April 04, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. -The Western Kentucky University American Humanics Student Association has selected Friends of The Lost River, Inc. as the first recipient of its Annual Community Partnership program.
The American Humanics (AH) program (www.wku.edu/AH) issued a Request for Proposals to local nonprofit agencies on Nov. 13 and invited them to propose a project partnership with the AH students to be completed during the 2007-2008 academic year.
The student group will work with the Friends of Lost River Cave on the first phase of a larger project designed to help restore, protect and promote the Lost River Cave & Valley. As part of the restoration project, the students will utilize research material gathered by Lost River Cave staff to create standard procedures for removal of the various invasive and pest plants overtaking the native flowers and plants and outline a protocol
for planting and maintaining native seedbeds.
The students will assist with fundraising as well as promoting community awareness about the Lost River Valley. They also will plan service events and recruit volunteers dedicated to the ongoing fight against invasive species. The project will allow the students to organize, plan and lead this yearlong project.
The community partnership program, modeled after an initiative in the University of Northern Iowa’s American Humanics program, is designed to provide students with experiences which help them develop professional competencies.
Dr. Raymond Poff, Executive Director of the WKU American Humanics program, wants the AH students exposed to life in the nonprofit sector so they will be better prepared as leaders and productive members of society.
The partnership program also was implemented with the goal of WKU’s Quality Enhancement Plan (http://www.wku.edu/Dept/Support/AcadAffairs/engage/index.htm) in mind: “Students will engage with communities other than their own in purposeful learning activities that explicitly address their capacity and responsibility to contribute to community and society.” The outcomes of this goal include: “1. Students will demonstrate their capacity to apply knowledge and training to address relevant concerns in community or society. 2. Students will demonstrate respect for diversity of people, ideas, and cultures. 3. Students will demonstrate awareness of their opportunities as responsible citizens working and living in a global society.”
American Humanics is a national alliance of colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations that prepares and certifies college students for professional careers in youth and human service agencies. American Humanics is affiliated with more than 75 colleges and universities nationwide including WKU, and partners with more than 50 national nonprofit organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the YMCA, and the United Way.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Raymond Poff at (270) 745-2498.
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