Campus Compact is pleased to announce that recipient of this year’s Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award is Dr. Barry Checkoway, Professor of Social Work and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan. Checkoway is the founder of the Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning that opened its doors in 1997.

“He has created programs that have endured and he has continued to work with the same community partners for over 20 years” (Dewar, 2010).

Colleagues commented that Dr. Checkoway’s name is synonymous with service-learning and community-based programs at the University of Michigan. Dr. Checkoway has been instrumental in affecting transformative change for the University of Michigan in the development of the Ginsberg Center and infusing civic-engagement at all levels of the university.

Checkoway also leads by example; he has designed and continues to teach highly engaged courses for undergraduates by developing reciprocal benefits for the students, the university and the community.  As a passionate leader for social justice issues, he created partnerships in Detroit, one of the nation’s poorest cities and most segregated populations.  Dr. Checkoway developed relationships within the community that lead to the placement of over 800 AmeriCorps members over the past 15 years.

Dr. Checkoway has been a change agent, a teacher, and a leader for community collaborations.  We are proud to name him as the winner of the 2010 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award.

We would also like to congratulate our four finalists:

• Joan Francioni, PhD – Director, Center for Engaged Teaching and Scholarship, Winona State University, Winona, MN
• Judith Liu, PhD – Professor, Department of Sociology, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
• Edward Lorenz, PhD – Chair, History Director, Public Affairs, Alma College, Alma MI
• Nancy Orel, PhD – Associate Professor, Director of Gerontology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH