Presented by Oakland University, Drexel University, Amsterdam University

Lightning presentations are roughly seven minutes in length and are paired with others into a single session. Timestamps are indicated in parentheses so you can forward to the presentation you want to view.

  • A case study of a service learning group project for public health students during the Covid-19 pandemic (00:00)
    Presented by Rebecca Cheezum, Oakland University School of Health Sciences

This presentation describes the implementation of a service learning group project during the Covid-19 pandemic (2020–2021 academic year). This project, which spanned fall and winter semesters, is required of all first-year Master of Public Health students at Oakland University School of Health Sciences. Each group of six students was assigned to a community partner for the course of this project. In the fall semester, in a course Principles of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), groups focused on partnership formation and conducted a small needs assessment using qualitative research methods. Students generated a conference abstract, written report, and presentation. In the winter semester, the students continued their project in a class, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation of Public Health Interventions. They developed a theory- and evidence-based intervention and evaluation plan and wrote a grant proposal in response to a mock RFP. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all class sessions and project-related interactions with community partners and members were conducted virtually, using Zoom and Google Meets platforms. This presentation will describe the project requirements and structure, role of community engagement in the project (and program, more generally), feedback from community partners, ways in which the project was adapted for the pandemic, challenges faced, strategies for success, lessons learned, and components of the pandemic-related adaptations found to be beneficial that may be continued in the future.

  • The Past-to-Future Archaeology Partnership: stem outreach during a pandemic (10:19)
    Presented by Jon Carroll, Oakland University

The objective of Oakland University’s Past-to-Future Archaeology Partnership is to team with local school districts to offer high school students access STEM opportunities through archaeological field training. This discussion highlights the challenges and successes of launching such an effort during a global pandemic.

  • Global is local: developing community-engaged partnerships during the pandemic (21:48)
    Presented by Cyndi Rickards, Drexel University; Esther Koster and Marco Hofman, Amsterdam University

When Covid forced engaged scholars to pivot, Drexel and Amsterdam Universities brought students together each week in “policy pods” to analyze what makes a city just. The students compared data, history, and issues of equity while creating a unique learning community. This partnership has evolved to include city officials, urban policy experts and a travel component.

  • Necessity is the mother of invention: rethinking resources in the face of a crisis (34:19)
    Presented by Kevin Corcoran and Diane Baldwin, Oakland University

A great deal of work on creativity focuses on the need to change our conception of what the role of a specific object is. Reconceiving a phone made it possible that the phone function as a camera or a credit card; or provide any number of other helpful applications. As a result, we will not see the phone in the same way ever again. Such “Eureka” moments often occur in the face of a crisis. A situation in which we don’t have access to what we think we need. In the spring of 2020 in the face of Covid-19, our campuses struggled to find the resources to continue to serve in partnership with our communities. Most, if not all, of our students were gone from campus; ditto our faculty and staff. Community members were concerned for their health and well-being. Yet the needs not only persisted, they accelerated. Our presentation focuses on how we changed the lens by which we viewed our Theatre Department, our student union, and our math faculty and students (among others) to address needs in our community. Our discussion concludes with consideration of how we can maintain this altered focus as we co-create a more nimble and brighter future.