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Recipients of UNLV’s 2018 Community Engagement Awards have conducted research to help victims of human trafficking, to guide nursing students performing community health assessments, to help launch Nevada’s first Girls Who Code Club, and much more.

The awards are designed to honor those on campus who demonstrate a commitment to community partnership, which is one of the university’s five Top Tier goals. The awards specifically recognize community-based research, service-learning, faculty/staff community outreach, and student service.

“This is our second year of honoring the powerful ways UNLV faculty, staff, and students engage in our community,” said Sue DiBella, interim executive director of the office of community engagement. “We had remarkable applications this year, and once again we are delighted to recognize the breadth and depth of partnership between UNLV and the Southern Nevada community.”

Two selection committees reviewed a combined total of 39 applications received for awards in the four categories. Recipients of the community-based research and service-learning awards each will receive $2,000. The recipient of the faculty/staff community outreach award will receive $1,500, and the student service award recipient will receive $1,000.

The 2018 award recipients include:

Community-Based Research Award: Margaret Alexis Kennedy, department of criminal justice - Project title: “Failure to Appear”

Service-Learning Award: Minnie Wood, School of Nursing - Project title: “Population Health Nursing in the Community: A Course for Baccalaureate Nursing Students”

Faculty/Staff Community Outreach Award: Fatma Nasoz, department of computer science - Project title: “Girls Who Code Club at UNLV"

Student Service Award: Brenna Spector, department of film - Project title: “Afternoons with Amanda”  

The following individuals received honorable mentions in each category:

• Community-Based Research: Brad Donohue, department of psychology, and Andrew Freeman, department of psychology.
• Service-Learning: Alison Sloat, College of Sciences, and Laura Culley, School of Medicine
• Faculty/Staff Community Outreach: Laura Barrera, William S. Boyd School of Law, and Christina Demopoulos, School of Dental Medicine
• Student Service: Erdogan Kaya, department of teaching and learning; Marwa Maki, School of Medicine; and Kristina Cordes, School of Medicine  

Additional information about each of the award recipients and their projects will be released shortly.

“There were so many compelling applications this year that it was difficult for the selection committees to choose,” DiBella said. “Please join us in congratulating these outstanding award recipients for their stellar efforts to connect our campus with the community.”