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NDNU’s Human Services

Community Capstone

Projects

Summer 2017 Newsletter

GRADUATION: May 2017 IN THIS ISSUE

Thank You

Every year, NDNU Human Services

students partner with community

organizations. Their challenge is to

lead a project in which they establish

significant goals and measure specific

outcomes so that they make a lasting

difference.

We are so grateful to the

organizations that work with these

students. The opportunities that you

give students access to allow them to

demonstrate the passion that they feel

for different causes, populations, and

communities.

Thank you for joining me to celebrate

these successes. They are highlighted

in just a few words here, but their

success is reflected in infinitely more

ways when measured in effort and the

potential for improved futures.

Sincerely,

Therese Dr. Therese M. Madden

Professional Studies Program

NDNU, 1500 Ralston Avenue,

Belmont, CA 94002-1908

Senior Seminar at the

Belmont Campus

Andonica (Nica) Williams worked

with Deborah’s Palm, which is a Palo

Alto-based women’s resource center,

to organize and facilitate a series of

divorce seminars. Though her

efforts, she empowered community

members with knowledge and

afforded them dignity and respect

though understanding and care.

Joy Fabre-Garcia challenged her

local girl scout troop to move beyond

social activities to service-oriented

ideas. Through her research and

facilitation, the troop participated

with a number of nonprofit outreach

efforts appropriate for their age,

creating a foundation of service and

philanthropy.

Jessica Castro worked with local

motorcycle safety organizations as

she penned a book about motorcycle

safety for women. She used her book

as the basis for a series of talks about

the subject and plans to remain

involved as an advocate for the health

and safety of women riders.

Daisy Marquez helped to organize

an Encuentro Alternative Spring

Break that focused on Immigration

Justice through the Sister Dorothy

Stang Center. She provided support

for one immigrant’s asylum hearing

and helped empower students with

knowledge and experience about

immigration efforts so that they can make a difference for others.

Melissa Maldonado organized a

youth project for Redwood City’s

Fair Oaks Community School in

which students visited two local

colleges to learn about opportunities in higher education.

Gratitude to participating organizations

Senior Seminar at Belmont Campus

Senior Seminar at Mission College

Notre Dame de Namur University

*Teaching Excellence *Social Justice* Community Engagement*

A Tradition of Creating Access to Higher Education

NDNU HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM – NEWSLETTER | 2017 2

Janice Zowasky partnered with the

California Dental Association Cares

San Mateo to provide local marketing

and advertising support for a pop up

clinic at the San Mateo Expo Center.

Her sponsor noted that “her

volunteerism and support, along with

many others, allowed us to provide

almost $1.6M in case to the San

Mateo community.”

Georgette Esquivel created a

semester-long yoga curriculum for

Gatepath, which provides programs

to create opportunities for greater

independence for people with special

needs and disabilities. This

curriculum focuses on the physical

benefits of movement and self-care

and aids participants in learning new

ways of calming the mind. Her

sponsor noted that “the results have

been very positive. The participants

love it and attendance has been

almost at capacity.”

Alassandra Hnatt worked with

Peninsula Family Services to create a

child-parent bonding night for low-

income families. This organization

provides preschool for children facing

extreme adversity and the project

included both outreach and

facilitation of an evening event.

William Leroy Wells organized a

college information project for the

Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club,

inspiring youth to pursue higher

education through information, a tour

of NDNU, and facilitated reflection

about the learning process. The Mid-

Peninsula Boys and Girls Club serves

youth between the ages of six and 18

and seeks to inspire and enable all

young people to reach their full

potential as productive, caging, and responsible citizens.

David Muir created assistance for

the St. Bonaventure Outreach

Services in providing electricity and

water to families on the Eastern

Navajo Reservation in New Mexico.

Though a combination of outreach

projects, he raised money to purchase

a solar panel kit, a cistern, a water

pump, and a water heater. His

sponsor noted that the success of

David’s project will “greatly improve

the life of a Navajo family to receive

1200 gallons of water a month –

instead of 220 gallons of water a

month. It will allow a Navajo family

to have access to hot water and some

LED lights… to give Navajo children

an opportunity to do their school homework at night.

Monique Hunter supported the

Dorothy Stang Scholarship Fund

through the creation of a web-based

platform and an informative video.

The scholarship fund currently

provides financial support to four

women who have worked hard at

rebuilding their lives after trauma and addiction.

Candice Calero developed an

innovative marketing campaign to

spread awareness and attract

donations to Sacramento’s National

Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Candice continues her involvement

and plans to spread awareness

through peer to peer educational

programs designed to promote the

alleviation of stigmas associated with mental illness.

Marisela Nunez worked with

Community Health Partnership to

research curriculum development,

interviewing local organizations

about the development of a civic-engagement program.

Amanda Fletcher worked with the

Helen and Joe Farkes center for the

Study of the Holocaust in Catholic

Schools, using her extensive

experience in libraries to organize

their collection. Her sponsor noted

that this project benefitted not just the

450 students currently at the high

school but “an unlimited number of

students and teachers who will now

have knowledge of and access to the

collection.”

Marilyn Lara increased the visibility

of the Institute on Aging’s Friendship

Line, which is a free service to the

elderly and those who have

disabilities. It provides a warm and

confidential conservation to seniors

who may not have anyone,

supporting lonely and isolated

individuals in San Francisco, Marin,

and San Mateo Counties. Marilyn

partnered with agencies that service

the aging population in San Mateo

county, creating a data base, doing

presentations, and more. Her sponsor

noted that “the call value from San

Mateo residents is expected to increase.”

Nidia Medina announced the

completion of an outreach program

for REACH, which is an organization

that serves the needs of stroke

survivors and others with brain

injuries. They provide educational

and rehab services, plus activities, for

adults who are recovering from

strokes or other brain injuries. This

outreach program included both

research and outreach aimed toward

increasing phone calls by at least

20%. Her sponsor said that “this

project could literally serve thousands

of stroke survivors and their families.”

Geraldine Castrence developed a

social media outreach project for the

NDNU Clinical Psychology

Department. Deemed the second best

program nation-wide for student

NDNU HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM – NEWSLETTER | 2017 3

satisfaction, this program enhanced

program strengths by developing a

strategy to broaden student outreach through social media.

Senior Seminar at

Mission College (NDNU

Satellite location)

Cassondra Godinez drafted a

comprehensive employee manual for

the Grateful Garment Project and

designed a web site designed to

support other Human Services

professionals.

Darius Holmes redesigned and

reworked the Mission Middle College

website for greater communication

efficiency with both its targeted

population and the community at large.

Maria Velasco recruited 30 families

of Veterans to participate in an event

at Dream Power, which offers equine-

assisted activities and therapies. The

program, called Horses for Warriors,

provides innovative therapy services aimed at assisting Veterans.

Emily Neapolitan launched an

outreach program for Bay Area

organization Girl Ventures, which

combines outdoor adventure with

social/emotional learning for

adolescent girls. Emily’s project

included designing, creating, and

implementing a marketing and digital

media outreach program targeted at

hard to reach communities in order to

raise awareness, solicit donations and

members, and track media. Her

sponsor noted that she “has been

fantastic at taking initiative and

providing us with incredible materials.”

Carlos Echevarria worked with the

San Jose Vet Center and Crossfit

Kindred to implement a physical

training program to Disabled

Veterans as part of their

rehabilitation. The San Jose Vet

Center offers readjustment counseling

for Veterans coming from all war

eras. This project combined their

outreach efforts to those with

physical and mental health issues

with the expertise of CrossFit coaches

to involve more Veterans in physical

health exercises and nutritional

programs.

Adrianna Thompson led a Visual

and Performing Arts Project for

Gardner Academy in San Jose, a

bilingual elementary school. By

leading efforts to create the

foundation for a parent volunteer

position designed to organize events

for students around visual and

performing arts, AJ created

connections and facilitate increased

student experiences.

Student Reflections NDNU’s intimate setting builds a community of students, teachers and administrators who are working together to make the learning experience a positive one.

What I have learned at NDNU has prepared me for life. I am knowledgeable, confident, and curious. More importantly, I am not afraid of challenge. I have learned so much… about myself and what I am truly capable of. By creating a community that is learning and growing together we are better able to serve others. It does not stop when we leave NDNU. NDNU will always be part of my community; it has left its Hallmark on me. As I began accumulating information for this project, I was amazed at the wealth of topics covered throughout my courses at NDNU. Through the Human Services Program, my self-esteem has improved by leaps and bounds.

NDNU’s Human

Services Program

1500 Ralston Avenue Belmont, CA 94002

tmadden@ndnu.edu

NDNU HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM – NEWSLETTER | 2017 4

Notre Dame de Namur University is the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, with a mission and tradition on the forefront of innovative change and social justice. We are

committed to accessibility to higher education. We were the first university to offer degrees to women in California, the first private university to receive recognition as a Hispanic

serving institution, and one of the first in the Bay Area to receive the prestigious Carnegie recognition for community service.

We distinguish ourselves through great teaching, caring relationships, and a commitment to engaged social justice. We live this commitment through relationships,

continuous learning, and thoughtful dialogue about creative and inclusive ways to educate, bringing meaning, purpose, and relevance to our students and the communities we serve.

For more information about our programs,

please contact Dr. Therese Madden at tmadden@ndnu.edu

Know a future student?

Contact Dr. Madden (info above) or Rey Penate

(Admissions) at rpenate@ndnu.edu