Courses & Community Work
SOCL 2501: Social Problems
I currently teach this course for students in the HSSRC, first year students majoring in the Humanities and Social Sciences who live and take classes within the same dorm community. This class takes a subjectivist / constructionist approach, viewing troubling conditions through the lens of the social process they go through to become defined as social problems. Throughout the semester, students engage in a city council simulation in which they represent residents of a local city and debate proposals for improving that city. Students receive communication intensive credit in speaking and writing as well as optional service-learning credit if they choose to complete service hours. Course syllabus.
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La Mesa
I partnered with a small team from St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to cofound La Mesa, which offers native English speakers the opportunity to learn Spanish and native Spanish speakers the opportunity to learn English. After classes, students share a meal to practice language skills and develop friendships. Relationships formed at the table ("la mesa," in Spanish) are central to the program. After one year of planning, La Mesa began offering classes in January 2023. In February 2024, La Mesa became a service-learning site for LSU students. I continue to provide leadership for La Mesa, coordinate student volunteers, and teach Level 2 English.
Soccer
In 2015, I partnered with the Gardere Youth Alliance, Iglesia Aposento Alto, and the Baton Rouge Soccer Club to cofound a neighborhood youth soccer program. We have 4-5 teams for ages 6-18 competing in Baton Rouge Soccer Club programs year-round. I provide program administration; serve as a bridge between neighborhood leaders and club staff; coach teams; and connect students with service opportunities. Through this program I have developed mentoring relationships with many young people and had the opportunity to be a part of their lives for 10+ years. Some of the youth who began competing with us in the first few years are now in college.
