Fall 2011
Partnership News
Front Feature
Front feature image from Partners in the Park event
Partners in the Park
Six scholarships were awarded during this year’s annual Partners in the Park which takes place every summer across different parks in west side Salt Lake City. This summer, the kickoff event was on June 14 at Jordan Park. More than 700 residents were in attendance this year. Graduates from Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah that live in west Salt Lake City were recognized.
University Neighborhood Partners also awarded six scholarships to students to help them pursue their dreams of attending a higher education institution. Three were awarded in partnership with the University of Utah Alumni Association and consisted of one $4,000.00 and two $2,000.00 scholarships. The students selected to receive these scholarships were Deqa Osman a junior at the University of Utah majoring in nursing; she hopes to become a midwife in the near future. Shontol Burkhalter, a graduate student in the department of physical therapy received one of the $2,000.00 scholarships. She is beginning her second year in a doctoral program and looks forward to becoming a professor and sharing her knowledge with those around her. The third scholarship was given Dan Vu a student at the University of Utah pursuing a double major in art and architecture. Dan enjoys working with younger students to create artistic projects.
The Wolf, Meritus I, and Meritus II scholarships were also awarded during Partners in the Park. These scholarships of $3,000.00 each, are awarded thanks to the generous support of amazing donors. The recipient of the Wolf scholarship was Tamara Sanchez Fletes, a graduating senior from West High School who will be starting her freshman year at the University of Utah this fall 2011. Tamara is an enthusiastic young woman who has volunteered with different organizations, including the Red Cross and has been part of the National Honor Society and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah. Leslie Florian received the Meritus I scholarship for her perseverance and strong dedication to her education. Leslie participated in the Adelante partnership at Jackson Elementary as a mentor to students in the dual immersion program. The Meritus II scholarship was awarded to Yauling Audoung, who aspires to attend physician assistant school after she receives her bachelors’ degree.
Happenings
The University of Utah’s Vice President for Research, in collaboration with University
Neighborhood Partners is proud to announce the first recipients of The Community–Based
Research (CBR) Grant Program. The main goal of this program is to encourage collaborative
research that involves both University and local, regional and/or statewide community
partners. This year’s annual award of $20,000 was presented to Rachel Hayes Harb,
Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics, Cathy Barnhart, Executive Director
of the English Skills Learning Center and UNP/Hartland’s Resident Committee. Their
research project, “Determining Effective ESL Instruction Strategies for Pre-Literate
Adults” aims to identify teaching methods that will more effectively lead to early
literacy skills for recently resettled refugees and immigrants who have had not had
access to formal education and literacy. The recipients see this funding as a first
step in long- term collaboration, ultimately leading to empowerment of both English
language providers and English language learners, both locally and nationally.
Congratulations to Mary Burbank, Director of the Urban Institute for Teacher Education
and Associate Clinical Professor in the College of Education, who has been selected
to serve as the University Neighborhood Partners 2011-2012 Community Scholar-in-Residence.
Mary’s appointment to this prestigious position is indicative of her commitment to
community-engaged scholarship and recognizes her important contributions in this area
over the past several years and development of FIRST (Families, Intercollegiate collaboration,
and Routes to Studying Teaching) project. The CSIR receives $5000 to support community
engagement connected to research. Mary and others will be recognized at a university
event in the fall and her picture will be placed on the wall of the A. Ray Olpin Union
with those of past University Community Scholars-in-Residence including Dolores Delgado
Bernal, 2007-2008 UNP Community Scholar-in-Residence.
Thanks to Board Co-Chairs
Good leaders bring out the best in each of us and make our communities stronger. During the past several years, I have had the privilege of working alongside two great leaders—Fred Esplin and Carolyn Hoskins, Co-Chairs of the UNP Advisory Board. I have watched and learned how they center what is best for the community in their leadership styles and daily lives and would like to share some of these moments with you.
Carolyn is actively involved in all aspects of community life. From her church responsibilities to Partners in the Park, Carolyn can always be seen working to make others feel welcome and comfortable. Carolyn has taught me how patience and respect of the diverse experiences and opinions of community groups is the key to developing trust and greater inclusivity. She also embodies her commitment to social justice and knows that even one person’s voice and presence makes a difference. Make no mistake…Carolyn will always be a Community Ambassador!
Fred Esplin is Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the University of Utah and has also served as manager of KUED Channel 7 and VP of University Relations for many years. One only has to hear him give a “Welcome,” to know that he has spent most of his career in public broadcasting, including positions with the Public Broadcasting Service, the Pennsylvania Public Television Network, WITF-TV-FM in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and KUED in Salt Lake City. However, what you may not know is that Fred Esplin knows everyone, everywhere…he can and does move mountains and even better, he moves the University to action! His true power is his love of people, concern for youth, and commitment to the community. He has spent many hours on the phone and in meetings assisting and mentoring me as I learned my way around the west and east sides of UNP.
While Co-Chairs of University Neighborhood Partners, Fred and Carolyn assisted the
organization in growing from its original 12 partnerships to 34 partnerships in 25locations
with 40 higher education departments and 48 community organizations and schools. Under
their guidance, these university community partnerships engaged in creating greater
access to higher education for youth and families living in Salt Lake City’s west
side.
The mission of UNP is personal for this duo as they both have had to work hard to achieve their own educational success, and they represent the power of education and the access it brings for first generation college students and underrepresented populations.
Fortunately, we will not say good-bye to Fred and Carolyn, as they have both offered their continued involvement and support for UNP and its mission. We look forward to new opportunities and we can do so with great confidence because of their leadership.
Thank you Fred and Carolyn—we would not be here without you!
- Rosemarie Hunter, Director
Community Letters
My name is Naser Aboud, I am a 27 year- old physician from Iraq. I got to the United
States in late 2009 in pursuit of achieving my dream to finish my medical education
in the US and live the American dream. Back then, I had a clueless image of that ambition-I
had no idea of the difficulties facing me to achieve what I want. I learned that in
order to get my degree credentialled, I have to pass three rigorous tests that cost
a lot of money and a lot of effort. I had to look for a job in order to afford my
tests. One day, a friend of mine referred me to the New American Academic Network
(NAAN)at UNP, and told me about the services they offer. In fact, it was the best
referral ever. NAAN espoused me and my ambition.
They afforded a training opportunity for me in the medical field through my work as a research associate with ARUP, where I met Dr. Mohamed Salama, who was more than a family and a support system to me. He guided me every step of the way until I was able to make it with all its hardships. NAAN worked to provide me with a job, in addition to paying my exam fees. Without this support, it would’ve taken me years and years to reach what I reached now in one year. Ahmed, Rosey, Kim and Andrea. They all have been more than a family to me.
For all of you whom I mentioned above, I owe you my life and I wish I could return your favors.
Naser Aboud
The Westside Leadership Institute (WLI) has Passed a Landmark 200 Graduates this Spring Since its Inception in 2004
23 west side residents graduated from the spring English-language class, including
11 emerging leaders of local refugee communities who were referred to the WLI by the
State Office of Refugee Services. NeighborWorks Salt Lake, the U of U’s Center for
Public Policy and Administration, and UNP collaborate to offer the WLI course twice
a year, both in English and Spanish. As part of this year’s course, spring 2011 participants
organized a conference on public transportation, distributed hygiene kits to local
refugee communities, and organized a very successful Multicultural Art Show at the
Sorenson Unity Center that drew more than 120 visitors with the goal of showcasing
local artists “to create respect and admiration for each other.” Former WLI grads
of both English and Spanish-language courses are currently running for City Council,
serving on local community councils and boards, organizing soccer leagues, creating
non-profits to serve the Latino community, and many other important initiatives to
improve their neighborhoods.
As further evidence of the truly reciprocal exchange of knowledge between the U of U and west side neighborhoods, the University has also drawn directly on these resident skills by hiring one WLI grad, Kyle LaMalkfa, to teach a course on “Turning your Passion into a Business” through the OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute. On an equally exciting note, this past April, eight members from NeighborWorks America NWA(NeighborWorks Salt Lake’s parent organization) ‘Community Building and Organizing Steering Committee’ visited Salt Lake and the WLI graduation to learn more about the WLI model. NWA has developed a leadership curriculum based on the WLI and is now using that training with 240 member organizations across the country. As one NWA visitor put it, “The ripples that started here in Salt Lake City with the WLI are spreading out around the country.” What an accomplishment!
The Fall 2011 WLI course is taught in Spanish, and runs from Sept. 13th to Nov. 29th on Tuesday evenings from 6-9 P.M. The English language WLI course is scheduled to begin in January 2012.
Access to Higher Education Through Partners in the Park
Community Advocates (Parent Leaders) interning with Partners in the Park have a new opportunity this year to enroll in a University of Utah course. Critical Pedagogy in the Health Sciences (UUHSC4000) allows parent and youth leaders in the community to learn health and medical dissections and how to teach these dissections in community and school setting. The course, available in two sections (English and Spanish), brings together staff from the School of Medicine and instructors from the Urban Institute for Teacher Education once a week throughout the semester. Students who successfully complete the course will receive certification from the Office of Inclusion & Outreach at the School of Medicine and will be eligible to apply for year-long internships where they will teach medical dissections and related physiology and nutrition at schools and community centers in west Salt Lake City.
Upcoming Events
Connecting U Days
Nov. 19, 8 am - 3 pm • Jan. 21, 20, 10 am - 2 pm • Mar. 3, 8 am - 3 pm
Youth Literacy & Leadership Graduation
May 2012
UNP 10 Year Anniversary Celebration Event
Dec. 6, 6pm, Rice Eccles Stadium, Scholarship Room
WLI Graduation
- Fall: Nov. 29 6-9pm • Spring: April 19th 6-9pm
- Spring Session (English) begins in January 2012