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Center for Community-Based Learning
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Osprey Community Engagement Medallion

In alignment with UNF’s mission, the Osprey Community Engagement Medallion recognizes students who demonstrate exemplary commitment to the greater Jacksonville community through activities such as community-based learning, volunteerism, community or social advocacy, community-based Federal work-study, and political engagement during their years as a UNF student.

The deadline for the Spring 2024 application is Friday, March 22, 2024, at 11:59PM.

Osprey Community Engagement Medallion Recipients

The Center for Community-Based Learning recognizes up to 25 graduating students each semester who greatly excel in engagement and service to their community by awarding the Osprey Community Engagement Medallion.  Students awarded the Osprey Community Engagement Medallion demonstrate excellence and exhibit personal development, intellectual growth, and positive community impact resulting from their community engagement experiences. Recipients are expected to have engaged in a variety of activities demonstrating the diversity of commitment to serving their communities while making a significant investment in at least one community-based experience over time.

Spring 2023

2023-Spring-OCEM-Recipients

Left - Right Front Row: Katie Jones, Erin Poblete, Marianne Kardahi, Paige Brooks, Dylan Fergus, Ernesto Gonzalez, Michaela Hewitt, Minakshi Sharma, Chandria Carter
Left - Right Back Row: Bruno Calado, Samantha Maks, Mario Granados Serrano, Blayne Curtis, Khelsea Boyd, Rachel Heiser, Alison Dodson, Alicia Scott
Not Pictured: Kimberly Laynes, Selah Jones

 

Past Recipients

Fall 2022

Leticia Casseus

KJ Fox

Carolina Hadzic

Alonna Ischep

Rita Jacobs

Caroline Jury

Jacob Kintner

Stacey Lowey-Ball

Jose Morales

Erich Periman

Itzamarie Rivera Gonzalez

Sara-Marie Seliba

Lauryn Syms

Spring and Summer 2022

Brin Balcom

Deanna Bartley

Samantha Burke

Nichole Lily-Ann Olivia Cohen

Destiny Ray Cole

Mahelet Dalke

Katherine Lynette Hall

Bonnie Michelle Leonce

Chloe J. Lopez

Gabrielle Nathalie Marquez

Elena Pellumbi

Atalia Vazquez

Rodrica Tiara Wright

Fall 2021

Kaitlyn Anne Chana

Menciana Beauplan

Sean Dorenkott

Tabitha Gail Edwards

Kinsey Pace Gilmore

Alexandra Zapata

Spring and Summer 2021

Courtney Ardizzoni

Miranda Chesney

Carleigh Eagle

Kristin Gonzalez

Thatcher Hart

Jessica LeDoux

Skylar Long

Glimary Negron-Muniz

Brittyn Perkins

Fall 2020

Nicholas Cole

Dylan Edwards

Desiree Hernandez

Sandy Moreno

Michelle Noda-Lopez

Spring and Summer 2020

Haiden Baier

Kii Cash

Anna Crum

Meriam Elbahari

Brian Foster

Mary Geier

Jessimine Bella Gonzalez

Taryn Griffey

Atiya Lovett

Kali Massa

Leanza Mayo

Arielle O'Neal

Cristina Watson

Lakel White

Fall 2019

Ricky Taylor

Yvonne Barnes

Maaria Chehab

Siamara Tannous

Janelle Gunder

Paul Donaldson

  • What is Community Engagement?
    Community engagement is defined as active collaboration with local, state, regional, or global communities that builds on the resources, skills, expertise, and knowledge of the university and community to improve the quality of life in communities in a manner consistent with the university mission. Some examples of community engagement experiences could include volunteer service at a non-profit agency, participation in a community-based learning course, contribution of voluntary work on a political campaign, advocacy on specific social issues, involvement with a faculty member on a community-based research project, or employment in a community-based work-study position.
  • Application Deadline
    All deadline dates are posted for each application cycle. Fall applications are available in August and due in October. Spring and Summer applications are available in January and due in March. SUMMER GRADUATES MUST APPLY DURING THE SPRING APPLICATION WINDOW. Completed applications must be submitted via the online Qualtrics application platform. The application must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST of the deadline date.
  • Eligibility
    Undergraduate students with a minimum UNF GPA of 2.75 and graduate students with a minimum UNF GPA of 3.0, who will receive their respective degrees at the end of the respective semester, are eligible to apply for the Osprey Community Engagement Medallion.
  • Application Process

    The application consists of:

    • Applicant eligibility, including GPA and graduation application status
    • Reflective essays explaining how five learning outcomes have been achieved through community-based experiences
    • Contact information for individuals who can validate community-based experiences
    • Personal essay highlighting impact of community-based work

    A. Applicant Information and Eligibility

    Submission of general applicant information, including overall Grade Point Average (GPA).

    Undergraduate students: A minimum UNF GPA of 2.75 is required. Applicants GPA will be verified via UNF’s student records.  Graduate and Professional Students: A minimum UNF GPA of 3.0 is required. Applicants GPA will be verified via UNF’s student records.

     

    B. Reflective Essays
    Applicants will write reflective essays explaining how community-based experiences have contributed to their achievement of five learning outcomes associate with community-based work. Essays should be 400-500 words. Applicants will be able to save and return to the application.  They will need to provide examples of community-based experiences to address the following learning outcomes:

    1. Civic Identity and Commitment
    2. Ethical Perspective
    3. Active Participation in Addressing Social Issues
    4. Collaboration with Others
    5. Self-Awareness of Personal Education

    The same community-based experience might be able to address multiple learning outcomes. The review committee is more interested in depth and learning associated with an experience than the breadth of experiences. Community-based experiences need to have occurred while a student at UNF.

     

    C. Contact Information

    In answering each learning outcome prompt, you will need to include contact information of an individual who you worked with who can attest to the experience. The same person can be used for multiple times.

    D.  Personal Essay

    Applicants are asked to submit an essay of at least 500 words that addresses the following statement:

    How have community-based experiences during your time at UNF contributed to your growth as a responsible citizen? How are they related to what you learned in your coursework? How have your community-based experiences at UNF affected the community? What has been their impact on your learning, development, and growth?

  • Criteria and Selection

    A committee comprised of faculty, staff, and community partners will review and score applications. Applications will be rated on the evidence of the dimensions of a Community Engaged Osprey.

    Applications should reflect a breadth (variety) and depth (quality) of experience in several different community engagement experiences.

    What is a Community Engaged Osprey?

    In alignment with UNF’s mission and values, a Community Engaged Osprey is skillfully prepared through formal education to significantly contribute to their communities. This student has the capacity and desire to work with others to contribute to the public good.

    Evidence of a Community Engaged Osprey includes how your community and civic experience have:

    • Influenced your development of self-identity and civic identity, including your personal commitment to service.
    • Framed your ethical perspective on addressing pressing issues and complex problems in society.
    • Encouraged your role as an active participant in society to address social issues, including taking a leadership role and/or engaging others in service.
    • Strengthened your ability to effectively collaborate with others across differences (including diversity, interconnectedness, mutuality, and respect).
    • Developed your understanding of the benefit of your education to address social issues.  
  • Notification and Recognition
    Applicants will be notified of their selection for this award no later than three weeks before commencement. Recipients are expected to attend an award ceremony at the University Center.  The ceremony typically occurs during the last two weeks of the semester, depending on space availability.  Family, friends, faculty members, and community members are invited to attend the ceremony. Recipients are also expected to wear the medallion at their UNF commencement ceremony.

Upon completion of the application process, students who are selected will receive their medallions at a special ceremony, and may proudly wear their medallions at UNF’s commencement ceremony.  

For any questions about the Osprey Community Engagement Medallion please contact the Center for Community-Based Learning or call (904) 620-3545.