The Civic Engagement Faculty Award recognizes a faculty member who has contributed significantly to incorporate civic engagement into their teaching, scholarly and creative productivity, and/or professional and community service. This recognition honors the faculty member’s commitment to the public good and the advancement of civic engagement within their discipline.
Dr. Will Lewis, an assistant professor of information systems in the School of Information Technology, created outstanding opportunities for K-12 students from underrepresented backgrounds to enhance their understanding of the field of science, technology, engineering, and math. He developed workshops with Bloomington Junior High School on mobile application development and 3D printing and with the Boys & Girls Club robotics club.
He designed experiences for teen girls from minoritized backgrounds at the Western Avenue Community Center that will be used in the future for a summer camp. In the pilot program, teens were given Illinois State student peer mentors and campus tours and built an electronic picture frame by programming a Raspberry Pi and using 3D printers.
A complete article about the Civic Engagement Awards is available at the Illinois State news site.
