2024 Accelerator Cohort

Scott Ickes

Assistant Professor, Kinesiology

Post-accelerator update: "In the summer of 2024, I traveled to Kenya to work with the Naivasha Sub-County Referral Hospital and the Community Health Partners health facility in Narok, Kenya. This research trip engaged four students in a maternal and child health research projects: one about child immunization coverage, and the second on social networks and infant feeding practices. Along with William & Mary colleagues, Drs. Alexandra Joosse, Julius Odhiambo, and Carrie Dolan, we envisioned a future model of W&M engagement in health-related research and implementation projects in Kenya. The culmination of this work is the creation of Pamoja: A William & Mary Health Equity Partnership in Kenya. Pamoja is a Swahili word that means “together.” This word captures the spirit and goals of William & Mary’s Health Equity partnership in Kenya. The Pamoja Partnerships builds on long-term partnerships between W&M faculty, students, and Kenya health-related institutions. To date, the main regional activities have been in Narok and Nakuru counties, and based at Community Health Partners health centers, and the Naivasha Sub-County Referral Hospital.

"The goals of this partnership are to:

1. To support faculty-mentored student research and capacity building efforts in Kenya that focus on health. 
2. To develop productive research partnerships, and meaningful cross-cultural connections between Kenyan health-related institutions, businesses, and William & Mary.
3. To support sustainable health-related infrastructure and capacity-building efforts in Kenya.

"My in-person discussions and correspondence with the Accelerator cohort helped me to develop momentum, and refreshed my commitment to the spirit of why I love this work in Kenya, and love conducting this work with the very special people from W&M and in these contexts in Kenya."

From his application: "The accelerator can help me to develop innovative ideas within a peer group of like-minded, engaged scholar-practitioners to incorporate engaged scholarship within my classes and to prepare me to become an effective board member of a health-focused NGO that I will join this semester."

 

Jackson Sasser

Teaching Professor, Government

"The accelerator would give me time and space to map out what other work is done by our students, the law school's students and faulty, and community organizations. Better understanding will help me determine how I can shape existing relationships and opportunities to give students an even more robust opportunity to practice applied learning."

 

Meaghan Stiman

Assistant Professor, Sociology

Post-accelerator update: "The faculty accelerator helped me construct a new community-engaged component for my Community Sociology course for Fall 2024. Students will connect theory with practice by volunteering at the Williamsburg Regional Library, where they will support a local community institution while also developing an understanding of how it serves diverse members of the Williamsburg area. While I initially applied to the program to make sense of this project for my class, the accelerator has inspired me to explore other avenues of community engaged teaching and research with the Williamsburg Public Housing Administration and through the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative."

From her application: "The accelerator would help me craft a new semester-long assignment for my Community Sociology course. The aim is to have students write a report to help [local housing] organizations understand their own points of overlap/consensus and possible points of divergence in addressing the community's pressing affordable housing needs."

 

Debbie Ramer

Clinical Faculty, Curriculum & Instruction

Post-accelerator update: "I thoroughly loved my experience with the faculty accelerator grant. My colleagues in the cohort are some of the smartest, most thoughtful, and kind individuals that I have worked with at W&M and I love learning about their projects. I felt so much interest and support from each of them which is invigorating, and inspires me to keep imagining how the Lit Lab project can evolve and grow. I was able to offer resources and connections to a couple of them to hopefully assist with their projects... Presenting to the community partners allowed me to connect with some individuals and organizations that I would not have otherwise thought of or been in touch with."

From her application: "I'd like to expand Literacy Lab into preschools to ensure students have the best possible literacy foundation before beginning kindergarten. One student group that is particularly in need of support are the English Learners. Participating in the accelerator will give me opportunities to brainstorm and partner with colleagues who share interest in these student populations."

 

Denise Wade

Associate Professor, Dance

Post-accelerator update: "The Faculty Accelerator Experience has provided valuable information and support, and created opportunities for us all to learn and grow.  It has given me the opportunity to meet colleagues and community members who are doing incredible work in creating life changing experiences for our students, who will carry them with them wherever they go.  I hope to continue conversations with my cohorts who inspired me and encouraged me in my work.  This experience has provided new insights into the community and pathways to engage others in the work I am doing with the Parkinson’s Dance Initiative. I will also be choreographing a new dance piece for the dancers and students from this class as a pre-show performance for the Theatre Department’s spring production that deals with neurodiversity. The funding provided helped purchase W&M Parking passes for participating community dancers, thereby increasing accessibility."

From her application: "[For the Parkinson's Dance Initiative] the first goal is encouraging participation and increasing awareness of the class across the broader Williamsburg community as well as on campus. The second goal is finding a sustainable way to provide equitable access to everyone in the community.

Strengthening Community Connections

Members of the 2024 cohort presented their work at Civic & Community Engagement's Community Partner Workshop in May 2024. Partners commented on the benefit of learning about their community engagement, and the opportunity for further connections: