By Patrick Green
Director of the Center for Experiential Learning
Video by: Kristine Breganio, Steven Tran, Phil Siwinski, Nicole Nikolic, Kristin Kandrac

Standing in the front of the room at a Mercy Housing Lakefront supportive housing community in the South Loop of Chicago, Loyola junior, Steven Tran wiped a few drops of sweat from his brow as he made sure the computer projector worked for the video and PowerPoint presentation. As he worked with his group of fellow Loyola students, over 30 tenants in the housing complex assembled in the room anxious to hear about the community research project that the Loyola students did with the community members. The research project was completed in conjunction with tenant leaders of the Mercy Housing complex who served as community researchers. Together, they interviewed residents to conduct a community mapping project to learn about the talents and strengths of the community members who lived in this South Loop complex. “I enjoyed this project and learning about the talents of my neighbors,” mentioned Jason, one of the community researchers. “Now the question is: ‘What are we going to do with all of this information?’” asked Aubrey, another community researcher.

During the Spring 2009 semester, 35 Loyola students enrolled in the course, Seminar in Community-based Research and Leadership (UNIV 291), and worked in groups with six different community organizations on research-based projects. Each of the research projects were organized and defined by the community members in advance of the class. The six different student groups consisted of 5 – 7 students and worked all over the Chicago-land area, from the South Loop to Uptown, and from West Rogers Park to Little Village. The Loyola students facilitated the community-based research projects with the following community organizations:

Good News Community Kitchen (off of Howard St.): Loyola students compiled a community asset map to identify partnerships and association, as well as to plan for advocacy campaigns.

(left) Roman Garcia, Chris Kaczmerczyk, Heather Urness, Cindy Bush (Director of Organizing, GNCK) Katya Shcherbakov, Josh Jansen, and Heather Urness

Jordan Community School (near Howard St.): Loyola students conducted a survey-focused project assessing school community attitudes regarding the school-wide dress code and an initiative to address dress code policy with the local school board.

(left) Ania Nowak, Shivali Raav, (back row) Chris Fox, Saathvik Alety, Daniel Hayek (front row) Cyntha Zucker (Assistant Principal), Roshni Desai

Lakeside Community Development Corporation (West Rogers Park): Loyola students compiled data from the West Rogers Park Community Council and conducted surveys to develop a land-use map to better focus organizational advocacy efforts on behalf of affordable housing in Chicago’s North-East side neighborhoods.

(left) Michael Wilson, Conrad Ziembinski, Yi Lin, Brian White (Executive Director, Lakeside CDC), Jackie Sullivan, Kathryn Fitzgibbons, Brandon McPartlin

Mercy Housing Lakefront (South Loop): Loyola students conducted capacity interviews for a community asset mapping project for residents of a supportive housing community as preparation for new resident-driven programming initiatives.

(back row) Phil Siwinski, Nicole Nikolic, Jason Shively (Community Researcher) Michael Kennedy, Kristin Kandrac, (front row) Beth Tumeil (Community Organizer, Mercy Housing) Kristine Breganio, Steven Tran

National Student Partnerships (Uptown): Loyola students assessed the resources already available to low-income residents of two Chicago neighborhoods (Pilsen and Hyde Park) into which NSP is considering expanding their efforts in the future.

(left, back row) Steven Monroy (NSP), Eddie Barm, Mike Donahue, Josh Jagust, George Papadakis, and Nick Lefere; (front row) Jonnie Powers, David McNelly (NSP) Rebecca Prendergast (NSP), Sheida Ahmadzadeh

Taller de Jose (Little Village): Loyola students analyzed patterns and trends of the clientele utilizing the services of Taller de Jose, and, based on the data and trends of need, compiled a resources/referrals directory so as to better connect clients with area services.

(left) Mallory Clifford, Yelena Khavkhalyuk, Lisa Monnot (Assistant Director, Taller de Jose), Sr. Kathy Brazda (Director, Taller de Jose), Mirinda James, Katie Kujava, and Talissa Loleng.

The students presented their final community-based research projects to the community partners at the end of April and provided the community organizations with valuable data. Each research project consisted of a written report with data collected and organized in spreadsheets or community maps. Some student groups utilized campus resources, such as the Digital Media Lab to produce wall-size asset maps for the organization. Other students connected with David Treering, the GIS Specialist in the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy, to produce GIS maps for the community organization. Still another group produced a video of the research project, in order to encourage the community members to continue the research and to mobilize for action.