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Capstones Beginning Spring 2009
African Children
Sam Gioia, gioia@pdx.edu
This capstone will involve PSU students in assisting African refugee children in public schools throughout Portland. The tutoring will take place during school hours under the supervision of certified teachers. In addition to scheduled session at PSU capstone students will tutor and mentor children for 25 hours during the school term. In the classroom meetings PSU students will learn about and reflect on immigration, cross-cultural communication, education, and the needs of immigrant children. This course is particularly useful for majors in education, the helping professions, International Studies, and Black Studies.
Applications in Social Marketing
Debbie Kaufman, kaufmand@pdx.edu
Learn about social marketing and then apply it to an important public health issue in our community. Participants in this course will learn about the key features of social marketing, how it is different from commercial sector marketing, and critical components to implementing it successfully. Expand your understanding of customer-centered marketing and the 4 Ps: product; price, place and promotion. Bring knowledge from your own field of study, integrate social marketing principles, and support our community partner's goals to foster healthy change.
Art and Social Change
Conrad Schumacher, cnarroti@earthlink.net
The philosophy guiding this Capstone is... For Art to affect and change Society it must be palatable, acceptable to the large majority and, ultimately, sustainable. Some of the essential questions driving the curriculum of this Capstone are: How can Art be a force for social change? How is it? What limits, if any, should there be? This course is open to anyone intrigued with the questions raised by public Art (and possibilities of Art) in our society. This capstone should be of particular value and interest to students who have a desire to teach, create, work collaboratively and inspire. Students will develop Art Literacy lessons to teach in underprivileged public schools. A web site of these lessons will be created and published as a teacher resource. This course will require some flexibility on the part of the students when it comes to the scheduling of the Art Literacy lesson teaching component.
Ballot Initiatives, Society, and the Environment
Joshua Binus, binus@pdx.edu
Students explore and analyze the use of ballot initiatives in Oregon's past that have attempted to regulate government, society, and the natural environment. During the term, students are introduced to various research, writing, and editing strategies and then work as researchers for the Ballot Measure Archive Project, a collaborative effort to document statewide ballot measures run since 1960. Specifically, students actively gather campaign-related historical materials such as photographs, manuscript records, audio and video recordings, maps, ephemera, and artifacts for preservation in a publicly accessible archive. Different ballot measures are researched each term, with a wide variety of topics available for study. A sample of issues covered includes: environmental (fishing, forestry, land use, water quality, hunting and trapping, recycling, and nuclear power), criminal justice (mandatory minimums, victim's rights, sentencing guidelines, evidence and parole, and death penalty), social justice (gay rights, right-to-die, and abortion rights), education, public utility regulation, campaign financing, taxes, and more.
Being an Effective Change Agent
Heather Petzold, petzoldh@pdx.edu
This course is for students interested in being effective change agents for the public good. Each student (individually or with others) will take the initiative before the Capstone begins to arrange a project with a community organization. This project may be an existing relationship or one sought for the purpose of this class. A minimum of three working hours per week with the organization is required. During the course, students will be supported and challenged to develop skills in speaking, listening, building relationships, and coordinating action. Through class discussions, practices, reading, and self-observations, students will recognize and explore the four University Studies' goals and make meaning of how they apply to our everyday lives. Each student is expected to bring to the first day of class a confirmation letter from their community sponsor. This letter should include the student's name, the focus and timeframe of the project, a description of the types of people with whom the student will interact, and the sponsor's signature. Permission of instructor required. Contact instructor by phone (503-725-5376) or e-mail (2hap@comcast.net) for full details regarding course requirements.
Beyond War: Challenge to Change Our Thinking About War
Debbie Kaufman, kaufmand@pdx.edu
Students will be challenged to examine their assumptions about war and to become part of an alternative solution to conflict--personally, in our community, and in the world. This course will teach students about the foundational ideas of Beyond War, principles for everyday living, and prepare them to facilitate discussions challenging others to change their thinking about war. Topics will include: the interdependent nature of our living system; the effects of using war as a method for resolving problems; alternatives to war, including nonviolent conflict resolution processes; and, cooperation and collaboration among peoples and nations. Projects will include various roles in researching, developing and editing materials for the organization.
Biomonitoring of Streams
Patrick Edwards, psu22536@pdx.edu
Students will work with the City of Portland’s Endangered Species Act Program to biomonitor and assess regional streams. Students taking this capstone will partner with the City to design and implement a “catch and release” aquatic insect monitoring program that will align with current efforts to comply with the Endangered Species Act
Carbon Neutrality
Andrew Rice, arice@pdx.edu
The purpose of this Senior Capstone will be to evaluate the potential for Portland State University to become ‘carbon neutral’ and to involve students in energy and policy decisions with PSU administration to move toward this goal. Global climate change is a critical issue that has been identified by PSU students, faculty, staff, and administrators and collectively the PSU community is committed to adopting strategies to mitigate the impact of campus activities on the Earth’s climate. Students in this course from a variety of academic backgrounds will become integrated in this process through: (1) developing comprehensive greenhouse gas inventories, (2) assessing strategies for clean energy solutions, (3) providing a series of recommendations to campus decision makers, and (4) documenting implementation of strategies and evaluating outcomes. Through weekly readings and discussions, this course will also explore scientific, societal, economic, political, and ethical dimensions of global climate change.
Change for the Common Good: Portland Public Schools
Vicki Reitenauer, vicr@pdx.edu
PSU Capstone students will work closely with the students and faculty at Madison High School, Roosevelt High School, and the new Young Women's and Young Men's Academies on the Jefferson High School campus as tutors and mentors. During class meetings at PSU, students will reflect on their experiences in the public schools, examine literature and other resources that speak to different aspects of public education in general and the challenges facing Portland public education in particular, and work collaboratively on mutually-agreed upon projects. No previous experience necessary, but a strong desire to be part of positive action in public education is useful. Registration requires signature of the instructor: Contact Vicki Reitenauer at 503-725-5847 or vicr@pdx.edu.
Civic Participation in a Business Environment
Stephanie Blackman, stblackman@yahoo.com
Students in this Capstone will research best practices and develop case studies of companies actively involved in employee volunteer programs with our community partner, Hands On Greater Portland (www.handsonportland.org). The profiles of exemplary companies will ultimately be used to showcase what businesses are doing in community and recruit others to participate in volunteer programs. Students will also participate in service projects through Hands On and may build skills in leading service projects that are designed for business teams. In class students will explore the role of business in civic affairs and the potential for both owners and employees to be civic leaders. Additional time outside of class will be required, but most service work will take place during class time.
Collaborations: Boys and Girls
Heather Petzold, petzoldh@pdx.edu
This course focuses on the importance of service learning in our community. As a class, we will have the opportunity to discover, evaluate, and reflect on the needs of our community by creating and facilitating educational workshops, mentoring, and exploring fundraising opportunities for the Boys and Girls Club. Students will learn respect for themselves and others as part of a community and will promote teamwork, leadership and problem solving skills. Community issues to be addressed include: listening, intercultural communication, leadership, mediation, and cooperative learning skills. Each student will have the opportunity to mentor at the club site (Meyers Boys and Girls Club) for a minimum of 20 hours for the term during hours of operation (2:30-7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday). As we are working with youth, students will need to pass a background check in order to fulfill the requirements of the course (to be completed on the first day of class).
Communication Education: NUHS
Gloria Totten, totteng@pdx.edu
This Capstone explores developing and teaching lesson plans on basic skills such as liberal arts, math, science, art (topics vary). Students will be required to work as an interdisciplinary team, researching information, practicing and presenting course material in a classroom setting (our community partner is New Urban High School). This course requires an out of class commitment of one full day - during school hours (8 am to 4 pm). Contact instructor with questions.
Community Action Theater
Eden Isenstein, eni@pdx.edu
In this class, students will learn about the dynamics of sexual assault as they practice using theater as a tool for social change. Students will develop a short play about sexual assault and its prevention based on classroom readings, discussions, prior learning, and lived experiences. This play will then be performed for various campus audiences based on the Theatre of the Oppressed Open Forum model, in which audience members are invited to stop and shift the action by joining the play, thereby practicing strategies for facing challenging situations and "rehearsing for the future."
Creative Industries: Social Design Studio
Harrell Fletcher, harrell@pdx.edu
The students will learn about socially engaged art projects, and the cross over between art and life. The students will then locate various existing social service agencies, non-profits, small businesses, and even individuals who are in need of, and lack funds for, design work to help promote their enterprise and activities. The design work will be done in collaboration so that the role of “designer” and “client” is partially dissolved. The design work that will produced can include signs, posters, tee-shirts, radio spots, brochures and pamphlets, web sites etc., and will be used in practical applications outside of the university environment. The students will be encouraged to immerse themselves in the culture of the people and places that they will be working with. All majors are welcome.
Documenting Sustainable Businesses
June Rzendzian, rzendzia@pdx.edu
Oregon has earned an international reputation for innovative environmental policies, from land-use planning to sustainable forestry to solid waste recycling. The state's business leaders, non-profit organizations, and elected officials have been working to build on this historical legacy in order to position Oregon as a global leader in sustainable development. Summer term of this course will focus on documenting sustainable food production in the Pacific Northwest, including organic farming, community-supported agriculture, and local food processing. Following explorations of the local foods movement and the concept of "sustainability," students will be introduced to basic oral history methods and then will conduct interviews with local informants.
Educating the Community about Metro’s Travel Options and Nature in Neighborhoods
Lynn Weigand, weigand@pdx.edu
As Portland’s regional government, Metro’s role includes promoting transportation choices and protecting natural areas. Working with Metro as the community partner, students will explore Metro’s role in promoting regional travel options and nature in neighborhoods through a hands-on project with the Travel Options and Nature in Neighborhood Programs, incorporating concepts of sustainable behavior and social marketing
Educational Equity
Deborah Arthur, debs@pdx.edu
This Capstone explores a variety of issues related to educational equity, including segregation, school funding, standardized testing, curriculum choices, language and bilingual education, among others. We partner with a variety of schools and community programs designed to enhance the educational opportunities and success of urban public school students. Community-based learning may include being a teaching assistant in classes, tutoring students one-on-one, and participating in field trips, recreational, cultural and volunteer activities. This is a “blended” or “hybrid” course, meaning that in addition to class time, there is an on-line component. Successful completion of background checks may be required for participation in some of our community partnerships. Upon registration please contact the Instructor Deborah Arthur at debs@pdx.edu.
Effective Environmental Education
Stephanie Wagner, stephanie@tryonfriends.org
The Effective Environmental Education Capstone explores approaches to outdoor education relevant to metropolitan natural areas. Students are trained as naturalists who guide school groups on field trips through Tryon Creek State Park in southwest Portland. Course material covers local natural history, principles of formal interpretation, and basic steps to establish an effective learning environment.
Empowering Communities with GIS and Asset Mapping
Margaret Merrick, merrickm@pdx.edu
Through the use of GIS, research, and asset mapping techniques, students will work with community partners to empower them to strategically promote their missions. Community partners have included: Portland Farmers Market; the Regional Arts and Culture Council; Johnson Creek Watershed Council; Caring Communities; and Portland Parksand Recreation. No GIS experience is required.
Enhancing Your Literacy: Service in K-5 Public Education
Zapoura Calvert, zapoura@pdx.edu
The Enhancing Youth Literacy Capstone has partnered with King Elementary School in Northeast Portland since Fall 2002 after a 2-year Partnership at Beach Elementary in NE Portland. King is a Title I school with a 90%+ minority population. Capstone students work in K-8 and ESL classrooms, both as one-on-one tutors and as classroom assistants, and in King's after school SUN program in a variety of capacities.
Environmental Education Through Native American Lenses
June Rzendzian, rzendzia@pdx.edu
What are Native American perspectives and how can they affect environmental education? How does environment shape our lives? How does your own heritage impact who you are today? Environmental education in schools has focused primarily on scientific analysis and social policy. Neglected in this education is recognition of deeper cultural transformations that may need to accompany a shift to a more bio-culturally sustainable world. During our time spent in class and at JEAN’S Farm on Johnson Creek, we will explore relationship-building, creative place-based projects and analysis of current issues facing environmental education and Native American communities. Using all our senses, we will taste, feel, smell, see and express our relationship to our environments and contemplate our choices for interacting with the world around us in the future. Students will learn creative and relationship-building skills that can be applied to a final project at JEAN’S Farm and in their everyday lives..
Equalizing Access to Justice
Khalil Zonoozy, gci2001@yahoo.com
This course will explore the barriers to justice for people of color. Special attention will be given to the U.S. institutional structure and the justice system. Utilizing a progressive approach, students will acquire a deeper understanding, awareness and appreciation of existing disparities, leading to design and formulation of proactive solutions. There will be a community partnership with "Understanding Racism Foundation ", URF, a non-profit organization committed to reduce prejudice and discrimination in our communities through study and personal examination. Created in response to issues identified by the Oregon state Task Force on Racial Ethnic Issues in the Judicial System (Instructor served as the vice chair of that task force), offers numerous dynamic courses to raise the level of awareness concerning racial discrimination. In addition to the regular weekly class meetings, students will become engaged in one of URF classes, six weeks long, 90 minutes, once a week, Thursday, noon - 1:30 PM.
Grantwriting for Environmental Advocacy
Celine Fitzmaurice, celine@pdx.edu
Grant writing skills are critical to the survival of many non-profit environmental organizations. In this course you will learn grant writing skills by developing real proposals for a local environmental non-profit. The rich history of citizen-based environmental advocacy in the US will play a central role in class discussions and reflective writing assignments throughout the term.
Immigration in the Workforce
Andrew Reed, areed@seworks.org
Classroom topics will include immigration, sociocultural behavior, and workforce development. Students will assist a non-profit workforce development agency called SE Works Inc. Outside of class, students will help to develop and maintain a website for immigrants as they transition to life in the U.S.
International Community School
Sam Gioia, gioia@pdx.edu
Global Portland—International School involves PSU students Portland International School, an alternative school for immigrant youth whose needs have not been met in Portland high schools. Capstone students will help the youth complete their education by tutoring, mentoring, college exploration, and career development three hours per week. During the PSU classroom times (6 hours per week) PSU students will learn about immigration, cultural diversity, and the needs of immigrant children. Students will also complete a collaborative project to assist the international school. This capstone is an excellent opportunity for students who want to prepare for teaching and counseling with youth and families or for students who want experience with international populations.
International Debt Relief
Pat Rumer, activistap@yahoo.com or rumer@pdx.edu
Debt cancellation is one of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals** that seek to eradicate poverty by 2015. More than half of African nations continue to spend more on debt than health care for their citizens. Sub-Saharan Africa pays almost $1.5 billion in debt services to the wealthy nations and international financial institutions. This course will explore such questions as: What are the origins of the debt burden? Does this debt burden impact South-North migration? What impact do global advocacy networks have on international institutions? Our community partner will be Jubilee Oregon that engages the public through education, advocacy and direct action.
Leading Latinos
Tony Martinez, martineztony@comcast.net
This Capstone allows PSU students to work creatively with high school students through a partnership with the Oregon Leadership Institute (OLI) and the Oregon Council for Hispanic Advancement (OCHA) to empower and mentor Latino youth. College students must design and administer OLI leadership programs for scheduled Saturdays during the term. In class, current social and educational issues that affect Latino youth will be examined in order to better address the needs of the high school students. This capstone is ideal for those planning to teach, counsel, work in the community and for those that enjoy being a part of a dynamic team!
Learning from Persons with Disabilities (Kiwanis Camp)
mhkc@pdx.edu, http://www.pdx.edu/sped-coun/kiwanis.html
This Capstone is a two week, live-in course providing outdoor recreation for
children and adults with disabilities. With coaching from experienced educators,
students form a team of counselors and support campers to enjoy swimming,
fishing, canoeing, hiking, adventure activities, art, music, etc. This course
is for seniors who want to broaden their repertoire of skills for working with
people and their understanding of the personal, social, and economic issues experienced
by persons with disabilities in our community. This capstone involves personal
teaching and care giving responsibilities. Students must apply to be a counselor
and receive department approval to enroll. Students can learn more by visiting
the course website at: http://www.pdx.edu/sped-coun/kiwanis.html and calling (503) 725-3380. Students attend an
orientation & training session May 16 and then spend two weeks on-site
during the summer with time off the week-end in-between. Student register in
the spring term and an IP (In-Progress) grade for spring term is then converted
into a grade when they complete the course in the summer.
Course sections during spring/summer of 2009:
OU1 May 16, June 22 – July 3 Mt Hood site
OU2 May 16, July 4 July 17 Mt. Hood site
OU3 May 16, July 18 – July 31 Mt. Hood Site
OU4 May 16, August 1 – August 14 Mt Hood site
OU5 May 16, July 4 – July 17 Program for Children with Autism at Oral Hull
OU6 May 16, July 18 – July 31 Program for Children with Autism at Oral Hull
Learning Gardens and Civic Affairs
Stephanie Blackman, stblackman@yahoo.com
Students in this Capstone will do community outreach work for the Learning Gardens Laboratory that serves the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood in SE Portland. Students will be working to enhance community participation in the gardens, and their work may include developing materials to assist in the promotion, understanding and management of the garden, conducting research to support outreach efforts, and/or directly working with kids, their parents, and community members, to include them in the work of the garden. Students will also gain experience tending the garden. Class time will focus on issues of our food system and civic involvement. Some scheduled class meetings will take place off campus at the Learning Gardens, so please schedule accordingly. Some physical outdoor work and additional service time outside of class (about four hours per week) will be required. Students fluent in Russian, Spanish, or Vietnamese are encouraged to join the course.
Linking the Generations, Communication, Aging and Society
Cindy Palmer, palmerci@ohsu.edu
Students will engage with older adults to complete a variety of life history projects. Students will address their assumptions and stereotypes toward the aging population and will reflect upon personal barriers and successes in the intergenerational communication process. Communication issues will be addressed in the areas of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intercultural communication. In addition to the community work, the course will focus on interdisciplinary discussions, lectures, and activities to increase awareness of the older population. This is an evening course with travel to off campus site and a background check required. Fingerprinting also may be required. Contact instructor upon registration to complete paperwork prior to start date. Processing can delay work in the community.
Marketing for Non-Profit Organizations
JoAnne Siebe, siebeconsulting1@mac.com
Participants will learn about marketing for non-profit organizations and apply it to an international,non-profit organization with offices here in Portland. You will learn about the key features of marketing for non-profits; how it differs from commercial sector marketing, and critical components to implementing it successfully. You will expand your understanding of customer-centered marketing and the Four Ps: product, price, place and promotion. Participants will bring knowledge from their own field of study, integrate marketing principles, and support the Community Partner’s mission: To connect people, organizations and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives.
Media Literacy: Navigating the Making of Meaning
Mark Oldani, moldani@riverdale.k12.or.us
Media literacy is the study of the effect that various modes of communication have on the information that is being transmitted. The investigation of issues related to media crosses disciplinary boundaries and is a focus of some of the current K-12 curriculum. Class participants will learn about the impact of commercial media on themselves and their community and develop various approaches to address the impact of media on their community. Class members will work directly with members of community and media organizations, the general public, and/or high school or middle school faculty to research and prepare units of study on the issues surrounding media literacy.
Multimedia Production
Robert Bremmer, bremmer@pdx.edu
The multimedia Production Capstone Class produces web page marketing and education tools for community partners and community issues. Continuously taught for over five years, the class has evolved from video production trough CD ROMS, Interactive DVD's and now creates useful tools and marketing entirely on the web.
Each term a companion blog and web page will be developed around core issues and for community partners. The class self divides into groups: Client Liaison/Research, Content Development, Creative, Technical, Marketing and Management. Guidance and instruction is provided in each area, so expert knowledge is not required however it is beneficial if students have basic skills in one or more areas.
The goal of each class is to make a useful product which will continue to be used and even grow readership after the class has disbanded. This class identifies a target demographic and determines how best to develop a tool to alter the behavior and or thoughts of any user of the site. The prime objective of the class is not to develop a site but to create a dynamic group communication and learning experience, where students an develop to a higher level their leadership and communication skills and experiment with creative, technical and viral marketing techniques. Recent developed tools include: womenshealthawareness.googlepage.com and www.womenshealthawareness.blogspot.com also www.toxinfreetomorrow.com and www.toxinfreetomorrow.blogspot.com.
Students will interact with each other in the class, in different groups, and with a local community demographic primarily through survey and interviews. We will also launch surveys over the internet interacting with remote individuals and groups as well. Students should feel comfortable communicating at high level spoken and written English. The textbook used is Howard Gardner's 'Changing Minds.' The Instructor can be reached at: bremmer@pdx.edu.
Museum of the City
Chet Orloff, chetorloff@msn.com
Museum of the City Capstone students research, design, and create projects--documentary and interpretive--about Portland encompassing aspect of the city's history, planning, and urban design. Our "partner" organization will be the Portland Development Commission (PDC), the City's economic development agency. Students will learn about Portland's past, present, and future plans, particularly through PDC's experience; they will plan and organize a project that will explore and interpret the development of much of Portland over the past 50 years; they will work on a project that will help inform Portlanders of the role their city's development agency (PDC) has played and is playing in the city; and they will help develop the Museum of the City's exhibits program. Design skills are not a pre-requisite; together, the class's students will pool their knowledge and skills to create a project that will serve PDC and Portland, and that they all will be proud of.
Music in the Schools
Sue Booth Larson, susanblarson@gmail.com
To help with the need for more music programs in elementary schools, students in this capstone will work in groups to develop and teach lessons that deal with music in some way – music around the world, vibrations and music, the history of music etc. All majors are welcome.
Neighborhoods and Watersheds
Barry Messer, messerw@pdx.edu
This course addresses the health of cities with respect to the community stewardship of its watersheds. Students are challenged in a learning and community development process of discovery and direct involvement. The essential elements of the Capstone focus on the factors that can contribute to the health of Portland's watersheds. Students work with the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services and a neighborhood group on projects that may include "hands on" activities and/or community outreach/education on work involving watershed protection and restoration in Portland neighborhoods. Projects in the past have included such watershed enhancements as wetlands restoration, community gardens, eco-roofs and bio-swales.
Parent Math Workshop
Sandra Kralovec, sandyk@canby.com
Students work together on campus and at an elementary school. Students will observe the teaching of elementary mathematics and participate as student mentors. The final project is the presentation of a Family Math Night at the partner elementary school. Students will develop appropriate mathematical activities for the Family Math Night event to present to parents the mathematics the students are learning in school. Students are responsible for advertising, organizing, and implementing the Family Math Night event. Four to six hours of community service time per week is required. These hours also must be during regular school hours.
Preserving LGBTQ History
Christa Orth, christamae@yahoo.com
This course introduces methods of preserving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer history. The course examines the ways community and academic historians document the often hidden history of LGBTQ communities. The Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest is our community partner as we learn about recording oral histories and processing the archival collections of our queer history in Oregon. This course is open to students of all sexual and gender identities.
Reflecting Communities
Carol Gabrielli, cg@pdx.edu
Reflecting Community is a community-based learning class designed to ignite question, wonder and reflection particularly related to mentorship, leadership, facilitation and direct service, but not limited to that. Through lived experiences, classroom exercises, pertinent self-reflections and out-of-classroom assignments, students will gain a wider and deeper sense of self and other. Our community partner for Reflecting Community is Holy Redeemer Catholic Grade School located in North Portland. Holy Redeemer School serves a diverse ethnic, cultural and faith-oriented community. Its spiritually-influenced curriculum emphasizes justice, service and peace for over 300 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Each Capstone student in this community-based learning class will commit to twenty-five hours of mentoring during the ten weeks of this term. Students are strongly encouraged to consider the magnitude of this undertaking. Students will be expected to work together with the school principal to schedule consistent hours that are suitable for both Holy Redeemer and the student. A criminal background check is required.
Science Inquiry in the Outdoor Classroom
Richard Hugo, hugo@pdx.edu
In this 6-credit Capstone you will volunteer as a Science Mentor with Wolftree, Inc., an award-winning non-profit science education organization. Wolftree brings children in grades 4-12 out of the classroom for small group, hands-on field experiences. Wolftree's primary field site is in the foothills of Mount Hood, with other sites located 60 to 90 minutes from Portland. You are responsible for your own transportation, although carpools can usually be arranged. You will also spend several of your "field" days in classrooms preparing students for their outdoor experiences. You'll volunteer one full day per week (Tuesday - Friday) - please enroll in the appropriate course section. All sections will also meet on Mondays to discuss topics related to science inquiry and pedagogy.Wolftree's innovative curriculum is based on following student curiosity rather than leading formal presentations. This course is designed for aspiring educators and scientists, although students from any major will learn and practice a unique style of mentorship. No specific science background is required. You will be required to initiate a criminal background check BEFORE the course begins. As with any Capstone, students are highly encouraged to contact the instructor before enrolling to discuss the course responsibilities, activities and enrollment details.
Sexual Minority Youth
Molly Gray, mcg@pdx.edu
It is estimated that 1 in 10 individuals identify as a sexual minority. Often an already challenging stage in identity development, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender & questioning (GLBTQ) youth face a set of issues unique to their daily lives. We examine the paths sexual and gender minority youth navigate in American society, exploring such questions as: What challenges do GLBTQ youth encounter? How do they cope, survive, find understanding & celebrate themselves amidst homophobia and intolerance? How do GLBTQ experiences vary across difference such as race, ethnicity, class, religion, gender and expression? Has the growing strength of political mobilization and visibility of GLBTQ issues affected and/or included the needs of youth? How can youth needs be brokered by social services, families, and the community at large? Our community partner will be the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC).
Street Roots: Exploring Issues of Homelessness
Colleen Kaleda, colleenkaleda@comcast.net
This course will explore and expose various issues surrounding poverty and homelessness through direct contact with non-profits, businesses, government and the homeless community. Students will research, write and photograph stories for publication in Street Roots, Portland’s homeless newspaper. Specific topics will be tailored to student interest and developed in conjunction with the Editor-in-Chief of Street Roots. Subjects may include economic/business impact; social and cultural impacts; mental health; hunger; unemployment; and impacts on women and children.
Sustainable Food Systems and Educational Farms
Cori Longstreet and Megan Kupko, greenfarmmama@gmail.com
Welcome to Portland State University's Sustainable Food Systems and Educational Farms Senior Capstone! The time is ripe to be part of the growing sustainable food movement. This class addresses the current food issues that face urban citizens by holistically engaging students in the many layers of Portland's food and farm culture. Students will critically analyze the state of our current food systems while simultaneously be engaged in positive solutions to agricultural-related issues. Through participation in local urban educational farms, students will gain hands-on farming experience, explore their personal connection to food and the land, and positively contribute to food security in our greater community. Students will also build relationships within the local food network through experiences at the Permaculture Institute, Ecotrust, Zenger Farm, Portland's Community Gardens, and Growing Gardens. Ultimately, students will culminate their understanding of the topics explored in a sustainable food systems guidebook for youth. **Due to the nature of this course, it will be held at Learning Gardens Lab on SE 60th/Duke with the exception of the first class, which will be held at the designated PSU classroom.
The Natural Food Industry and the Cooperative Business Model
Pedro Ferbel Azcarate, pedro@pdx.edu
This Capstone will provide an orientation to the cooperative business model in the booming natural food industry. Students will gain hands on experience working with the community partner, People’s Food Cooperative, on various business related inquiries including financial analyses, marketing studies, and plans for short and long term growth. We will address different business strategies in the natural food industry and for cooperative businesses, specifically, and make the connection to broader themes including health and nutrition, food security and food politics, environmental sustainability, urban design, and community development.
The Spirituality of Being Awake
Carol Gabrielli, cg@pdx.edu
Students in this Capstone class will arrive with something they call spirituality or spiritual practice or spiritual curiosity or wisdom tradition. Through direct service with JOIN, St. Francis Dining Hall and Rose Haven, students will discover and explore the connections between their direct-service experiences and their spirituality/wisdom tradition. (JOIN, St. Francis Dining Hall and Rose Haven are places of hospitality and resource for persons experiencing homelessness.) Among the many questions students in this class will examine, students will wonder: How does my lived experience inform my sense of self and others? How does my spirituality/my wisdom tradition inform my awarenesses, my choices and my actions? What is the cost of being awake in a world of sleepyheads? For their final product, students will utilize their lived experiences to develop and facilitate a project that supports the mission of their affiliated agency. Students in this class will make a commitment to twenty-five daytime hours of service over the course of the term. Rigorous self-reflection is integral to students’ learning in this class. Please call with questions.
Tutoring Adult ESL at Portland Community College SE
Michelle Culley, mculley@pdx.edu
Capstone students will tutor small groups of adult English as a Second Language learners for 2.5 hours a week at Portland Community College SE Center, which is located at 82nd and Division. Capstone students must be proficient speakers of English. Students must contact Michelle Culley prior to registration. Tutoring will be either Monday mornings, 9:30-noon, Mnday evenings, 6:30-9pm, or Friday mornings, 9:30-noon, and will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. In addition, all capstone students will meet from 12:45-15:45 every Wednesday on the PSU campus for coursework on ESL strategies and immigration issues.
Tutoring/Mentoring Native American Youth
AnMarie Trimble, atrimble@pdx.edu
This capstone gives students the opportunity to assist the tutoring center of the Native American Youth & Family Association (NAYA) as it tutors and mentors middle school and high school youth. NAYA’s mission is to empower youth via education, community involvement, and cultural programming by creating positive learning experiences. PSU students will help NAYA by engaging youth in activities, providing a role model for learning, and tutoring students on their homework.After initial training, PSU students will meet 2 hours a week at PSU with the instructor, then tutor one day a week for 2 hours at NAYA (see www.nayapdx.org for location). PSU weekly meetings will include discussions on readings exploring Native American culture, educational issues, and service learning. Students will also coordinate a book drive and gather other resources for the tutoring center and its library. Individual writing assignments include personal reflective projects, resource reviews/analyses, and final reflective narrative. CLASS SCHEDULE: Class meets 4 hours during the first few weeks on Fridays 10am-2pm, then will meet for 2 hours on Fridays for the rest of the term. The remaining 4 hours will be divided as follows: 2 hours on the class project, scheduled on your own time, and 2 consecutive hours scheduled during NAYA's regular tutoring center hours (Mon-Thurs, 3:30-6pm). A background check is required of all students in this Capstone. Transportation notice: Public transport to NAYA is difficult if coming from PSU/Portland westside, but quite accessible from most NE/SE neighborhoods via Tri-Met bus #75. If you don't have transport from the Westside to NAYA, there may be NAYA van service from a high school in your area; check with the instructor if you are interested in this option.
Voices from the Forest
Donna Sinclair, psu20610@pdx.edu
Students in this course will create website pages using oral history interviews with women and minorities who work for, or have worked for, the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. Students will learn about civil rights issues, public lands, and will enhance their research, interpretation and writing skills while helping to document an important aspect of Pacific Northwest history. The community partners will be the Center for Columbia River History and the U.S. Forest Service
Volunteer Stream Monitoring
Mary Ann Schmidt, maryanns@pdx.edu
Capstone students will coordinate and implement all aspects of the quality assurance project plan (QAPP) for the Student Watershed Research Project (SWRP)’s volunteer monitoring program. Ensuring data quality for the 25 high school groups involved in SWRP requires training, classroom and field support, known/unknown sample analysis, verification of chemical, physical and biological parameters, as well as data management. This course will integrate chemical, biological and physical watershed analysis skills, since students will be responsible for verifying macroinvertebrate and plant samples, performing field/lab analysis of duplicate water quality samples, and mathematically determining whether the accuracy and precision goals of the QAPP are being met. Students will also be responsible for data management, auditing of student data, providing feedback to data collectors, and evaluating the impact of SWRP on participating students.
Water Bureau - The Early Years
Catherine Howells, chowells@pdx.edu
This Capstone class will work with the Portland Water Bureau to design an historical display for Bear Creek House in the Bull Run Watershed This display will focus on the early development of Portland’s public water supply (1883-1900). The class will study and research the needs for a public water supply, the site selection for the water, and the surveying, engineering, and building of the gravity-fed system. Guest lecturers from the Portland Water Bureau will discuss this historical background, and there will be a field-trip to the Bull Run watershed and Bear Creek House. The students will then catalog photographs in the Water Bureau archives, and search other archives for appropriate photographs. They will design a display (in consultation with the Water Bureau) -- picking the most relevant photographs and writing interpretive labels for each photograph. The class will also develop a visitor survey to help the Water Bureau measure the effectiveness of the display. Guest lectures for this class will include a representative from SPARC (Portland archives), engineers and others from the Water Bureau, and other experts in archives and displays to be identified.
Women's Oral Narratives: Girl Power
Sally Eck, ecks@pdx.edu
In this course, we will be working with our community partner, the local non-profit feminist bookstore IN OTHER WORDS and their sister organization, The Women's Community Education Project. Our project is to coordinate a series of *rap sessions* with local teen girls about current issues in their lives. We will use these group conversations to encourage the girls to become a part of our ZINE project -- where they will write, edit, and publish a grassroots, mini-magazine with our class. Please take a look at the enclosed outreach plan for more detailed objectives. In preparation for this project, we will read feminist scholarship about teenage girls as well as focus groups and zine publishing methodologies.
Youth In Transition
Carol Holdt, holdtc@pdx.edu
In this partially-online capstone course we will work with students and staff at the I Have a Dream (IHAD) foundation. IHAD provides supportive services and enrichment programs for “Dreamers” to help them graduate from high school and pursue either college or vocational education. Students will mentor and tutor 3rd-grade Dreamers at Rigler School in NE Portland. Please visit http://www.ihadoregon.org.
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