Spring 2019 letter from Director Joseph Hoereth
Our Director Dr. Joseph Hoereth rounds out the academic year.
Friends of IPCE,
Here we are in the fluid months of spring, wrapping up the tail end of the semester while looking ahead to summer projects and planning. It’s always nice to be able to take a breath and reflect on everything we accomplished earlier this spring before moving full speed ahead into the busy summer months.
We concluded our Civic Engagement Lunch Talk Series in February with a presentation by Dr. Therese Quinn of UIC’s School of Art and Art History Civic Engagement Research Award project, “Illinois Deaths in Custody Project: An Analysis of Online Reporting and Eulogizing.” Thank you to all our Research Fund awardees for presenting their findings over the course of the academic year. The insights gained from their research will advance the mission of civic engagement in diverse disciplines.
Undergraduate fellows in the Urban Public Policy Fellowship (UPPF) Program were also hard at work this spring finalizing their research projects and presenting their research posters at the 27th Annual ILACHE Professional and Student Development Conference. Fellows’ projects stemmed from hands-on internship experiences on policy-related topics such as education, health, criminal justice, and immigration. Twenty-one students successfully completed the UPPF program this year, and I would like to congratulate them on behalf of IPCE.
I’d also like to congratulate Nicolas Robledo, a former UPPF Fellow and current UIC student, who was chosen as a 2019-2020 Newman Civic Fellows Award recipient. The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes and supports community-committed students who are change-makers and public problem-solvers at Campus Compact member institutions.
We’re moving forward with planning for our usual fall programming. The call for proposals for the Civic Engagement Research Fund Award is open. Please see our website for submission guidelines. Applications will be accepted through June 30. Applications for the UPPF program are available also now and will be accepted until May 31. The selection committee will meet this summer to determine which applicants will be accepted as fellows. IPCE commitments are contingent upon state funding.
The Institute is excited to be part of the Independent Monitor team charged with overseeing the implementation of reforms in the Chicago police consent decree put into effect this past spring. We look forward to supporting the team with a comprehensive community engagement strategy, conducting a community survey, and facilitating community input. The Independent Monitor team is led by Maggie Hickey, JD, a partner at Schiff-Hardin. We are honored to be part of this important and historic long-term process.
Additionally, IPCE has several staff announcements this semester. Gabriela Avila, UPPF Program Coordinator, Umair Tarbhai, Graduate Research Assistant, and Shelia Brown, Administrative Assistant/Office Manager are now actively settling into their new roles on the team. Join us in welcoming these three to the IPCE staff!
Stay tuned later this summer for announcements regarding upcoming fall programs and events.
Have a safe and wonderful summer!
Joseph K. Hoereth, PhD