PSO In Action 1
Faculty from PSO units showcase projects across the state. In this session projects include the Office of Service-Learning’s AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows, AmeriCorps VISTAs, and Coaching4Success; UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel’s Academic Special Programs – Focused on Science and Engineering Fair; the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development’s Youth Lead Georgia; and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s Defense Community Resilience Program.
Learning Outcome:
- Identify PSO projects across the state
Target Audience: PSO faculty and staff
Format: Presentation with Q&A
Office of Service-Learning
Programs: AmeriCorps VISTA, Community Food Fellows and Coaching4Success
The Office of Service-Learning has developed a suite of AmeriCorps programs over the last decade through funding from Georgia Serves. This session will highlight three programs that connects students to community issues and public service opportunities: 1) AmeriCorps VISTA: A year-long national service program also known as the domestic Peace Corps; 2) AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows: an AmeriCorps state grant program focused on food insecurity, food production, and food waste; and 3) Coaching4Success: a coaching and literacy after-school program funded by an AmeriCorps Planning Grant.
Presenters:
Coleman Allums, program coordinator, AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows initiative, Office of Service-Learning
In this role, Coleman supports research, training and service efforts around food security and access in Athens and surrounding areas. A committed researcher, teacher, and mentor, Coleman holds a bachelor’s degree in sustainability science and economics from Furman University, and a master’s degree and PhD in geography from the University of Georgia. His interdisciplinary scholarship has been published in such journals as GeoHumanities, the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, and The Professional Geographer. A National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow from 2015-20, Coleman was also a 2023 UGA-Liverpool Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool in the UK.
Karen Raymond, community partnerships coordinator, Office of Service-Learning
Karen leads the Coaching4Success program, an after-school sports and academic coaching initiative aimed at empowering elementary school children in Clarke County. In this role, she coordinates UGA volunteers who mentor students, helping them develop vital social-emotional skills alongside their athletic pursuits. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgia Southern University and a master’s degree in public health with a focus on epidemiology, along with a global health certificate, from the University of Georgia. Karen’s commitment to enhancing the health and wellbeing of children at this critical stage of their development fuels her passion for public health and her work with Coaching4Success. Prior to this, Karen worked as a graduate assistant with the Archway Partnership, helping to address public health needs across Georgia.
UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel
Program: Office of Academic Special Programs – Focused on Science and Engineering Fair
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education offers an exciting, challenging series of learning experiences for middle school and high school students. Through college-level research, oral presentations and a healthy competitive environment, young people have fun while they improve their academic performance. UGA’s unique academic special programs are memorable events that promote exceptional achievement.
Presenter:
Laura Brewer, academic special programs director, UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel
Laura is responsible for the planning and administration of nationally and internationally affiliated academic enrichment programs, like the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair, for middle and high school students across the state. Prior to this role, she held positions with the university’s Early Care and Education Initiatives department, where she assisted with the development and implementation of a statewide professional development system for childcare providers funded by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
Program: Youth LEAD Georgia
Youth LEAD Georgia is a statewide youth leadership program that equips youth with college and career readiness skills, post-secondary exploration, and leadership development. The inaugural class of 30 students from 29 counties across the state kicked off the program in January 2024 and recently graduated in Atlanta on Nov. 4. This program is made possible through a generous gift from Chick-fil-A that allows youth to participate at no cost.
Presenter:
Lauren Healey, interim associate director and senior public service faculty, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
Lauren specializes in designing, delivering and evaluating youth and multigenerational leadership programs and training for diverse audiences. She is also able to provide technical assistance to communities to help them in meeting their leadership goals and has a successful background in the management of and collaboration with community agencies, advisory groups, and volunteers to identify local needs and assist in delivering programs. She has more than 17 years of experience in youth programming. Prior to joining the Fanning Institute, she worked as a 4-H youth development agent in both rural and urban counties. Lauren holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a PhD in educational psychology from UGA, and a master’s degree in human development and family studies from Auburn University.
Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Program: Defense Community Resilience Program
The Defense Community Resilience Program (DCRP) is a multidisciplinary collaborative partnership housed at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The program works with military installations and their surrounding communities to share UGA expertise in innovative community engagement, infrastructure planning, governmental policy, economic development, and nature-based engineering, to strengthen military and community resilience. DCRP helps communities and military installations explore mutually beneficial opportunities for economic growth. A recent example is the River Valley Community Compatible Development Plan, which provides a regional roadmap for creating vibrant downtowns, investing in infrastructure and promoting outdoor activities in the rural communities surrounding Fort Moore. In 2024, DCRP received approximately $5 million in federal funding to support its ongoing work and signed a Regional Intergovernmental Support Agreement with the U.S. Army authorized for up to $10 million per year for 10 years.
Presenters:
J. Scott Pippin, public service associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Scott is an attorney and community planner who joined the Institute of Government’s Planning and Environmental Services unit in 2014. He works on issues concerning environmental and natural resource planning, climate resilience, nature-based and green infrastructure practices, land use, community planning and economic development, and updating and revising city and county land use ordinances. In addition to planning and technical assistance, Scott works directly with communities to develop funding and implement projects that provide social, economic, and environmental benefits. He also delivers training courses on a wide variety of subjects, such as stormwater management, planning and zoning practices, community resilience and sustainability, and preparing for large-scale solar installations. Prior to joining the Institute of Government, he worked as a local government attorney and an environmental consultant.
Shana Jones, assistant director of strategic operations and planning assistance, Carl Vinson Institute of Government; Sea Grant legal program director, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Shana joined the Institute of Government in 2014 as a faculty member in the Planning and Environmental Services unit. She assists communities with managing legal and policy issues related to land use, environmental quality, and coastal flooding. Prior to joining the Institute of Government, Shana was the director of the Virginia Coastal Policy Clinic at William & Mary Law School. Her previous experience includes managing a nonprofit policy group, clerking at the federal and state levels, and working as a program manager at a Texas state agency and for the Texas Governor’s Office. Shana received her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law, concentrating in environmental law.
