Campus Compact is excited to announce the 12 faculty and staff selected as the 2024-2025 cohort of Engaged Scholars as part of theEngaged Scholars Initiative. The Engaged Scholars Initiative is a one-year, cohort-based leadership & professional development program that supports early career faculty and staff in strengthening their community-engaged scholarship. Each cohort consists of a diverse group of scholar-practitioners who are equipped to lead equity-focused change at their institution and in communities.
Scholars were selected based on their commitment to centering equity in their civic and community engagement work. Members of the cohort hold a wide variety of roles on their campuses, but each has a demonstrated history of effective civic and community engagement work. These highly qualified scholars come from Campus Compact member institutions throughout the country, representing 10 institutions across 10 states.
Over the course of the academic year, Engaged Scholars will participate in bi-weekly virtual meetings, twice-yearly in-person retreats, and collaborative scholarly work to strengthen their own critical community-engaged scholarship. The aim of the program is to strengthen individual and collective scholarship, research, and impact and empower participants to lead change within their institutions and communities.
“I am excited to welcome a group of scholars who have already demonstrated such passion and dedication to the power of community engagement across disciplines and areas of practice,” said Nicole Springer, Senior Director of Professional Development and Scholarship & Chief Equity Officer at Campus Compact. “Each year, cohorts of Engaged Scholars pursue remarkable collaborations, connections, and scholarship that contribute to their own individual leadership and the growth of the field of higher education civic and community engagement. I cannot wait to see the results of this group engaging in this transformative process.”
The Engaged Scholars Initiative is led by Campus Compact and is offered in partnership with the Office of Engagement at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, whose thought leadership, in-kind staffing, and financial support are critical to the program’s success.
Read more about the Engaged Scholars Initiative on the Campus Compact website at https://compact.org/current-programs/engaged-scholars-initiative.
2024-2025 Engaged Scholars
Adam Smith | Bowling Green State University
Adam Smith | Bowling Green State UniversityAdam Smith currently serves as the Coordinator of Civic Engagement in the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement at Bowling Green State University. Within Adam’s first year of his professional career, his work with BGSU’s nonpartisan voting initiative was recognized as a national best practice by NASPA, the professional organization for student affairs professionals. Adam also serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Education and Human Development where he teaches about leadership and service. Adam aims to connect students with meaningful civic engagement opportunities where they can develop as servant leaders and active citizens. Adam graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology ('20) and will be graduating with a Master of Arts in Sociology ('24) from Bowling Green State University. Adam will be starting the Leadership Studies PhD program at Bowling Green State University in Fall 2024.
Al Fattal | University of Minnesota Crookston
Al Fattal | University of Minnesota CrookstonDr. Al Fattal, with over 16 years of international experience in educational leadership and faculty roles, primarily focuses on marketing within the educational domain. His expertise spans various research areas including organizational psychology, educational marketing, consumer behavior, team dynamics, and the impact of technology on education. Dr. Al Fattal is currently a tenure-track assistant professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota Crookston, where he dedicates himself to the advancement of knowledge in both the academic and marketing spheres. His academic journey began with a B.A. in English Language and Literature from Damascus University, followed by an M.A. in International Educational Management, and culminated with a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Leeds, England. Dr. Al Fattal has enriched his professional path with multiple qualifications and certifications in emerging technologies, international teaching and learning, and collaborative online international learning, among others. His teaching philosophy integrates qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods methodologies, emphasizing the internationalization of education and leveraging technology to enhance educational outcomes. Dr. Al Fattal's scholarly contributions include a variety of peer-reviewed publications and presentations, reflecting his deep commitment to research and development in his field. By fostering an environment of growth, innovation, and inclusivity, Dr. Al Fattal exemplifies the role of an educator who is deeply invested in the development of both students and the wider community. His efforts underscore the importance of connecting academic pursuits with real-world applications, making a lasting impact on the fields of marketing and education.
Alessandra Seiter | Harvard Kennedy School
Alessandra Seiter | Harvard Kennedy SchoolAlessandra Seiter (she/they) is the Community Engagement Librarian at Harvard Kennedy School Library & Research Services, where she oversees projects, events, and communications that connect the HKS community with library resources. Alessandra’s librarianship is informed by an academic background in the geography of social movements, and over a decade of community organizing. They’re interested in how libraries can support the visionary world-building activities of grassroots collectives, and more broadly in the relationship between infrastructure (social, physical) and democratic participation. Alessandra holds a BA in Geography from Vassar College and a Master of Library and Information Science from Simmons University. She is currently pursuing a Master of City Planning at Boston University. In their free time, Alessandra advocates locally for people-centered transportation policies and projects. She also runs, bikes, hikes, and loves a good documentary.
Amanda Moser-Shick | Bryn Mawr College
Amanda Moser-Shick | Bryn Mawr CollegeAmanda Moser-Shick is the Associate Director of Volunteer Programs in the Career & Civic Engagement Center at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, PA. In this role, she is responsible for the co-curricular volunteer service, activism, and advocacy programs in Civic Engagement. She enjoys exploring the intersection of civic and community engagement and student leadership development. Amanda has extensive experience in program development and management at two previous higher education institutions, Simmons University (Boston, MA) and Delaware Valley University (Doylestown, PA). In addition, she was also an AmeriCorps*VISTA member in both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Amanda earned a B.A. in International Studies (Diplomacy) and French from Susquehanna University and has a Masters of Education in Community Engagement from Merrimack College. She lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with her partner.
Briana Huett | University of Connecticut
Briana Huett | University of ConnecticutAfter earning her Ph.D. in public policy, M.S. in statistics and analytics, and M.P.A. in public administration and nonprofit studies, Briana Huett is now the Associate Director of the Office of Outreach & Engagement at the University of Connecticut. Her professional goals are to use research and methodological tools for improving access to - and equitable practices within - public services, and specifically to connect scholarly research to tangible and direct applications that individuals and organizations can use to enhance their practices at the community level.
Carmine Perrotti | Providence College
Carmine Perrotti | Providence CollegeDr. Carmine Perrotti (he, him, his) is an Assistant Professor of Public and Community Service Studies at Providence College, his alma mater. Dr. Perrotti's teaching and scholarly interests focus on a range of critical topics related to the philosophy, pedagogy, and practice of community-engaged teaching, learning, and research in U.S. higher education. Dr. Perrotti also frequently collaborates with College Unbound. He formerly was Assistant Director of Community-Engaged Scholarship at the Swearer Center for Public Service and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education at Brown University. He holds a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and a Master in Public Policy from American University. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Dr. Perrotti held various political appointments in the Obama-Biden Administration, mainly in the Office of the Under Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education.
Felicia Deas | Spelman College
Felicia Deas | Spelman CollegeFelicia Deas serves as Associate Director of the Bonner Office of Civic Engagement at Spelman College, a historically Black college and a global leader in the education of women of African descent in Atlanta, GA. In this capacity, she manages community partnerships, supports community-engaged faculty and students in the successful execution of their service learning work, and contributes to a civically engaged campus through specialized programming and internships.
Hoang Do | Bowling Green State University
Hoang Do | Bowling Green State UniversityHoang Do is the Assistant Director of the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement (Marvin Center) at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). Hoang’s primary roles and responsibilities include working with the Sidney A. Ribeau President’s Leadership Academy, a four-year leadership development scholarship program, overseeing the office’s assessment, and directing the service-learning initiative at BGSU. In addition to his role within the Marvin Center, Hoang is a doctoral candidate in a Higher Education Administration, Ph.D. program and is an educational instructor of multicultural leadership. Hoang recently gave a TEDxTalk in March where he discussed the need for individuals and society to shift from being culturally judgmental to culturally curious. Hoang’s work, in both his professional and academic career, is focused on the ways in which we as individuals can acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate differences. In recognition of his work, Hoang has been named as the 2023 Ohio’s Outstanding New Professional, 2024 Outstanding Emerging Professional in Student Leadership Programs, and as a 2024 Jim Rhatigan Fellow from NASPA, the professional organization for student affairs administrators in higher education.
Kendra Lutes | Bowling Green State University
Kendra Lutes | Bowling Green State UniversityKendra Lutes currently serves as the Associate Director of the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement at Bowling Green State University. In her role, Kendra works to develop leaders who serve their communities and lead for the public good. Kendra is an experienced conference presenter and licensed TEDx organizer. Kendra is a two-time Bobcat, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies (‘17) and a Master of Education in College Student Personnel (‘19) from Ohio University.
Lisa DuRussel | University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Lisa DuRussel | University of Michigan Ann ArborRaised in a family of farmers in rural Michigan, Lisa DuRussel, RLA, LEED AP, ASLA has a unique background as an educator, landscape architect, urban ecologist, builder, and design activist. Her nearly 20 years of experience has resulted in a progressive landscape design portfolio of professional work, creative inquiry into ecology + design, a flexibility in teaching interests, and enthusiasm for transdisciplinary collaboration within the academy and the profession. Her desire to teach was born from an interest to create a stronger connection between theory and practice—and to expand creative practice by deepening design inquiry through application of research into the built environment. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS). Lisa teaches graduate courses on design and design thinking, planting, visualization, and community engagement at the University of Michigan. In 2021 after working with various community partners in Detroit, she created the "Field Catalyst" partnership which pairs work-study students with nonprofits and communities to use landscape as a lens to amplify thoughtful public engagement with collaborative action and impact. Current partners include Bailey Park Neighborhood Development, Class Act Detroit, Detroit Vacant Land Community Development Corporation, and Keep Growing Detroit. She currently serves as VP of Education for the Michigan Chapter of ASLA. Lisa also serves on the executive committee of The Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities, a partnership that drives transformative culture change for the arts and arts integration in higher education. She supports the University of Michigan's Office of Academic Innovation as a continued Public Engagement Mentor Fellow and was selected to participate in the Ginsberg Center's Community of Practice cohort for the 2023-24 academic year. Lisa supports her rural hometown of Manchester, Michigan as a City Parks Commissioner.
Tara Carr-Lemke | Princeton University
Tara Carr-Lemke | Princeton UniversityTara Carr-Lemke is the Associate Director of the Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship at Princeton University where she facilitates community-engaged teaching and learning. Tara has worked as a researcher, educator, and advocate in a variety of human rights organizations in the US and Latin America. She has also directed and taught within interdisciplinary experiential learning programs. Her research centers on migration, sanctuary policy, immigrant entrepreneurship, and community-engaged learning. She holds a BA in English from George Washington University, an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD in Public Affairs and Community Development from Rutgers University in Camden.
Yidong Wang | University of Kansas
Yidong Wang | University of KansasYidong (Steven) Wang is a media and communication researcher who works with marginalized communities to reimagine inclusive, equitable social infrastructures. His research intersects with communication ecology, civic engagement, digital technology, public humanities, and queer theory. Currently, he studies how LGBTQ communities in different cultural contexts navigate emergent media spaces, sustain social networks, and make sense of discourses of identity and healing. Wang has professional training in journalism and experience in consulting on media and community engagement.
