The Ormsby Award for Faculty Citizenship, now in its fifth year, was created in 2013 to encourage, recognize, and honor exemplary civic engagement by faculty from each of the six public baccalaureates in the state of Washington. Inspired by the many achievements of Representative Timm Ormsby, including his steadfast support of higher education in the state, award winners embody service in the public interest, including the development of programs of civic engagement, enhanced community participation in state government, legislative and local partnerships that strengthen the civic education of Washington residents, research that addresses critical needs and issues affecting the residents of Washington, and community-based programs that facilitate the democratic or electoral process. Winners for this year, Dr. Charles Reasons (CWU), Dr. Margo Hill (EWU), Dr. Susan Finley (WSU), and Dr. Sandra Alfers (WWU), were nominated by the faculty senates at each institution.
WSU
Dr. Susan Finley is an artist, scholar, and public voice for democratic practices that involve children, youths, teachers, and other citizens in problem solving initiatives. She has consistently engaged in individual and collaborative endeavors to address issues of poverty and homelessness. Dr. Finley is also an activist, having implemented community-based educational efforts with people living in tent communities, with street youths, and among economically-poor children and their families, housed and unhoused. During her 17-year career, she has devoted her teaching and research to community engagement, primarily through the At Home At School program (AHAS) she developed at WSU Vancouver in 2002 and continues to direct as part of her scholarly and service efforts. Since 2002, over 2,500 local students have participated in AHAS. In a collaboration with Slow Food Southwest Washington, Dr. Finley involves students in the conceptualization, painting, and circulation of mobile murals depicting food justice, local foods, food traditions among local immigrant communities, and other topics of health and nutrition. In addition to her efforts to influence food policy and distribution, Dr. Finley assists Clark County Planned Parenthood staff and volunteers in their efforts to establish the Untold Stories: Using Stories to Transform Culture & Create a Narrative research project.
For Information Contact Faculty Senate.
