Goodrich Getting Involved
Goodrich engages students by working to create learning outcomes that connect with identified needs from the community. These real life experiences allow for sustained learning and relationship building. Goodrich faculty have invested in many opportunities.
Troy Romero, Ph.D., Chair of the Goodrich Scholarship Program
In collaboration with Fontenelle Elementary School and Royale Oaks Assisted Living Center, Dr. Romero’s Autobiographical Reading and Writing courses created Words of Wisdom, where 2nd and 3rd graders were matched with Dr. Romero’s students to create bibliographies of seniors from Royal Oaks. Through a partnership with Autism Action Partnership, Dr. Romero also co-directed a peer-mediated social skills program for young adults with autism spectrum disorder.
Barbara Hewins-Maroney, Ph.D.
Her community engagement included a service-learning p-16 initiative which involved 7th and 8th graders at King Science and Technology Magnet School examining several models of aquaponic production and developing a Hunger Banquet to emphasize the impact of food and water scarcity.
Imafedia Okhamafe, Ph.D.
His UNO class, in collaboration with Kiewit Middle School, South Omaha Museum, and a South Omaha group of parents and their children, established a reading and writing club, which enabled students to read professional autobiographies and produce their own autobiographies, including drawings and paintings.
Todd Richardson, Ph.D.
In partnership with the Malcolm X Center and students from Norris Middle School, Dr. Richardson taught a service-learning class in which students collected people’s recollections of Omaha native, Malcolm X. He also taught a service-learning class, in partnership with the city of Ralston and Ralston High’s Avenue Scholars, that had students record oral histories from long-time Ralston residents.
Stevie Seibert Desjarlais, Ph.D.
Dr. Seibert Desjarlais’ Spring 2023 Perspectives class partnered with Film Streams, a non-profit theater, to host a public screening of a documentary addressing topics related to our Omaha community. Students screened several documentary options and attended lectures on the merits of using film for social change before democratically deciding which film to bring to our community. Students selected The Pruitt-Igoe Myth because of its representation of government-funded housing and redlining. Students contacted community members and experts to lead a moderated panel discussion on redlining that followed the public film screening. Students also designed and implemented a marketing campaign and collected materials for distribution at the event. The project was successful in bringing an engaging event to over 100 event attendees. The big takeaway from this project was that students witnessed first-hand what it means to bring important and complex ideas to a public forum and attempt to inspire change in one’s community.
