Become a Royal! Scranton offers the perfect combination of academic environment, social experience, and personal support our students need to build successful lives and careers.
Become a Royal! Scranton offers the perfect combination of academic environment, social experience, and personal support our students need to build successful lives and careers.
In collaboration with community partners, identify existing and emerging needs and concerns of underrepresented and underserved groups, and create strategies to address them.
Overseen by: Julie Schumacher-Cohen, Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs; Gerald Zaboski, Senior Vice President, Office of the President
Item Status: Work in progress.
Updates:
The Office of Community and Government Relations (“OCGR”), in collaboration with The Institute and CEEPS completed and released the Living Wage Study in November 2022 with a new DEI focus. The report was printed, is available online (along with other background materials at www.scranton.edu/livingwage), and was shared widely at a campus presentation on Nov. 29, 2022. The report placed an emphasis on looking at the impact of living wage/socio-economic challenges on communities of color. The report will serve as a CBL teaching tool as well as a community resource for the near-future. Follow-up will also continue with community agency leaders, the Scranton Area Community Foundation, Neighborworks and other community partners.
Community Relations/CBL: In June 2022, we convened our annual community partners meeting (60 partners) using an “Engagement of Hope Conceptual Framework and Equity-Focused Theory of Change” which involves a consideration of how to challenge unjust structures including acknowledging institutional racism and inequity.
The student-run Leahy PT Clinic provided care for a diverse group of uninsured and underinsured individuals and expanded community outreach opportunities. These efforts included training for faculty and students on cultural sensitivity and use of multiple translators to facilitate communication for those who did not speak English. Faculty continue to utilize funding for the Leahy PT Clinic outreach for the Bhutanese and Congolese refugees in the Scranton community.
Physical Therapy’s Community-Based Research, Dr. Walton (PI) is currently leading a team on a multistage study that will assess and provide resources to meet the health needs of our local refugee communities. Following IRB approval and internal grant funding, the team completed the translations (into Nepali and Swahili) and established validity of select health outcome measures. The project is conducting a needs assessment using these outcome measures during Spring/Summer 2023. This data will be used in support of DEI initiatives within our community.
In June 2024, Community Relations, CSSJ, and Career Development hosted its annual Community Partner Workshop on campus. This event brings together community partners from local nonprofits, educational institutions, and other agencies with University staff and faculty to discuss partnership opportunities and to connect on important community issues. The 2024 partner meeting included 75 representatives from 30 organizations. Discussions during the program yield a set of community priorities and also help assess strengths and areas for growth in university-community partnerships.
Continue to serve as a resource, convener, and collaborator on matters related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the Scranton area, highlighting University programming, offerings, and efforts that seek to improve understanding of our histories and experiences.
Overseen by: Julie Schumacher-Cohen, Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs; Gerald Zaboski, Senior Vice President, Office of the President
Item Status: Work in progress.
Updates:
The Scranton’s Story project is broadly inclusive with various campus stakeholders and BIPOC community partners; themes in 2022 included “Indigenous History in NEPA” with Curtis Zunigha of the Lenape Center that included a keynote lecture attended by more than 300 as well as multiple community stakeholder meetings. Conversation is ongoing with the Lenape Center to form a partnership. Fall 2022 programming also focused on “The Journey from ‘Immigrant’ to Citizen,” with two events that highlighted both the coal-mining era immigration and more recent immigration from Latin America and global refugee resettlement.
Another Scranton Story themes focus on “Black History and Housing” with the Black Scranton Project, and held jointly as a CBL Talk; a three-part film series concluding with Jim Crow of the North on campus; and a humanities lecture and visit with Julius Fleming on “Black Patience and Emancipation”. Another CBL project Religious Tapestry of Scranton: Past and Present including a theological and musical reflection, Caminemos con Jesús: Incarnating Hispanic/Latinx Theology in Song, with Tony Alonso and two multi-faith places of worship bus tours led by the Lackawanna Historical Society.
Community Relations & CBL/Refugee Engagement: The University’s community leadership regarding refugee solidarity and inclusion continued with various programs and activities, including a reprised Refugee Friendship Network training in Feb. 2022.
Performance Music: Performance Music offered scores of programs in 2023-2024 celebrating musical contributions from across the world. Performances by University groups included musical selections representing a diverse range of music. Guest artists provided the campus and surrounding community with opportunities to experience noted performers without cost. Examples included ELEW, Kako Miura, Chris Lewis, and Wycliffe Gordan.
CEEPS: Collaborated with the new Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service on an introductory workshop on diversity, equity and inclusion for NEPA government officials and staff on August 31.
Collaborate with the City of Scranton and civic entities to discuss issues our students, in particular, those from underrepresented groups, experience in the community.
Overseen by: Julie Schumacher-Cohen, Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs; Gerald Zaboski, Senior Vice President, Office of the President
Item Status: Work in progress.
Updates: Community Relations: The Scranton’s Story project is broadly inclusive and involves community partners such as the Black Scranton Project and the Lackawanna County Immigrant Inclusion committee.
Building upon existing college preparatory and learning enrichment initiatives, identity ways to expand programming for underrepresented K-12 students in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Overseen by: Michelle Maldonado, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs; Julie Schumacher-Cohen, Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs; Gerald Zaboski, Senior Vice President, Office of the President
Item Status: Work in progress.
Updates:
KSOM Business High School Program has provided over 400 credit hours to a diverse group of local students from 19 area high schools. Approximately 35 percent of these students have matriculated to Scranton upon graduation from high school.
SMART Mentoring Program to resume in spring 2023 with Scranton High School students.
Community Relations/CBL: Worked with Marywood’s STARS program for Latinx youth, UNC’s LIT program, and Newave Studios after-school program to provide enrichment activities including three visits to the Scranton Stories exhibitions at the Hope Horn Gallery and Weinberg Memorial Library. Coordinated annual field trip of McNichols Plaza Elementary 4th grade in April, including more than 70 students, in collaboration with STEM faculty (Voltzow, Son, Mulhall and Farallo) and their students.
Performance Music has worked with musicians and band directors at regional high schools throughout the year. Additionally, Cheryl Boga was elected to serve as the college/university representative to the executive board of Pennsylvania Music Educator Association District 9.
Expand our leadership and colleagueship within the regional higher education community, and across our AJCU network, through participation in gathering/conference/symposia dedicated to this purpose.
Overseen by: ALL
Item Status: Work in progress.
Updates:
Under the leadership of the Provost, CAS, KSOM, and PCPS/Leahy completed program articulations with Lackawanna College. The work is now being leveraged to develop additional program articulations with Luzerne County Community College. SVP in the Office for the President is facilitating connections with other colleges.
The University agreed to participate in the IAJCU Magis Exchange Program. The program provides an opportunity for University students to participate in an online global learning experience, undertake mentored service and study abroad at another IAJCU institution.
The University has expanded its cooperation with international institutions, signing additional academic partnership agreements with Fu Jen Catholic University and Providence University in Taiwan. Work continues to establish additional such international partnerships in Taiwan and India.
The University and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine signed a Master Affiliation Agreement on Sept. 6, 2023, culminating more than a year of work to reopen the Edward R. Leahy Jr. Clinic for the Uninsured. The clinic will follow a “student-run” model that provides “high quality care in a welcoming, respectful, and compassionate environment” for the region’s uninsured patients and expands opportunities for practical experience in patient care, clinic management and other aspects of healthcare for students. The clinic’s teaching and learning opportunities began with reimagining the clinic itself, with students from both The 日本一级片 and Geisinger involved in every aspect of planning. The medical Leahy Medical Clinic, which will serve uninsured people primarily in Lackawanna County, began operating for the public in January of 2024.
