Two social work professors, student honored for excellence in community-based research

Each spring semester, the Council on Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP) at The University of Alabama recognizes outstanding achievements in engagement scholarship. Students, faculty, staff and their community partners are honored for excellence in community-based research. The winning projects range from health care to international education, from cultural understanding to science and technology, and from art and literature to the special needs of various populations.

This spring, the Council recognized two social faculty and one social work student for their work in the area of community engagement. The following faculty and student received a premiere award from the council:

David Albright

Tania Alameda-Lawson

Lt. Col. John Kilpatrick

• David Albright, Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health and Professor, was recognized with a 2017 Outstanding Faculty/Staff-Initiated Engagement Effort award for his project: Dallas and Marengo Counties Veterans Needs Assessment
• Tania Alameda-Lawson, Assistant Professor, was recognized by the Council’s Seed Funding Committee with a $5,000 award for her project: Collective Parent Engagement and Service Learning at Davis-Emerson Middle School.
• MSW student and Army Lt. Col. John Kilpatrick was recognized with a 2017 Outstanding Student-Initiated Engagement Effort award for his project: Veterans Recovery Resources. Read about John’s nonprofit work.

Each award includes recognition by the CCBP and funding support to aid in the continuation of the winner’s work. Faculty and students were honored with other leaders in engagement scholarship initiatives at the Eleventh Annual Awards Luncheon held April 14, 2017, in the Bryant Conference Center Sellers Auditorium.

Criteria for Excellence in Community Engagement

Nominations for this category should demonstrate how the investigator considered needs, developed means to address those needs, documented actions taken to achieve defined outcomes, and demonstrated measured success in achieving those outcomes. Nominations should document how the project or projects resulted in, or showed high potential for, scholarly publication, conference presentation, and additional funding; demonstrated unique activity involving the community and the University in collaborative efforts to achieve outcomes that improve the community in measurable ways, and how they built capacity within communities rather than merely provided a one-time service. Past projects have examined educational improvement; business, industrial development, and the economy; law, governance, and public policy; labor relations, training, and workplace safety; public safety, security, and corrections; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; human communication, including new media, media institutions, and media effects; public understanding and adult learning; children, youth, the elderly, and family issues; cultural institutions and programs; community health and health care; the arts, music, and entertainment; the environment, natural resources, and land use; and faith-based programs. Successful projects will demonstrate strong synergistic collaboration between the University and community organizations and/or extend the classroom experience.

Criteria for Distinguished Community-Engaged Scholar

Nominations for this category should demonstrate an individual’s record of sustained, distinguished, and superb achievement in public service and engagement in community-based partnership efforts that have made outstanding contributions to the quality of life in Alabama over an extended period of time. This award recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond in support of one or more community-based partnership projects or whose work demonstrates superior understanding, appreciation, and support of community-based partnership efforts. Nominees whose work has been published and/or presented at major conferences will be given preference.