Faculty Connection

Outreach Awards Honorees from 1995—2009

Outreach Awards Honorees 2008-09

Professor Joyce A. Berkmanof the Department of History is the winner of the 2009 Distinguished Outreach Research Award. As a founder and executive director of the Valley Women’s History Collaborative, Dr. Berkman has given voice to the oral history of women in the Connecticut River Valley, assembling rich and captivating narratives that have contributed greatly to historical scholarship, to the identity of our local communities and to the dignity of the women who have helped shape them. She has assembled a true community of scholarship extending far beyond the university, bringing together students, artists, scholars and women from throughout the area. Her work, and the work of the Valley Women’s History Collaborative, has ennobled the lives of the women of the Pioneer Valley, and forever enlivened our understanding of those lives.

Professor Mari Castañeda of the Department of Communication shares the 2009 Distinguished Outreach Teaching Award. Dr. Castañeda has engaged her students in building critical links between the university and the city of Holyoke. She has been a key figure in ambitious and multi-faceted community efforts aimed at capacity building in educational support and mentoring, economic development, nutrition and sustainable food production, fair housing and lending, and support for the arts and local cultural heritage. She has fostered and advised the Student Bridges program, through which UMass Amherst students work in a spirit of community involvement and reciprocity to mentor and support young students in Holyoke. Her work with her own students and with the community of Holyoke has been transformative, bringing scholarship, mentorship, citizenship and friendship together to make a real difference in the community.

Professor Todd Crosset of the Department of Sport Management shares the 2009 Distinguished Outreach Teaching Award. Dr. Crosset’s teaching is infused with the force of a firm commitment to building social justice and creating new opportunities for university students and the community – particularly communities of color in the city of Springfield. With his students and with the Boston Celtics basketball organization, he has built the Key Players Program to honor men of color for playing a key role in young people’s lives, while engaging his students in marketing and strategic planning in addressing problems like violence in the community. In addition, he has help mobilize city teachers and UMass Amherst faculty members to find new ways to make university resources available to the community. Through reciprocity, and seamlessly uniting teaching, research and outreach, Dr. Crossett helped remove obstacles from the road between UMass Amherst and the Commonwealth’s second largest urban center.

President Ira Rubenzahl of Springfield Technical Community College is the winner of the 2009 Distinguished Outreach Community Partnership Award. Dr. Rubenzahl’s commitment to students, to the diverse communities that comprise the city of Springfield, and to the economic and educational future of the region provides the context for a profoundly valuable and productive relationship between the university and the city. Springfield Technical Community College, or STCC, has become a key urban base for UMass Amherst programs and a launching pad for STCC graduates to move on to programs in engineering, business, liberal arts and others at UMass Amherst. His forward-looking, optimistic and evenhanded manner is proving extremely effective in helping propel the economic development, educational advancement, and cultural vitality of the entire region. In addition, his support for the arts, business incubation, young entrepreneurship, and training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics has helped ensure that the region will be able to count on local jobs, and the local talent to fill those jobs. He continues to build a relationship between the city and the university in which the commitment, the benefits, and the decisions are shared—a partnership in the very best sense.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2007-08

Professor Jean A. Anliker of the Department of Nutrition, winner of the Distinguished Outreach Research Award, recognizing her formative research in empowering young people to make wise choices about money, food and health. As co-Principal Investigator of the highly-acclaimed Tween Power program, she helped initiate Strength and Power in Nutrition (or SPIN), an eight-week after-school program that uses marketing concepts to teach young teenagers to recognize the power that health brings to their lives. She is director of UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program, which brings health literacy to the neediest citizens of Massachusetts.

Professor Jerri Willett of the School of Education, winner of the Distinguished Outreach Teaching Award, recognizing the critical assistance and training she has helped provide for teachers and administrators in public schools that serve bilingual and English-learning children. She co-directs the ACCELA Alliance (Access to Critical Content and English Language Acquisition) which partners UMass Amherst with Springfield, Holyoke and Amherst schools and brings degree programs and language, communication, and cultural training skills to teachers in those communities.

Jane Feroli, Specialist for Parent Involvement working with UMass Extension’s Nutrition Education Program in Brockton, Massachusetts, winner of the Outreach Community Partner Award for her work in creating a home-school-community relationship for students in Brockton through a network of twenty-two parent liaisons who work part-time in the local schools.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2006-07

Professor James Manwell, of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, winner of the Distinguished Outreach Research Award, for his work in advancing the design and demonstration of utility scale wind turbines and controllers and for helping to establish Massachusetts as a world leader in wind power generation.

Professor Daniel Gerber, of the Department of Public Health, winner of the Distinguished Outreach Teaching Award, for integrating a valuable classroom experience with an intensely rewarding service experience that has a lasting impact on the public health of area communities.

Imre Kepes co-director of El Arco Iris, winner of the Distinguished Community Partner Award, for his tireless work to foster economic development in the city of Holyoke by empowering its youth and by mobilizing the resources of university faculty and staff to address needs of the central city.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2005-06

Professor Maureen Perry-Jenkins of the Department of Psychology for her study of the role of race, gender and social class in shaping family relationships, and for her impact on public policy aimed at improving the safety, security and quality of life for all families.

Professor Robert Pollin of the Department of Economics for studying and documenting the positive impact of the “Living Wage” and helping to pave the way for the passage of Living Wage laws in several cities and states.

Professor Robert Ryan of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning for engaging students in helping local communities protect their natural resources, preserve their cultural heritage, and plan recreational opportunities for diverse populations.

Professor Nathaniel Whitaker of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for establishing a Saturday math program for African-American students which evolved into the “Academic and other Initiatives for Maximum Success” (AIMS) program, a program to boost the math skills and academic self-confidence of African-American students in the Amherst-Pelham Public Schools.

Mei-Ju Hwang of Amherst, head of Chinese Programs for the Springfield Public Schools, for her role as a national innovator in Chinese instruction, and as a force behind a 10-year partnership with the Asian Arts and Culture Program at UMass Amherst which has brought unparalleled educational experiences to students in the Springfield area.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2004-05

Professor Leda M. Cooks of the Department of Communication for her outstanding research and extensive contributions to the development of community service learning programs, media literacy and violence prevention programs.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2003-04

Daniel R. Anderson, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, for his many years of outstanding research and extensive contribution to the development of programming and policy for children's television. For nearly 30 years, he has developed an outstanding research record that has had a significant impact on millions of young children.

Robert W. Maloy, School of Education, for his expertise in profoundly improving the quality of teaching and learning in the public schools through innovative programs such as 180 Days in Springfield, Virtual Resource Room (VRROOM) and TEAMS tutoring project.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2002-03

Nancy Cohen, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, for her many years of commitment to research in nutrition education and the extension of her findings to a broad array of communities within Massachusetts and across the nation. Dr. Cohen has fostered research in nutrition education that benefits consumers at large and in turn provides students with valuable experiences determining needs of underserved populations through the development of needed educational programs and materials. The impacts of Dr. Cohen's contributions are great in how they have had a positive impact on the public's health in the Commonwealth.

Marla Miller, College of Humanities and Fine Arts, for exemplifying the seamless integration of research and teaching outreach as anchorperson for the Public History Program and in her many projects that engage students in bringing history to outside constituents. Through the Public History Program, Marla is helping to educate students at all levels, as well as the general public, about the ways in which historical ideas and artifacts participate in daily life. Professor Miller works with diverse communities and in venues that include museums, schools, town halls, community centers, and public parks.

Robert Nakosteen, Isenberg School of Management, for his extraordinary level of commitment and high level of service to the University and the Commonwealth, through his role as editor of Massachusetts Benchmarks - a quarterly journal focused on the Massachusetts economy that the UMass Donahue Institute publishes in cooperation with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Under Bob's leadership, the journal has grown in both stature and influence and has provided leaders of government, the business community and other interested parties with valuable data and analysis about the status and direction of the economy of Massachusetts and its seven major regions.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2001-02

Sut Jhally, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, for his contribution to public education through the creation (1990) and ongoing directorship of the Media Education Foundation. This is a non-profit, independent producer and distributor of critical media resources. This public education project has supported itself through the sale of thousands of videos to schools, agencies and groups. They offer a huge catalog of classroom videos about a range of media topics from sex stereotyping on MTV to the myth of media liberalism, all accompanied by discussion notes, teaching guides and bibliographies. Recently, they have also done a web-based project titled "Beyond the Frame", featuring independent political voices on the events of September 11.

Edward Klekowski, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, for advancing public interest and education in science through outreach. Ed has been a member of the Biology Department for over 30 years. For the past 5 years, he and his students have been exploring the unchartered depths of the Connecticut River, the Quabbin Reservoir and Lake Pleasant. He has melded biology, geology, history and underwater archeology to create presentations for speaking engagements, the press, the web, museums, the public school system and public television. His recently produced program for WGBY "Under Quabbin" was a record setting fundraiser for that station and had been replayed several times in Springfield and Boston. Ed's message of the excitement of discovery, the richness of science and the adventure of integrative studies has reached receptive ears in the public.

Leda McKenry, School of Nursing, for bettering the lives of people in underprivileged communities while overseeing international experiences for students since 1993 through her establishment of the Ghana Health Mission (GHM) in Sekondi, Ghana and other cross cultural outreach activities. She leads semi-annual visits of students, alumni, faculty and other volunteers to Sekondi, where they have provided primary health are for 10,000 individuals, taught health classes and established collaborative relationships with Ghanaian providers. This past year Dr. McKenry was invited by the government of Northern Ireland to advise on the issue of extended prescribing rights for nurses.

Outreach Awards Honorees 2000-01

Ruth Hazzard, College of Food and Natural Resources, for leadership and innovation in the agroecology outreach program that has made a profound and lasting impact on the agriculture community of the Commonwealth.

Roberta Uno, College of Humanities and Fine Arts, for the accomplishment of the New World Theater and her sustained leadership and innovation as founder and Artistic Director of the New World Theater.

James Royer, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, for sustained leadership and innovation as the Director of the Laboratory for the Assessment and Training of Academic Skills, as well as other outreach programs.

Outreach Awards Honorees 1999-2000

Arthur S. Keene, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, for advocating for community service learning and creating programs and opportunities to support it. For example, the Curricular Alternative Spring Break (CASB) Program, founded by Art, gives students a chance to combine vigorous academic work with real life experience. Students spend their spring break in the rural south working in local self-help organizations. He also co-founded the Citizen Scholar's Program in which students are required to combine leadership training, academic course work and substantial community service. Art also teaches three different community service learning courses.

John R. Mullin, College of Food and Natural Resources, for assisting cities and towns in Massachusetts with economic development planning. His primary goals are to help them with tax base and employment enhancement. In the past fifteen years, John has had projects in 70 communities and 18 regions around Massachusetts, raising more than $1.5 million to help fund these projects and involving many courses and students. John is well known and respected for his work throughout the state.

Outreach Awards Honorees 1998-1999

Dr. Ann Forsyth, College of Food and Natural Resources, for improving the quality of the built environment through the activities of the Urban Places Project (UPP.) Also directed by Henry Lu and Patricia McGirr, UPP is an award winning program that provides urban design and planning services to low-income neighborhoods in mid-sized communities, including Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Pittsfield, and Fitchburg. UPP works with neighborhood residents, officials, and business people to create visions and specific redevelopment options for neighborhoods and for particular urban sites.

Henry Lu, College of Food and Natural Resources, for improving the quality of the built environment through the activities of the Urban Places Project (UPP.) Also directed by Ann Forsyth and Patricia McGirr, UPP is an award winning program that provides urban design and planning services to low-income neighborhoods in mid-sized communities, including Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Pittsfield, and Fitchburg. UPP works with neighborhood residents, officials, and business people to create visions and specific redevelopment options for neighborhoods and for particular urban sites.

Patricia McGirr, College of Food and Natural Resources, for improving the quality of the built environment through the activities of the Urban Places Project (UPP.) Also directed by Ann Forsyth and Henry Lu, UPP is an award winning program that provides urban design and planning services to low-income neighborhoods in mid-sized communities, including Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Pittsfield, and Fitchburg. UPP works with neighborhood residents, officials, and business people to create visions and specific redevelopment options for neighborhoods and for particular urban sites.

Dr. David Schimmel, School of Education, for promoting deep and sustainable partnerships between the University and our surrounding communities and enriching the undergraduate and graduate educational experience. As the leader of the campus undergraduate Community Service Learning Program, he is directly responsible for providing an opportunity for thousands of students to engage in significant community service work, benefiting the community and our students. His latest initiative, the Citizen Scholars Program, is designed to identify and nurture the Commonwealth's future community leaders.

Outreach Awards Honorees 1997-1998

Dr. Christine King, School of Nursing, for improving the health of the Commonwealth K-12 students through a series of Outreach activities including the UMass Simmons School Health Institute and the Springfield Comprehensive School Health Program.

Dr. Josephine Ryan, School of Nursing, for improving the health of the Commonwealth K-12 students through a series of Outreach activities including the UMass Simmons School Health Institute and the Springfield Comprehensive School Health Program.

Dr. Ronald Prokopy, College of Food and Natural Resources, for improving agriculture management and environmental quality, particularly through the practice of Integrated Pest Management.

Special Outreach Citation 2002

Mort Sternheim, Professor Emeritus, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Distinguished Outreach Partnership Awards

2004

Dr. Joseph Burke, Superintendent of Springfield Schools
Dr. Eduardo Carballo, Superintendent of Holyoke Schools
Peter Bentinck-Smith, President, Massachusetts 4H Foundation
Zvi Rozen, Director of Industry and Technology, Massachusetts Department of Business and Technology Tripp Peake, Managing Partner, Long River Ventures

2003

Joe Donovan, Clarke and Company
Jim Fallon, Vice President, Tyco Corporation
Don Haile, Vice President, Fidelity Investments
Joyce Plotkin, President, Massachusetts Software Council
Greg Sheldon, Massachusetts Telecommunications Council
Mayor Michael Sullivan, City of Holyoke
Julia Rivera, Resident Services Coordinator, Sargent West Apartments
Laurie Millman, Director of Program Development, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke
Charles Burnham, Director - Forest Health Program, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management
Karen Connelly, Executive Director, Massachusetts Association of Lawn Care Professionals
Mary Ellen Kirrane, Health Grants Coordinator, Brockton Public Schools

2002

Gladys Lebron, Associate Director, Nueva Esperanza
John Gallup, Senior Vice President, Economic Development, Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce

2001

Jerrold Levinsky, Deputy General Counsel, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
William Zimmer, Regional Director, Department of Mental Retardation.

2000

Diana F. Callahan, Co-Director, Western Massachusetts Writing Project
Paul Friedman, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Baystate Medical Center
W. Geoffrey Little, President, Telitcom Development Corporation
Barbara Johnson, Vice-President C3 Engineering, Raytheon Corporation

1999

Timothy Brennen, Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
John Dunn, Executive Vice President, Springfield Technical Community College
Monica Escobar Lowell, Office of Community Programs, University of Massachusetts/Worcester
M. Sue Thrasher, Partnership Coordinator, Five Colleges, Incorporated

Distinguished Outreach Partnership Awards