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Community Outreach
Improving lives in the world around us
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Civic engagement is an essential cornerstone of every great university. At UT Arlington, we transfer our insights from the laboratory and classroom directly into the community—to high schools, hospitals, boardrooms, and other high-need, high-impact settings. These collaborations engage and assist the community while magnifying our focus on developing tangible solutions with real-world applications. By embracing our role as a helpful and caring community partner, we enhance the quality of life locally, nationally, and worldwide. 

Mercy Mumba, 2010 nursing alumna
Passionate Caretaker

On a good day, she might help save a life. On an average day, she at least improves the quality of life for people in need. Nursing alumna Mercy Mumba (’10) is passionate about healing, and she found a perfect outlet for that passion in clinical rotations through the College of Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. “We have the best clinical instructors,” she says. “Knowing that you are taught and mentored by the crème de la crème of your profession helps you put your best foot forward every time you are in a clinical environment.” In 2010 Mumba received the Clinical Excellence Award for her consistent application of the nursing process while providing patient care with dedication and enthusiasm. It was a great honor, she says, but the rewards of her profession are much more intangible. “Nursing encourages me to think critically and constantly apply the nursing process to my everyday encounters in the clinical setting. Words are not enough to describe the joy I get from seeing my patients recover.”

Kathleen Tice

RECOMMENDED READING

Kathleen Tice believes literature provides opportunities for children. The assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education and Health Professions received UT Arlington’s 2010 Service Learning Award for her Open Door Preschool Project. The program teaches prospective teachers how to share literature with young children from economically challenged families where English is not the dominant language. Supported by a Phi Kappa Phi grant, the project complements a children’s literature course for prospective elementary school teachers.

Jianling Li

DRIVING TOWARD A SOLUTION

Can anything persuade Texans to rely less on their cars? School of Urban and Public Affairs Professor Jianling Li is trying to find out. She and fellow researchers are conducting a study for the Texas Department of Transportation on the impact of transit-oriented development (TOD) environments on urban populations. “The expectation is that if people live in a high-density, live-work-play TOD environment, they won’t need to use cars as much,” Dr. Li says. The team’s findings could have significant policy implications for urban planning and development.

Maria Scannapieco

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHILDREN

Social work Professor Maria Scannapieco is dedicated to helping children. As director of the Judith Granger Birmingham Center for Child Welfare in the School of Social Work, she trains and evaluates child welfare workers and programs in Texas and helps 11 states and 76 tribes implement systemwide changes. Dr. Scannapieco and her team recently received more than $3 million in grants to support the center’s five main ventures. One project prepares youth in foster care for adulthood, while another teaches life skills.

Drew Casani

MAXIMIZING BUSINESS POTENTIAL

When small- to mid-sized companies need help, they know whom to call: TMAC. Directed by Drew Casani, TMAC is an off-campus extension of UT Arlington’s Automation and Robotics Research Institute and six other regional partners. It works with companies to develop and implement customized solutions to their business challenges. Over the past 15 years, TMAC’s experts have helped more than 4,200 Texas companies gain more than $2.3 billion in sales and achieve $682 million in cost savings. These collaborations have produced or saved more than 20,000 jobs.