Life lessons at the Compact

My time here at the Compact is coming to end, but I have definitely learned a lot more than I previously thought! There was an incident last Saturday that caused me to really grapple with how to handle this situation. A strange man had entered my dormroom, and I caught him. Obviously I was very taken aback and frightened, so I informed the University Police Dept. about what had happened. UPD has been excellent in handling the investigation very well. However, when the suspect had been identified by UPD, I learned something very scary, the man in my room had previously been in prison for kidnapping and robbery in another state. Because of my personality, my mind immediately began racing with thoughts about what potentially could have happened. Students both on and off campus were informed about the situation, yet the public was not.

I arrived Wednesday morning to Texas Campus Compact, and told them my new updates on the investigation. Immediately Patricia suggested to alert KEYE CBS News in Austin about this because surrounding neighborhoods should also be informed about this frightening occurance. I did not want to reflect badly on St. Edward's, yet I felt it was important to be civically engaged. Civically engaged. That's sounds familiar. Texas Campus Compact is THE organization that promotes community involvement in higher education, so yes I have learned something beyond what any classroom could have taught me. It is important to speak about about some occurance that could potentially be dangerous to anyone else. If you keep quiet, there is a potential for this incidence to happen again, not just on campus, but in other parts of the community. I think I am taking away much more than just "internship" experience. I am taking away a lesson that I am going to remember for the rest of my life. Even though the University did not take action in informing the public about this incident or showing a photo for his warranted arrest, sometimes it takes individual action to make sure the right thing has been done.

I would like to thank TxCC for instilling this confidence in me. My voice IS a powerful tool and I should exercise my freedom to tell the community what I feel is right.

'News from Texas Campus Compact'

Hello!

Here is a little update about what I have been creating for the Compact. The weekly newsletter is a great way to give members and friends a heads up about what is going on here..it highlights newsworthy info about our member schools across Texas, provides updates about VISTA news, and lists conferences and scholarships that would be applicable to our audience. This is the newsletter that was sent out April 8th :)


'News from Texas Campus Compact'

CONGRATULATIONS

to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, launched in 2006, annually recognizes institutions of higher education for their commitment to and achievement in community service. The President's Honor Roll increases the public's awareness of the contributions that colleges and their students make to local communities and the nation as a whole. President Obama has pledged to make service a central cause of his administration and wishes to commemorate the significant role that higher institutions, their students, staff, and faculty play in helping to solve pressing social problems in the nation's communities. Texas Campus Compact is pleased and honored that the following Texas campuses have received this important distinction: Abilene Christian University Baylor University Blinn College Brookhaven College Collin County Community College Hardin-Simmons University Lone Star College, Montgomery Lone Star College, Tomball Northwest Vista College of the Alamo Community College District Our Lady of the Lake University Ranger College Rice University Richland College Saint Edward's University San Antonio College Southwestern University St. Mary's University Stephen F. Austin State University Tarleton State University Texas Christian University Texas Tech University Trinity University Tyler Junior College University of Houston, Clear Lake University of Houston, Downtown University of North Texas University of Texas at Arlington University of Texas at San Antonio University of Texas at Tyler University of Texas Health Science, San Antonio West Texas A&M University We hope that each of our Texas institutions of higher education consider applying for this important recognition. Please feel free to call me should you have any questions about the process.

Meet the Carnegie Classification Presentation Offer!

Our Executive Director will be traveling around the state of Texas this Spring helping Texas Campus Compact members navigate the Carnegie Classification. Patricia's presentation: Meet the Carnegie Classification, has already received rave reviews. If your campus would like assistance in this applying for this important distinction, please email: patricia@texascampuscompact.org

This is a FREE service for members of The Compact.

Non-Members: $1,500.00

Thank You

Collegiate Leadership and Engagement Breakfast

Leadership Austin and the Hilltop Leadership Development Program at St. Edward's University have partnered to create an event that will bring together student leaders from Central Texas Colleges and universities to discuss the importance of civic engagment and ways to make connections in the community.

Feb.24th-Student leadership groups from Central Texas will covene at the Gallery at Chez Zee to take part in a panel and roundtable discussion about the importance of reaching beyond their university walls.

The primary panel will feautre speakers from the academic, political, business, and nonprofit sectors who will take part in a faciliated exhange with the audience, focusing on themes of community, collaboration, and citizenship. It will be moderated by Heather McKissick, President and CEO of Leadership Austin. In addition to the panel, each table of students will be hosted by a different regional leader. Each student will select a table based on their area of study and participate in a more in-depth discussion of civic engagement from that point of view.

**This event will be sponsored by Texas Campus Compact**

TxCC News

Dear Compact Friends,

Texas Campus Compact would like to personally invite you to become be a part of our new group, "Friends of the Compact." As a "Friend," your organization will receive guaranteed exposure of your brand name and logo that will be advertised in our electronic newsletter twice a month. For $250.00, your organization will benefit from our 3,000 state wide distribution of "TC2 YOU," ranging from:

-Educators
-Businesses
-corporation
-Foundations
-Faculty
-University and community college presidents
-Members of the Texas Legislature

TXCC has also set up a Facebook group for you to join if you are interested in becoming a "Friend:"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=460351375573&ref=ts

We hope you will become apart of this wonderful group, because as friends, we will be supporting each other in the effort to benefit a much larger scope of making the world a better place!

____________________________________________________________________

This week, TxCC also announced a new benefit for Members that would allow them to purchase items at Office Depot for a discounted price.. Go to the website for more information at: www.texascampuscompact.org

Art of Education

Good Afternoon all,

The weather is a bit dreary here this afternoon, which does not even begin to reflect the wonderful week we have had here at TxCC!

First and foremost, TxCC is very proud to announce that we will be partnering with HBMG Inc. and hopefully Mexi-Arte Museum to host "The Art of Education!" Last April, Patricia attended "The Art of Business" fundraiser coordinated between HBMG, AMOA, and Laguna Gloria, and was absolutely delighted and called it a "true experience." Because she was so impressed by the "Art of Business," the Compact has decided to replicate the event, but with a little twist.

On Wednesday, TxCC sat down with two wonderful representatives from HGMG Inc., Sloan and Ariele, and discussed the details of the event. With little professional experience in planning events, I was amazed at the amount of detail that goes into the planning. We discussed how to appropriately invite attendees (through social networking sites or personal invites), the venue to host the event, times, day (would it conflict with a UT footall game?), advertising during "Art of Business," and the design of the logo. All of this was a lot to take in! I think the most important thing I learned from the meeting is to 1) define target audience for the event and 2) plan the event like it will be annual. Who attends the fundraiser is extremely important because it determines the whole dynamic of the event. It will answer when and where the event will be held, whether or not it is appropriate to charge at the door, and what kind of invitations will be sent.

So far, the purpose of the "Art of Education" will be to showcase the art of the members of the Compact, who may not be publicly recognized as artists. This event is a symbol to the mission of the Compact because it demonstrates "another side of education outside of the classroom." While the Compact promotes service learning and community involvement in addition to classroom learning, it paints a nice comparison with this event because it shows professionals in education revealing another passion, art.

Overall, this event will be an absolute delight and I can't wait to get started with the planning! I believe one of my first tasks is to start brainstorming some ideas with the logo for the event. We threw out a few ideas using a graduation hat, a book, paintbrush...I was even thinking of making the Texas Campus Compact logo like a color wheel or a painting palette...still thinking though!

You can visit the website of the "Art of Business" to get a feel for it!
This year the event will be taking place at Laguna Gloria on April 29th.
www.theartofbusinessaustin.com

Welcome!

I am currently on-board with a great team here at Texas Campus Compact. I first became acquainted with Executive Director, Patricia Spencer Potyka, last November at a Career Panel hosted by St. Edward's University's Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and the Community Society (COSO). After listening to several panelists, I was impressed with Patricia's smooth and eloquent public speaking skills, and I knew I wanted to learn more. I was a little apprehensive to hand her my resume, but I managed to formulate a few words and her my resume, despite my nerves. I was greeted with kind eyes and a smile that eased my worries and I would hope I would be able to work with her in the future.

..And I was right! After meeting the rest of the team, Lynn Price (Director of Operations) and Katie Hardgrove (State VISTA Leader) I was certain TxCC was the right place for me in the new year. I started within the first few weeks of January and became a part of the family instantly! My first few days I got the 411 on the VISTA program led by Katie. I was introduced to the whats, whys, and hows of the purpose of the Campus Compact. The VISTA program is a sector of the AmeriCorps program to end poverty. The Compact promotes campuses around the nation to get involved to keep students in school, ultimately giving them a better opportunity and a brighter future. Specifically, the TxCC VISTA program works with 18 campuses around the state to implement civic engagement programs to make a student more likely to stay in school because they would be exposed to meaningful experiences that would be limited by the classroom setting. TxCC is a wonderful organization that illuminates the pathway for faculty, students, and community leaders by showing them "the how" in establishing effective programs that help students look beyond their own needs and focus on the needs of society.


Whew, what a lot to take in.. TxCC has certainly opened my eyes to a new passion. Even only being a part of this team for a short time, I can see the responsibility we have to provide more than classroom course 101 to make a difference. I am thankful to be apart of a wonderful organization and look forward to many new experiences.

--miss txcc