2009 Scholarship of Engagement Awards

Catherine Emihovich, Dean

The College of Education at the University of Florida is pleased to announce the 7th annual “Engaged Scholarship” award competition for faculty, graduate students, and community members. These awards are based on Ernst Boyer’s vision that research-oriented universities need to broaden their concept of scholarship to reflect the issues and concerns of society at large. As he noted:

Scholarship means engaging in original research. But the work of the scholar also means stepping back from one’s investigation, looking for connections, building bridges between theory and practice, and communicating one’s knowledge effectively to students. Institutions should consider broadening the scope of the term ‘scholarship’ to recognize these four activities – discovery, integration, application, and teaching – as separate but overlapping dimensions of scholarship (1990, p. 16).

In addition to these criteria, the College of Education has also highlighted these elements: the impact the scholar’s work has had; wide dissemination through channels other than just scholarly journals; research that is focused on the ‘public good’; an integration of scholarship with teaching; time spent in a site; strong collaboration with other partners; a concern for equity and social justice; and, in the case of school/community nominees, effective translation of research results into action. In the words of the English philosopher Herbert Spencer, “The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.”

Each year we present awards in the following categories:

• University
• College of Education (one faculty member from each of the three new departments/schools and one P.K. Yonge teacher)
• Graduate student (college wide)
• School District
• Community

The 2008 winners were as follows:

• University
  Martha Monroe, IFAS Extension, School of Forest Resources and Conservation
• College of Education Faculty
  Diana Joyce, Educational Psychology
  Luis Ponjuan, Educational Administration and Policy
  Sondra Smith-Adcock, Counselor Education
  Nancy Dana, School of Teaching and Learning
  Hazel Jones, Special Education
• P.K. Yonge
  Kelly Dolan
• Graduate Student
  Christopher Mullin
• School District
  Tom Ringwood, Alachua County
• Community
  Mercantile Bank, Jacksonville, Florida

The winners (and their nominators) will be invited to attend the “Faculty Research and Engaged Scholarship Showcase” (FRESS) as the Dean of Education’s guests on October 15, 2009, in Gainesville. Details regarding FRESS will follow.

Nomination Process, per Award
To nominate someone for a University, COE Graduate Student, School District or Community Award, please send a letter (no more than 3 pages) describing the candidate’s accomplishments, and explain why you believe he/she merits this award based on the criteria listed above (previous nominees may be nominated again). Please do not send additional documentation apart from the nomination letter.

To nominate someone for a College of Education Departmental Award, each department will choose a recipient who best meets the intent of this award. PKY will follow a similar procedure.

Nominations are due Monday, March 16, and should be sent to:
Jenny Palgon
College of Education
P.O. Box 117040
Campus

For questions regarding the nominations, contact Jenny at jpalgon@coe.ufl.edu or 392-0728.

All nominations will be reviewed by a committee and winners will be informed this April.