Service learning proposal for 5k to support Women’s studies and YWLP

UCF Women’s studies department

By: Lauren Ellman

September 21, 2010

Meredith Tweed

WST 3015

Community Partner Profile

Community partner: UCF Women’s studies program

Contact: Meridith Tweed

Email: Mtweed@mail.ucf.edu

Mission statement: “The Women's Studies Program at the University of Central Florida is an interdisciplinary discipline using research and teaching to focus on the relations of gender among various races, ethnicities, sexualities, and other differences in our society.

Through its curricular and co-curricular programming on campus, the Women's Studies Program enhances diversity and supports women and their endeavors. Off campus, the program recognizes its responsibility to serve the larger Orlando community by striving to build and sustain partnerships that demonstrate the pragmatic importance of the issues concerning the program (http://womensstudies.cah.ucf.edu/).

The proposal

Memorandum

TO: Meredith L. Tweed

FROM: Lauren Ellman

DATE: September 16, 2010

RE: Proposal to plan a 5k fun-run fundraiser for the UCF Women’s studies program to benefit the YWLP

The following is a proposal to outline the needs, rational and feasibility for a service learning project to benefit the UCF Women studies program along with their community partner, YWLP (Young Women Leaders Program). The following proposal contains information on the need for and benefits of a 5k fun-run fundraiser for the Women studies program, an outline of my personal responsibilities behind the project, the rationale for its inclusion in WST 3015 and an approximate timeline.

Need for awareness and funding for the UCF Women studies program

The Women studies program at UCF is a relatively small program with limited funding. They currently sponsor their community partner, YLWP, by pairing collegiate women with middle school girls to promote the girls' leadership abilities. In mentoring pairs and small groups of Big and Little Sisters, participants focus on learning competence and autonomy, independent thinking, empowerment, self-esteem, and encouraging girls to think about their futures (YWLP site).

Being such a small program, this fundraiser will bring a much needed awareness to the Women’s studies department out in the Orlando community. This awareness will provide the credibility this departments needs in order to gain the reputation and respect it deserves.

The money raised will help benefit the staff and students of the UCF Women’s studies program by providing work materials, scholarships, books and even more staff members. This fundraiser will afford the UCF Women’s studies program and their community partners with the support necessary to allow them to accomplish their main goal which is to enhance diversity and support women and their endeavors.

Plan proposal

Throughout the remainder of the semester and on through next fall, our team will be working behind the scenes planning this fun-run fundraiser. We will be putting in the hours to perform the necessary, extensive research needed to provide the most efficient execution of this event. Although the event isn’t until next fall, a lot of work needs to go into it in order for it to accomplish its goal, which is to raise awareness and funding for the UCF Women studies program which will help benefit the YWLP.

Since the event is still in its preliminary stages, nothing has been set in stone. However, we have delegated responsibilities throughout the team. These responsibilities include funding, event/race day planning and execution, media campaign and the UCF administrative team.

This is an enormous event to undertake, and being the first one ever, it requires diligent planning and extensive research. That is what this semester is for. Once we have finished all of that, it will be our responsibility as a team to execute this event. If it all goes according to plan, we should see an overwhelming support for the UCF Women studies program through funding and community awareness. The money raised will benefit the department along with its community partners and the recognition will hopefully allow the fun-run to become an annual event.

Rationale for Women’s studies

This race is more than a fundraiser to raise money for a school program, it is an active way to bring awareness and cement our place in the academic community. Women’s studies haven’t always been a part of academia. It wasn’t until the 1970’s did we see the start of many women’s studies programs across the United States building on the insights, energies and activist commitments of the vibrant liberation movements of the times (p. 3, Kirk and Rey). However, the emphasis currently placed on the women’s studies department, specifically here at UCF, isn’t something to become complacent about. Yes, it exists, but to its full capacity? Of course not. That is why we need to incorporate fundraisers, such as this fun-run, in order to not only raise funds, but also awareness of our goals, our purpose, and our position.

The awareness raised through this fundraiser will help open the community’s eyes to what the Women’s studies program actually is. It will hopefully enlighten them on the true meaning of the feminist plight and erase their false notions. I hope to teach the community that “feminism simply means that women are equals of men” (p. 1, Seely). A lot of people are unfamiliar with real feminist goals, and I think that has to do a lot with miscommunication. By going out into the community and showing what we stand for, we will be able to educate them on what we’re really about, finally burying all of those nasty rumors and myths. In a way, the fundraiser will serve as a form of activism, because activism means “sharing our realties to educate one another on the challenges that persist” (p.15, Seely).

Finally, this fundraiser will support girls in the community by benefiting the YWLP. This will allow these young girls to be taught the fundamentals of women’s studies. The work done with the girls will provide them with the confidence necessary to succeed.

Action

My personal responsibility lies in the media campaign behind the event. I am responsible for securing and creating T-shirt design, race logo/graphics, race website, registration forms, race photography, media campaign (tv, radio spots, print), along with other marketing and promotional tasks. I do have close connections to graphic designers and Orlando news media, as well as experience in the industry to help make sure this media campaign exceeds expectations. Our team will be connecting via our Google group bi-weekly to provide status updates and meetings will be held throughout the semester to track our progress.

Timeline

Fall 2010-Prelimenary stages of planning and research

Spring 2011-Peparing event: Gathering volunteers, marketing the run, registering runners, etc.

A date for the fundraiser has yet to be determined, however, it will be taking place sometime at the beginning to the Fall 2011 semester.

Proposal word count: 982

Works cited:

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Seely, Megan. Fight Like a Girl: How to be a Fearless Feminist. New York: NYU, 2007.

University of Central Florida: College of Arts & Humanities: Women's Studies Program. Web. 21 Sept. 2010. .

University of Central Florida: College of Arts & Humanities: Women's Studies Program. Web. 21 Sept. 2010. .