CARE program provides service to communities

President’s Medal for Social Embeddedness: Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) Program

The Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) program builds community capacity through a year-long collaboration between student researchers (mostly undergraduates) from diverse disciplines and nonprofit community organizations to address research questions that help these community organizations increase their effectiveness.

The organizations identify the questions they want addressed. The completed action research projects (problem definition, data collection, analyses, results, and implications for practice) represent the service provided to the organizations.

Over the past two cohorts (2009 and 2010), 21 action research projects (representing over 4,000 hours of researcher investment) were completed for 16 community agencies that provide services to thousands of individuals and families across Maricopa County. Students developed skills in action research, community engagement, and leadership; and community agencies increased their evidence based practice and effectiveness.

ASU Team Members:

• Larry Dumka, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Kathleen Burton, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Michael Bustos, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

• Carolyn Coates, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Matthew Conway, Department of Psychology.

• Tallia Doyle, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Brianna Dycus, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Carley Emery, School of Life Sciences.

• Idean Ettekal, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Michael Evans, W. P. Carey School of Business.

• Christine Fujino Glass, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Rachel Gibb, Department of Political Science.

• Angela Herman, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Amanda Homewood, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Megan Kesler, Department of Psychology.

• Kirsten Lyman, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

• Crystal Marston, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Nicholas Martinez, Department of Psychology.

• Erin Nelson, School of Life Sciences.

• Norma Perez-Brenna, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

• Annelyse Rubio, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.

• Casey Sechler, School of Social and Family Dynamics.

Community Partners:

• Celeste Adams, Save the Family.

• Jack Clarizio, Lincoln YMCA.

• Laura Clarke-Steffan, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Bill Holt Clinic.

• Pam Giardina, Christian Family Care Agency.

• Whitney Jacobson, Camp Swift Foundation.

• Jon Katov, The Open Table.

• Jeff Myers, Lincoln YMCA.

• Aaron Parrott, Mentorkids USA.

• Nicole Peña, Phoenix Rescue Mission.

• Christina Plante, John C. Lincoln Health Network, Desert Mission Programs.

• Bill Rosenfeld, Mountain Park Health Center.

• Mandee Rowley, Phoenix Shanti Group.

• Karen Shedler, Center for Teacher Success, Phoenix, Maricopa County.

• Kurt Sheppard, Valle del Sol.

• Candace Sherwood, UMOM New Day Centers.

• Amy St. Peter, Human Services, Maricopa Association of Governments.

• Bev Tittle-Baker, Community Asset and Resource Enterprise Partnership.