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.

Applications for Spring and Summer 2021 are available on Friday, January 15, 2021. Applications must be received by Friday, March 19, 2021 and can only be submitted using the online application.

OCEM Spring/Summer 2021 Application

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 in serving their communities while making a significant investment to at least one community-based experience over time.

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.

Expand All

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 – PLEASE REVIEW CAREFULLY
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:

If a community partner/UNF employee were to write a recommendation about the impact of your community-based experience(s), what would they write? 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.

Osprey Community Engagement Medallion Recipients

Fall 2019

From left to right:
Ricky Taylor, Yvonne Barnes, Maaria Chehab, Siamara Tannous, Janelle Gunder, and Paul Donaldson
Spring and Summer 2019

Back Row L-R: Mikayla Short, Sean Lahav, Wendy Campbell, Carmen Smotherman, Christiana Lall, Amanda Moscrip, Asia Baughan, and Michael Vicente
Middle Row L-R: Paige Hamm, Joseph Pierre, Meghann Wheeler, Amelia Brumfield, Gabriella Alqueza, Amani Marar, Kaley Crawford, and Shannon Revels
Front Row L-R: Jennifer Ruliffson, Angelina Provetti, Melanie Moody, Jenny Herard, Elena Gouzos, Molly O'Brien, and Sophia Metrakos
Not pictured: Brianna Costello, Marcline Elie, Larisa Kupinszky, and Jacob Southard
Fall 2018

L-R: Allison Strong, Heather Parker, Lucian Clower, Aaron Johnson, Claire Epaillard, Whitney Hawkins, and Heather Estep
Spring and Summer 2018

Back row L-R: Kyle Stovall, Christopher Mealer, Tiffanie Tudor, Jennifer Santana, Jennifer Brown, Wafaa Safar, Sabrina Sorrentino
Middle Row L-R: Jaclyn Lahey, Sara-Marie Saliba, Aubrey Farrell, Tiffany Parisi, Elizabeth Marroquin, Shea Westfall, and Lindsey Dwyer
Front Row L-R: Rebecca Cheney, Morgan Manning-Henson, Marjorie Hartmann, Sara Deans, Amanda Wind, Emily Gansert, and Jessica Suckow
Fall 2017

L-R: Melissa Rodriguez, Corinne Carabas, Nicole Adams, Brooke Manze, Ashley Lawrence, and Monica Wakefield
Summer 2017

L-R: Mary Bishop, Angela Marini, Alyssa Hanson, Sallie Ferren, and Robert Rosales
Spring 2017

L-R Back Row: Lindsey Mahoney, Haley Camp, Amy Marshall, Rebecca Lamoreaux, Natasha Florez, Jean Newell, Joel Serrano, Sean Lahav, and Farouk Smith. Front Row: Lauren Harrison, Kristy Myny, and Sarah Rosen. Not pictured: Erin Hiebsch and Gia Scaccabarrozzi.
Fall 2016

L-R: Laura Johnson, Kaitlyn Rogers, Savanna Baker, Renee Hutchins, Clare Stern
Summer 2016

L-R: Alison Noonan, Alexandra Seals, Jessica Stephens, Dayna Cohen, Matthew Silberstein, Christine Miner, and Jade Yuen
Spring 2016

Back Row L-R: Jacob Turner, Anna English, Whitney Huston
Front Row L-R: Ayshka Rodriguez, Kate Sanchez, Kelsey Hayward, Marie Whitley (Lauren Cantrell not pictured)