Tanya Scott, curator of education and art education instructor at University Galleries, was named the new Collaboratory Civic Engagement Champion by Illinois State University’s Center for Civic Engagement. The award recognizes civically engaged teaching, scholarship, and service efforts from faculty/staff members in collaboration with community partners.
As the instructor of Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts’ Art 204 (Arts For Elementary Schools), Scott has partnered with the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of Bloomington-Normal to allow Illinois State University students to design and teach interdisciplinary art lessons to K-5th grade BGC students.
The sustained collaboration between Art 204, the BGC, and University Galleries has served over 200 Art 204 students and at least 150 BGC youth over the past five years. “My favorite things about the collaboration are that it provides pre-service elementary teachers with experience teaching art to elementary level students and an opportunity to build lasting relationships with community members,” said Scott.
When Scott started at Illinois State, she was encouraged to develop a relationship with BGC by the now-retired art education professor Judith Briggs, who had positive experiences working with the organization. She then reached out to BGC, and they co-developed a partnering plan that met the Club’s needs and aligned with the course objectives for Art 204.
Each semester, the service-learning project culminates in pop-up exhibitions of BGC members’ work at University Galleries, where Art 204 students and BGC members engage with visitors, share their work, and collectively celebrate their accomplishments. “It provides many BGC members with not only their first experience with visiting a gallery but the first exhibition of their own works in a gallery setting,” added Scott.
The Collaboratory Civic Engagement Champion traveling trophy was awarded to Scott during this semester’s pop-up exhibit at University Galleries. She is the fourth person to receive the recognition, previously awarded to Dr. Miranda Lin from the College of Education and Jessica Sullivan and Kirsten Clerkin from the Mennonite College of Nursing.
“It is an honor to receive the Collaboratory Civic Engagement Champion Award, but it is really a shared award,” said Scott. “None of this work would be possible without the BGC staff and Club members. I want to thank Jennifer Hall for establishing this partnership with me; Tijuana Beal, the club unit director; Leslie Adams, the BGC family and volunteer coordinator; and the rest of the BGC staff for all they do to help maintain this impactful collaboration.”
Collaboratory Civic Engagement Champions are selected based on activity reported on Collaboratory. This database collects information on a variety of activities from all faculty/staff members (e.g., community-engaged research, outreach programs, events, course-based experiences, and co-curricular activities) that utilize community engagement principles, practices, and/or pedagogies. University activities related to civic engagement reported on Collaboratory can be submitted by faculty, staff, or students and will automatically be considered for the Collaboratory Civic Engagement Champion award.
