Spirit of Collaboration

Joining together to support and enhance student success

» A new service-learning course was launched through the College of Business that focused on simple tax returns, the IRS and how to work with clients. The course included 18 students who used the Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement’s building to assist the community 12 hours a week, three days a week from February through April. The 4000-level course worked with the IRS’s volunteers in tax assistance (VITA) program. The Public Library is the only other VITA location near APSU, and the wait time for community members to get tax assistance can be hours. The course received financial assistance from the QEP, and helped over 50 people with their simple tax returns while providing 120 hours of volunteer work.

» The Office of Student Disability Resource Center partnered with Academic Support to provide a tutor in Academic Support who identified as having a connection with Student Disability Resource Center.

» Over 50 students attended “Meet the Firms,” a collaboration between Career Services and the College of Business. The event included nine participating employers seeking to fill internships and entry-level employment in the fields of accounting and finance. 

» Student Affairs Programs partnered with Student Life & Engagement at the annual Student Affairs Holiday Reception where 250 students signed cards delivered to senior citizens living in Clarksville assisted living facilities. Student Publications also hosted a holiday-themed photo booth for students to take and share fun photos at the event.

» The Hispanic Cultural Center collaborated with the Department of Languages and Literature to provide cultural lessons in Spanish 1010 and 1020 classes, which reached 1,590 students. Bethany Quinn, the HCC graduate teaching assistant, provided two cultural lessons in Spanish for the classes on Day of the Dead and holidays celebrated in the Hispanic culture.

» Counseling Services and the Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center hosted a lunchtime forum on barriers to mental health services for minority populations.

» Housing, Residence Life and Dining Services and the Student Veterans Organization offered free meals to former and current military personnel in honor and support of Veterans Day.

» Career Services partnered with the Department of Languages and Literature to host a Foreign Language Career Night that engaged over 45 student participants.

» Counseling Services partnered with the Interfraternity Council to host a table and provide information on mental health and distributed brochures geared toward fraternity members.

» Student Publications and The All State photographers provided photography services for Grad Gala events and at a LinkedIn booth for the spring Career Fair. In total 274 portraits were provided for students. Grad Gala events are coordinated by the Office of the Registrar.

» Leslie Nelson, Medical Program Facilitator, and Donna Lucas, Technical Clerk, attended all Govs R.O.W. sessions leading the effort for Boyd Health Services to meet the goal of having all students compliant for immunizations on the first day of classes for fall 2017 and all resident students compliant with meningitis immunization requirements.

» The Hispanic Cultural Center hosted Tertulia, which is conversation in Spanish through games. The students attending were introduced to native Spanish speakers to aid in having conversational Spanish. The event was a collaboration with professor Laura Schultz and introduced students in Spanish classes to the center.

» Counseling Services developed a mental health education module that was included in the APSU 1000 curriculum. The module was intended to introduce Counseling Services to new incoming freshmen and new students.

» Over 226 students attended the fall Career Fair and Graduate and Professional Schools Day. The fair was part of Career Week, a Career Services program that offers personal and professional development opportunities in the form of workshops and a career fair over the course of a week. Workshops such as “Navigating the Job Search,” “Rock Your Resume,” “Writing a Memorable Cover Letter” and others were featured.

» More than 300 students attended a First Floor Open House in the Morgan University Center. The open house was a collaboration to increase awareness of the services and opportunities offered by the Adult, Nontraditional & Transfer Student Center; Student Publications; Auxiliary Services; Military Student Center; Office of Student Disability Resource Center; APSU Post Office and Student Government Association.

» The veteran career adviser in Career Services collaborated closely with the Military Student Center, VetSuccess on Campus and the Office of Student Disability Resource Center on joint projects through the year to provide workshops and direct referrals. The adviser also worked with the College of Business to provide department-specific informational sessions regarding concrete employment opportunities in certain industries. The adviser served on the Leadership Middle Tennessee panel, providing a critical link between Career Services and business and industry leaders in Middle Tennessee, and also coordinated with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development as well as the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) to keep them informed about programs and services offered by Career Services. APSU is among only a handful of colleges and universities with a designated staff member in Career Services who is trained in veteran and military issues and is dedicated to serving veteran and active duty military students.

» Through the Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement, geology major David Woods completed a summer 2017 community engagement research fellowship (CERF) where he completed tree inventory cataloging and taking measurements of several hundred trees on campus. The CSLCE selects a student undergraduate research project every summer. The experience includes a faculty mentor and the requirement that the research must support, educate and enhance a community and be presented at a conference. Woods presented at the Tennessee Experiential Learning Conference in the fall.

» The Hispanic Cultural Center co-sponsored the Asanbe Symposium: Marcelo Castillo “Undocumented and Unafraid” poetry reading and “Memory and Immigration in a Political Moment” panel discussion with the Department of Languages and Literature.

» University Recreation and Athletics worked together to establish beach volleyball courts, which are home to the Governors new beach volleyball program. University Recreation manages use of the three courts, available for the campus community in the off-season. The site includes seating for 300 fans on the adjoining hillside.