OSPREY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEDALLION  

• 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
  • Community Engagement Summary
  • Documentation of 3 Community Engagement Experiences
  • Personal Essay

   

  Part 1: Student Application Form

  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. Community Engagement Summary

  Applicants will provide a paragraph summary of their significant community engagement experiences while a UNF student.  The application provides an example for applicants to use as a potential template.

   

  C. Documentation of Community Engagement Experiences

  Applicants should complete the Community Engagement documentation portion by detailing THREE (3) meaningful community engagement experiences that have occurred during their academic years at UNF.

   

  To complete the documentation form, you will need information such as course names, course numbers, CRN Numbers, faculty member names, names of experiences or community-based assignment(s), names of the community organizations, number of hours served, and a brief summary of the experience. You may want to gather this information before beginning the application.

   

  You will need to identify in which category your Community Engagement Experience fits. These categories are for classification purposes only.

   

  Curricular (Course/Credit Based) Community-Based Activities

  • Community-based research or assignment project focused on a community issue (research completed with a faculty mentor and community agency that focused on addressing a community issue)
  • International study abroad with a service learning component (taken for credit)
  • Community-Based Instruction or service learning course (credit course that includes unpaid, voluntary work as an integrated part of the coursework)
  • Community Apprenticeship for academic programs (unpaid, voluntary work performed at a charitable non-profit, government or school-based site that was documented through credit; i.e., internship, Co-op, practicum, clinical, or field placement)

  Co-Curricular (Out-of-Classroom) Community-Based Activities

  • Campus sponsored day of service (a one-time service project organized by UNF)
  • Intensive service project (a service project with a significant amount of voluntary community service over a set period of time, such as an alternative break or study abroad experience not taken for credit that includes a service component)
  • Membership or leadership in a community-based engagement student organization (participation or leadership role is a service, political or social-issue based organization that is registered with UNF’s Club Alliance)
  • Non-paid/non-credit Community Apprenticeship (unpaid, voluntary work performed at a charitable non-profit, government or school-based site that wasn’t documented through credit; i.e., internship, Co-op, practicum, clinical, or field placement)

  Compensated Community-Based Activities (via money, scholarship, or similar benefits)

  • Community-based Federal work-study employment (Federal work-study position performed at a charitable non-profit community organization)
  • National Service (Including AmeriCorps, NCCC, VISTA, etc.)
  • Scholarship that requires a minimum of 20 or more hours of service per year
  • Military service (including ROTC)
  • Paid internship at a community-based site (government, school, or non-profit organization)

  D.  Personal Essay

  Applicants are asked to submit an essay (no more than 1000 words) that addresses the following statement:

  I have a responsibility and a commitment to use the knowledge and skills I gained as an University of North Florida student to collaborate and dialogue with others across differences to address social issues.

  Applicants are asked to explain the ways that they agree or disagree with this statement and provide personal examples.

• 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

• 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)