DEEP Service Magazine Spring/Summer 2014 | Page 27

DEEPCONNECTIONS

Dake Fellowships Offer Developmental Pathways for
Students to Actively Engage in the Community
By Claudia Congemi ’14, Dake Fellow

MEASURING ENGAGEMENT

ACE is pleased that for the second
completion at Green Tech High Charter School for Boys.
year, through the generosity of the Dake
This survey began as a Community Engaged Teaching and
Family and Stewart's Shops, a
Learning (CETL) Economics class in the spring of 2013.
developmental
Dr. Mandal, my classmates, and I
pathway for students to
helped develop a survey designed
“The mission of a Dake Fellowship
actively engage in the community
to measure the variables involved
has been kept open. The mission of
in academic success. This survey
is to help students identify a
a Dake Fellowship is to help
was recently implemented in its
community challenge, study that
students identify a community
first round of testing this May. This
challenge, and spend a year of full- summer, I will start to analyze and
challenge, study that challenge, and
spend a year of full-time service post
time service post graduation
interpret this data for Green Tech
graduation working to address that
and work to add elements the
working to address that challenge
challenge in a Capital District
analysis such as an index to help
in a Capital District community.”
community. This also includes the
create a better picture of each
opportunity to prepare a
student's strengths and weaknesses. 
community-based research project with the guidance and

consultation of ACE and CURCA.
It is our hope that this survey will be successful at

identifying individual factors that help and hinder students
This summer, I will be working as the Dake Fellow, with the
academic success, and will lead to the development of
guidance of Dr. Arindam Mandal in Economics, to
holistic ways to work with students at Green Tech. Perhaps
implement and analyze a survey to help measure the factors
some day the results can be used to help similar schools and
that increase the likelihood of academic success and college
community partners.  

Did You Know?
The Office of Academic Community Engagement proudly partners with the Siena
College Research Institute (SRI), a vital on-campus resource that works closely with
ACE community partners on community-based research questions that help solve
important social issues. SRI also conducts the National Assessment of Service and
Community Engagement as well as the Community Needs Assessment Study.
NASCE Blog: Scan the QR code with your smartphone to
access the blog post Telling the Story Behind the Hours: Assessing
Student Community Engagement Beyond Tracking Hours.

MEASURING ENGAGEMENT
DEEP Service Magazine | Page 27