students a chance to go on issue-specific trips during spring break. Our trip focused on the issue of Immigration and Refugee Support, which is also the Engage Dallas community-identified need for MHPS Commons. When I heard about this trip, as the MHPS Commons Engage Dallas Student Director, I instantly became interested in leading it!

Our trip’s destination was San Benito, Texas, located in the Rio Grande Valley. Throughout our 5 days there, we were graciously hosted by La Posada Providencia, a long-term shelter for immigrant and refugee newcomers who seek to settle in the United States. La Posada provides clients (what residents are referred to as) with the time and resources to become self-sustaining by, for example, helping them obtain work permits and understand the use of U.S. currency by teaching them English. Residents of La Posada receive accommodation and three meals a day, funded entirely by donations.

Over the next two days, we helped the La Posada shelter with projects around the property. During that day, we had the chance to interact with some of the shelter’s clients who mostly were from Spanish speaking countries. Fortunately, we had Spanish speakers in our group. Interestingly throughout our trip, we shared lunch and dinner with the clients and met others from countries such as Afghanistan and Haiti.

On March 12th, we traveled to McAllen, Texas to assist with the Humanitarian Respite Center. The center serves as a short-term shelter. We were unable to take pictures in the center for privacy concerns but one of the major takeaways we had was that the center would be unable to function properly without volunteers and that the full-time staff were regularly overwhelmed. During our time there we engaged in laundry duty, help desk duty, and children’s programming.

For our next and final day of service, we lent a hand at the Rio Grande Valley Food Bank with other first-time volunteers.

We were able to package 1,248 boxes (37k pounds) of food in the span of a few hours, breaking a record for the facility!

This became a full circle moment when we learned that La Posada is one of the non-profits that the food bank serves.

Later that day we took some time to relax by making our way to South Padre Island to rest and enjoy some great seafood on the beach.

We returned to Dallas the next day with a complete shift in our perspectives on the issue of Immigration and Refugee Support and how important our roles as volunteers are. By taking the time to help non-profits you can really make a difference and directly or indirectly change a day in someone’s life whether it be sorting clothing donations or packaging food!

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Reflections

CCPA 2375: Learning beyond the Hilltop – A Student’s Perspective

CCPA 2375 Fall 2023 Students with Dallas Furniture Bank Partners. Photo Credit: Audryanna Reed
CCPA 2375 Fall 2023 Students with Dallas Furniture Bank Partners. Photo Credit: Audryanna Reed

The Fall 2023 semester flew by instantly as I joined the Engage Dallas team as a Program Assistant and began my junior year at SMU. Through the Meadows School of the Arts Corporate Communications and Public Affairs (CCPA) 2375 – Communication Research & Analytics class, I could connect my course work with my service learning.

Alongside 30 classmates, we had a phenomenal opportunity to work with Engage Dallas community partner Dallas Furniture Bank (DFB) to conduct a case manager perception study on DFB programs. DFB provides furniture that meets the basic living needs of families and individuals transitioning from homelessness to others in need. Under the supervision of our professor, Assistant Provost Dr. Dustin Grabsch, and counsel of DFB Managers, our class conducted a mixed-methods research study, using interviews and statistical data to find common themes and areas of development for the furniture bank. Early in the research process, three classmates of mine, Gracie Holder, Addison Shaw, and Abby Walker, participated in #1Day4Dallas this year at the Dallas Furniture Bank, helping arrange furniture at their Carrollton warehouse. This gave us an opportunity to see the work of DFB first-hand.

#1Day4Dallas CCPA 2375 volunteers at DFB. Photo Credit: Gracie Holder
#1Day4Dallas CCPA 2375 volunteers at DFB. Photo Credit: Gracie Holder

Throughout the semester, we contacted case managers who partnered with the bank and received continuous feedback on our work. Our focus questions were:

  1. Describe the experience with Dallas Furniture Bank’s programs and services as perceived by partner agency case managers.
  2. What strengths and challenges do Dallas Furniture Bank partner agencies experience when rehousing their clients within the first year?

This four-month study concluded with a presentation in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, where community stakeholders from Engage Dallas and Dallas Furniture Bank attended to hear from the class about our research findings. Recommendations included streamlining case management communication channels, areas for expansion, and ways for DFB to market its opportunities to college students.

This experience was rewarding in many ways, including having a product to give to a community organization to increase their abilities to better serve the Dallas community. Through research and comparison of programs in other metropolitan areas, we are lucky to have organizations like Dallas Furniture Bank who assist in providing necessary community resources. Alongside my fabulous grade and gratitude from DFB, I take away the reaffirmed importance of data-driven research and exploring new ways to do things.

Learning about community service in the classroom is an experience uniquely possible at SMU. Faculty and staff interested in working with Engage Dallas or our partners in their classrooms should visit smu.edu/EngageDallas or email us at engagedallas@smu.edu. You can also stay updated on Engage Dallas by subscribing to our blog.