The University of Central Arkansas Foundation recently awarded five faculty grants for the spring cycle.
The UCA Foundation awards grants each year to faculty for programs that enhance learning opportunities at UCA. These grants, generally in amounts less than $3,000, are intended to encourage creative programs that may serve as “seeds” for future programs and provide for deserving programs and activities.
The Fall 2011 deadline for grant applications is Oct. 7. Visit https://uca.edu/foundation/faculty-grants/ to download a copy of the grant application.
Recipients of the spring grants are:
Drs. Nancy Gallavan (Education) and Angela Webster-Smith (Graduate School) were awarded a $3,000 grant for “Aligning Classroom Assessments and Improving Parental Involvement: Professional Development for School Leadership Team.” The grant will be used to offer a one-day workshop to leadership teams that would include principals, curriculum directors, instructional facilitators, math and literacy coaches, special education directors, teacher-leaders, etc.
Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre (Mary Ruth Marotte, Executive Director) was awarded a $3,000 grant for “Scholar Dr. Paul Menzer to speak on opening night of Othello, June 25th, 2011 during AST’s 2011 festival.” Menzer, an associate professor at Mary Baldwin College, is director of the MLitt/MFA program in Shakespeare and Performance.
According to the grant proposal, Menzer’s insights into both the play and the performance will guide the audience toward a clearer understanding of what they will witness.
Drs. Elson Bihm (Psychology and Counseling), Melissa Shock and Nina Roofe (Family & Consumer Sciences) were awarded a $2,900 grant for “A Children’s Informal-Education Collaborative (CIEC) and the Hocus-Pocus Cornucopia.” The grant will be used to establish a preliminary collaborative to identify and promote informal learning of pre-K and kindergarten age children in Faulkner County. It will also allow for pilot work to begin on an entertaining magic and puppet show for children that will teach good nutrition, using scientifically-based measures to ensure child appeal, comprehension and educational impact.
Dr. Brian Campbell (Sociology) was awarded a $2,976 grant for “Service Learning and Sustainability.” The grant will be used for a May Intersession 2011 course that will take students to various field sites, such as Winrock International, Heifer International and the Arkansas Food Bank Network, to hear lectures and work side-by-side with one another, the course professor and practitioners in the field.
According to the grant proposal, the commonality within this network is a focus on learning how to develop sustainable occupations and lifeways.
Drs. Gayle Seymour (College of Fine Arts & Communication), K.C. Poole, Jennifer Whitehead and Ann Bryan (Family & Consumer Sciences) were awarded a $2,050 grant for “Funding Proposal for the University of Central Arkansas Historic District Nomination.” The grant will be used by the Historic District Committee to employ a professional architectural historian to assist in the composition of section seven and section eight of the Historic Register nomination and show students how a nomination is compiled.
UCA Foundation faculty grants are funded in the Spring and Fall by donations to the unrestricted Margin of Excellence Fund. Contribute to the Margin of Excellence Fund by contacting the UCA Foundation at 501-450-5288 or by visiting www.uca.edu/gift. Faculty and staff may also use payroll deduction as a convenient giving option.
