TAMIU Education Students Conduct International Community Engagement Efforts, Win Award

A group of 13 Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) graduate and undergraduate students were recently recognized at an international conference for presenting an extensive compilation of posters depicting their research and international outreach projects.

The students, members of Professional Opportunities Supporting Scholarly Engagement (POSSE), a TAMIU College of Education program mostly comprised of Education majors, won the People’s Choice Award for Best Poster Presentation at the 18th International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Annual Conference in New Orleans. The students’ presentation was “Research Examining a Culture of Critical Consciousness Through International Service-Learning.”

Those recognized included Alexandra Reyes, Elizabeth San Miguel, Lorena Cestou, Vanessa Palumbo, Priscilla Salazar, Sherline Salazar, Rosa Salinas, Analie Costilla, Clarissa Murillo, Erika Vela, Nancy Salazar, Martha Lozano, and Valerie Vásquez.

The posters told the story of POSSE’s service-learning work, including volunteering with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), a food-packing event for undernourished children in developing countries. They also explained how the group conducted literacy camps for immigrants detained at a local processing center. In addition, they shared how POSSE members traveled to the Dominican Republic to conduct literacy work with women and children through the “Batey Girls” program in the sugar cane plantations of the Dominican Republic, the second such experience in 2017 for half of the team.

Posters also highlighted interviews POSSE members conducted with more experienced members on how their work impacted them personally and professionally.

POSSE members are pictured, left to right, front row: Alexandra Reyes, Martha Lozano, Elizabeth Sanmiguel, Clarissa Murillo, Sherline Salazar, and Analie Costilla. Back row: Nancy Salazar, Valerie Vásquez, Erika Vela, Vanessa Palumbo, Priscilla Salazar, Rosa Salinas and Lorena Cestou.

Dr. Tonya Huber, TAMIU professor of Education and POSSE founder, explained that POSSE is academically focused on creating a culture of critical consciousness, community engagement and change.

POSSE members are committed to empowering change-making through leadership and scholarship in and beyond traditional learning environments locally and globally, she added.

Huber said she is honored that her students won the IARSLCE Award.

“I am honored and challenged each time our POSSE members achieve awards,” she said, “Awards are affirmations in the face of so many challenges they continue to take on and address. “

She noted, “The American author and anthropologist Margaret Meade was so right when she said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’" 

POSSE is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and targets for the Education 2030 Agenda, which include ending hunger, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, and ending abuse, exploitation and trafficking, Huber said.

Since its 2017 inception, POSSE members have presented their service-learning projects and research at five international conferences and world assemblies, she said.

“Without any doubt, the TAMIU Service-Learning opportunities, especially the Service-Learning Expo each semester, provide experiences for our students to engage meaningfully in academically grounded service and then conduct structured inquiries into the outcomes,” she said, “Presenting on campus has helped launch many of our students to present at The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Pathways Conference as well as state, regional, national and international conferences.”

She concluded, “The fact that so many POSSE members are publishing their work in peer-reviewed journals and books emphasizes the power of service-learning and the impact of POSSE.”

For more information, please contact Dr. Huber at 956.326.2678, email tonya.huber@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 432A.

University office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.