Engage Dallas announces its implementation team for the 2020 – 2021 academic year.
Engage Dallas is an interoffice SMU initiative dedicated to cultivating community vitality. Dr. Dustin Grabsch, director of Academic Initiatives at SMU and one the core team for Engage Dallas, said, “We are honored by the opportunity to serve Dallas through this new university commitment which animates our mission – world changers are indeed shaped here. We’re excited to help build an initiative that will make our city proud, and that will build the belief that SMU is better because of the city we call home.”
The Engage Dallas initiative is a long-term, place-based community engagement initiative where students residing in eleven Residential Commons have avenues for service in south and west Dallas. Through these experiences, students complete education and training, reflections, and share their talents with community partners from around the city of Dallas.
Erica Zamora, director of the office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement and fellow core team member, remarked about the announcement, “Engage Dallas is launching at a key moment in our world’s history, a time when community need feels amplified due to COVID-19.” Zamora explained the initiative will be launching in the fall semester with education and training for students with direct service experiences likely beginning in spring semester.
The Engage Dallas team for the 2020-2021 academic year includes:
- Staphany Lopez-Coronado, office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement
- Dr. Caitlin Anderson, Hilltop Scholars Program
- Matt Nadler, Residence Life & Student Housing
- Audryanna Reed, Residence Life & Student Housing
- Micah Johnson, Residence Life & Student Housing; office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement
- Madison Mucci-Ferris, Residence Life & Student Housing
- Dr. David Son, Chemistry; Residence Life & Student Housing
- Dr. Dayna Oscherwitz, office of General Education
- Jennifer Ebinger, office of Engaged Learning
- Camille McCallum, office of Engaged Learning
- Shelby Martin, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Residence Life & Student Housing
- Ryan Leibowitz, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Residence Life & Student Housing
- Erica Zamora, office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement
- Dr. Dustin Grabsch, Residence Life & Student Housing
Zamora and Grabsch shared Engage Dallas student directors will be joining the team in the coming month to begin planning philanthropic and other indirect service opportunities for SMU students.