Check it out!

Check out this cool event! I can't wait to check out this event! This is perfect for all you interested in advocacy and civil rights. ASU is hosting this event that combines advocacy, cultural competence, civil rights and the Arts. What more could you ask for? Check out this link to a promotional video for the event: http://copp.asu.edu/do/college-news/events/urban_gallery/

Advocacy Event!

ASU Urban Gallery festivities celebrate community April 3

By: Corey Shubert

PHOENIX – The ASU Downtown Phoenix campus will open its doors to the community at the 4th Annual Urban Gallery Exhibition from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 3 at the University Center at 411 N. Central Ave.

This free exhibit is part of First Friday and will feature four new art collections, with more than 500 pieces on display from ASU Emeritus faculty, nonprofit community organizations and artists, and students of Barrett, the Honors College, and South Mountain High School in Phoenix. Live music will be featured on two stages, along with dancers and interactive art demonstrations. Many artists and nonprofit groups will be on hand to discuss their work.

“The event is designed to welcome the community to its ASU Downtown Phoenix campus and to share the richly diverse art collection,” says Debra Friedman, University Vice President and Dean of the College of Public Programs at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus.

Among the new collections this year is “Migration: Immigration, Giving Honor to Cultures and Communities,” designed to encourage open-minded dialogue about an important and often divisive current issue. Phoenix artists including Luis Gutierrez, Martin Moreno, Emily Matyas and Francisco Garcia examine immigration as a global, national, local, and family phenomenon. The Cultural Arts Coalition, Neighborhood Ministries, Advocates for Latin@ Arts and Culture and South Mountain High School, among many others, use the arts to showcase their mission and strengthen shared community ties.

Other new art collections include “Spring Forward,” with works from artists, students and faculty of Barrett, the Honors College, celebrating the coming of spring.

Information Commons is showcasing “Double/Vision,” which brings together works from Phoenix artists Nancy Reinker and Diana Clauss.

Artwork in the “For Our Eyes” collection shares viewpoints from nonprofits in the Phoenix community and the people they serve. Another collection showcases the talent of ASU professors, expressed through the works of retired faculty members of the ASU Emeritus College. This includes influential African-American artist and educator Dr. Eugene Grigsby, Jr.

The campus will be filled with the sights of ASU graduate dance students performing with urban youth, live art demonstrations such as painting, kids’ crafts and interactive opportunities. Diverse music, poetry and performances will be provided by Barrett, the Honors College, local organizations and sponsors.

Live music includes steel drummers, tap dancers and local bands including Try Me Bicycle, Grupo Liberdade and Ten Dollar Outfit.

The 4th Annual Urban Gallery Exhibition is an Artlink shuttle stop, and planned in coordination with the Roosevelt Row block party.

More than 30 nonprofit groups are taking part, including Phoenix Children’s Hospital, AZ Wilderness Coalition, Neighborhood Ministries, the Cultural Arts Coalition, Hospice of the Valley, Downtown Phoenix Public Market, and PSA Art Awakenings.

The exhibition is among the highlights of a daylong community event, “Action, Advocacy and Arts,” focusing on the power of community at the Downtown Phoenix campus.

For information about the exhibit, contact ASU community liaison Malissa Geer at malissa.geer@asu.edu. For “Action, Advocacy and Arts” details, visit: http://copp.asu.edu/aaa.

EVENT: 4th Annual Urban Gallery Exhibition celebrating the arts and community

TIME/DATE: 6-10 p.m. Friday, April 3

WHERE: ASU Downtown Phoenix campus - University Center, 411 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix

WHAT: The Urban Art Exhibition includes more than 500 diverse pieces from Emeritus, community and student artists. Artwork primarily focuses on pressing social issues. Part of First Friday Art Walk, Roosevelt Row block party and an Artlink shuttle stop. Live music and interactive art demonstrations.

COST: Admission is free.

Need a job?

Want to be surrounded by peers and scholars who want real,
sustainable change in the world?

The College of Public Programs has a selective, unique residential community called Metropolis. Metropolis is located on the fourth floor of the new, state of the art, residence halls on the downtown campus. Metropolis is a group of College of Public Program’s students who want to live and learn in an urban, cutting edge environment. Additional resources like, access to faculty speakers, tutoring, peer study groups and degree specific opportunities await you as part of Metropolis.

Metropolis is currently accepting applications for two Residential Student community Leaders (RSCL) for the 2009-2010 academic year. The positions will be responsible for student programming that supports student academic success for the Metropolis freshmen students. Each RSCL will be assigned a floor of 60 community members in Taylor Place for the 2009-2010 academic year. RSCLs are not responsible for student discipline but rather creating a community that is focused on academic success.

The Metropolis RSCL's need to a COPP student with a GPA of a 2.75 or higher. Each RSCL will recieve a free room in Taylor place for the Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 semesters. In addition, the College of Public Programs will provide each RSCL with a small stipend each semester, that covers the cost of the mandatory meal plan for all Taylor Place residents. If you are interested in helping freshmen succeed, please submit your resume and a cover letter that details your relevant experience to Dana C. Newell by April 15, 2009. All documents shoud be submitted electronically via email.

For more information, please contact: Dana C. Newell, M.A.Director, Student and Academic AffairsEmail: dana.newell@asu.eduPhone: (602) 496-0416

Choices, cont.

I am happy to report that I am one step closer to making a decision on my Master's program! I spoke to Laura Orr (the wonderful academic advisor for the School of Social Work's Masters program) and she helped to answer some of the questions I had regarding the masters degree and components that I had. As you recall I have been struggling with whether to do the Advanced Standing Masters of Social Work (MSW), a Masters in Public Policy (MPP) or the Masters of Public Administration/Masters of Social Work dual degree (MPA/MPP). I was concerned that if I entered the dual degree path that I would be repeating classes in the Masters that I had already completed in the Bachelors level so I called Laura. She explained that due to the nature of the degree, I would in fact be repeating these classes that I had previously completed, and would not be able to test out of them because of the credit sharing requirements of the degree. She suggested that if I was really interested in completing two degrees that I should consider doing doing the degrees concurrently. This means that I would be able to "mix and match" my two degrees without repeating classes from the undergraduate level. So going with this I would be able to do the Adv. Standing MSW which is completed in one year, and the MPP in about another year after that. That is great to me because I will not be repeating course and I will complete these two degrees in less time than the 3 years required for the MPA/MSW program. Besides these things, I also feel I would like the MPP rather than the MPA because the MPP deals more with budgets and economic analysis. However, there are two drawbacks. First, you will have to pay double the fees for admission and graduation because of the classification of concurrent degree rather than dual. Also, is the time. With budget cuts looming in the horizon, it is an uncomfortable feeling to commit myself to two years in school when in one I could have a masters in the form of an MSW. I do have to consider though that the economic atmosphere for social services jobs that I would be qualified for as an MSW is looking bleak. I really want to reclaim my investment in school after I graduate by getting into a gainful career path. This brings me back to the concurrent MSW and MPP that would allow me to follow the passion in my heart for Social Work, and yet to use that passion in a career that would return more on my investment. The next step in this process is to speak to the School of Public Affairs academic advisor to learn more about the requirements and information regarding Public Programs piece of this puzzle. If you are looking into an Social Work degree or need more information regarding the Social Work programs, I suggest you contact Laura Orr as she is a wealth of knowledge and extremely helpful. She can be reached at 602-496-0400. Alright, on to the next step....