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Awarded Anchor University Grants
Anchor University Grants Program 2024-2025
Thanks to the support of the Anchor University Advisory Council, which provided funding for the grant programs to support students, staff, and faculty conducting work in the community that supports our Anchor University mission.
The 2024-2025 Anchor University Grants program included:
- Robert S. Nelsen Civic Engagement Grants
- Community Engagement Grants
Total Allocated
The allocated amount for the 2024-2025 funding cycle was $104,685
Robert S. Nelsen Civic Engagement Grants
The total allocated amount for all the grant projects is $35,000.
Non-Partisan Voter Engagement of People Experiencing Homelessness
Nearly every California citizen over the age of 18 on Election Day has the right to vote. However, people experiencing homelessness face many barriers to exercising that right. In partnership with the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness (SRCEH), this project will engage and mobilize people experiencing homelessness and living in shelters for the November 2024 general election. Partners and students will organize several educational events and voter registration sessions at area shelters to increase voter turnout and, more generally, expand civic participation.
Project Lead: Dr. Ethan Evans
Community Partner: Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness (SRCEH)
Awarded Amount: $7,500
Fostering Youth Empowerment in South Sacramento
Through participatory action research (PAR), the project supports children's development of civic responsibility and promotes respect for community histories, social ties, cultural practices, and civic action. PAR is used to foster empowerment through collaborative research and action. Faculty and graduate and undergraduate students will meet weekly with 4th and 5th-grade children to examine photographs of their neighborhood and advocate for change. These efforts involves children in community organizing and promoting youth civic engagement, and gives them a voice in decisions that impact their lives.
The project works in collaboration with a community partner to prevent negative impacts of possible gentrification and displacement. These issues intertwine with racism and spatial segregation, disproportionately affecting communities of color, which aligns the project with values of antiracism and social justice. This project supports student success through opportunities for teaching and research, mentoring and leadership while fostering children's connection with Sacramento State.
Project Lead: Dr. Erin Rose Ellison
Community Partner: Sacramento Community Land Trust
Awarded Amount: $7,500
Asian Community Civic Leadership and Involvement Movement (ACCLAIM)
Asian Community Civic Leadership and Involvement Movement (ACCLAIM) is designed to engage, inspire, and empower Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American (APIDA) college students at Sacramento State to actively participate in civic engagement, advocacy, and public service. In collaboration with the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA), ACCLAIM provides students with meaningful opportunities to engage in the democratic process, advocate for important issues affecting their communities, and contribute to the public good.
By partnering with APAPA, students will have access to a network of experienced Asian American public policymakers who are dedicated to supporting and mentoring the next generation of civic leaders. Each mentor will offer guidance, support, and valuable insights to help students navigate their academic and professional journeys, and help them develop the skills and knowledge needed to become effective advocates and leaders in their communities. Additionally, ACCLAIM will offer workshops focused on topics such as civic engagement, public policy, community organizing, and leadership development. These opportunities will enable students to expand their knowledge, build their networks, and gain practical experience in areas related to public service and advocacy.
Project Lead: Andrew Yang
Community Partner: Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA)
Awarded Amount: $5,000
Black Centralized Medical Birthing Intervention: The Pathway of Black Doulas, Midwives, and Coaches
The Black Centralized Medical Birthing Intervention (BCMBI) explores medical interventions developed by Black care workers, such as doulas, midwives, and birth coaches. This study focuses on understanding how anti-racism practices improve outcomes for Black birthers, including women, non-binary, and transgender individuals. The project is a collaboration with Black Mothers United (BMU) which seeks to reduce Black American infant deaths by addressing perinatal conditions to promote healthy births and improve pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences for Black birthers. BMU is a Her Health First (HHF) program.
BCMBI seeks to demonstrate that anti-racist medical interventions and the unique care delivery strategies employed by Black care workers are crucial for improving birthing outcomes for Black birthers. The civic advocacy efforts center on Black birthers as the target population for medical care, resources, and support, while also challenging medical racism in real-time through meaningful actions. The project aims to build models of care that can be implemented in various medical spaces to ensure Black birthers receive adequate levels of medical care and reduce the impact of medical racism during their birthing journey.
Project Lead: Dr. Christopher Rogers
Community Partner: Her Health First
Awarded Amount: $7,500
Intergenerational Community Outreach
The Intergenerational Community Outreach Project promotes civic engagement between older adults (aged 65 and older) and younger people. The project focuses on health education and promotion activities, educational games, fun fairs, and mutual discussions. The specific objectives are to increase young people's interest in working with older adults and provide a bridge for students to connect classroom learning with real-life experiences, and foster an appreciation for mathematics among K-12 students and adults in general.
The project involves collaborating with four Title 1 schools in the Sacramento area (Miwok Middle School, Arcade Middle School, Hiram Johnson High School, and Luther Burbank High School) to implement health promotion activities in fall 2024. Additionally, teaming up with Campus Commons Senior Living for an open house event to promote healthy aging and mathematical literacy among youth. The project will culminate in April 2025 with an intergenerational community well-being fair hosted at Sacramento State with public participation.
Project Leads: Dr. Theresa Abah & Dr. Sayonita Ghosh Hajra
Community Partners: Campus Commons Senior Living Sacramento, Miwok Middle School, Hiram Johnson High School, Arcade Middle School, Luther Burbank High School
Awarded Amount: $7,500
Community Engagement Grants
Bushy Lake Eco-Cultural Restoration and Turtle Conservation
Project Description: The Bushy Lake Eco-Cultural Restoration Project, situated along the lower American River near Sacramento State, is an integral extension of the university’s Anchor University Mission. This initiative seeks to merge public education and citizen science with a comprehensive restoration and preservation plan for a vital ecological and cultural area. Central to this project is the enhancement of educational resources and the interpretation of the American River Parkway's tribal cultural heritage.
Sac State Lead: Michelle Stevens
Sac State Department/College: Department Environmental Science, College of SSIS
Community Partner: Save the American River Association (SARA) and Sacramento County Parks
Awarded Amount: $4,808
Barrio Art in the Community
Project Description: Art 148: Barrio Art in the Community is a course taught during the Fall semester that provides opportunity for Sac State students to engage with local elementary, and high school students and families in preparation for the teaching profession. It prepares Sac State students to develop experience by engaging with local students and families. The already established partnership with Washington Elementary and Hiram Johnson High School provides on-site engagement for CSUS students via tutoring, classroom experience, field trips, engagement with families, educators and administrators at the k-12 level.
Sac State Lead: Luis Garcia
Sac State Department/College: Department of Art, College of Arts & Letters
Community Partner: Sacramento County Unified School District (Washington Elem. Hiram Johnson HS)
Awarded Amount: $5,000
Empowering Youth Voices to Support Mental Health
Project Description: Over the recent decade, suicide rates have increased significantly for high school-aged youth in the United States. For the past three years, this research team has provided a 15-week intervention program called "Our Stories of Strength" focused on psychological strengths and well-being to a local high school. Now, they wish to expand this work to a new university-practice partnership with Grant Union High School (GUHS), a Title I school near the university campus. Building on previous insights, the inaugural 2024/2025 year at GUHS will incorporate topics like racial/ethnic identity and navigating social media. Led by Dr. Sruthi Swami, a certified school psychologist, the project will involve GUHS school psychologists and university graduate students in school psychology, providing valuable training experiences around installing novel youth mental health interventions in schools.
Sac State Lead: Sruthi Swami
Sac State Department/College: Graduate and Professional Studies, College of Education
Community Partner: Grant Union High School
Awarded Amount: $5,000
The SEL Project: Expanding One Student at a Time
Project Description: The proposed project will expand on an existing program called the SEL Project by increasing and enhancing its implementation and delivery of social and emotional learning (SEL) lessons at Sacramento area schools. The SEL Project consists of a unique university-K-12 partnership where undergraduate and graduate students serve as mentors and teach SEL skills to K-8 grade students. This project is an evidence-based community intervention in collaboration with Title I schools in lower-income neighborhoods that are racially and ethnically diverse. This program focuses on five broad competencies of self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, social awareness, and self-awareness (casel.org). SEL programs are especially effective in improving self-awareness and social awareness, academic skills, and mental health in youth.
<Sac State Lead: Greg Kim-Ju
Sac State Department/College: Department of Psychology
Community Partner: Nicholas Elementary School, Sacramento Valley Charter School
Awarded Amount: $4,947.90
Advancing Equity through Writing Partners @ Sac State
Project Description: Writing Partners @ Sac State began in the summer of 2005 in conjunction with the Community Engagement Center to provide a Service-learning experience that offers Sac State students an opportunity to teach and learn through a letter exchange with students from elementary schools in the Sacramento region. The purpose of this project is to sustain the program, including the newly initiated focus on advancing equity by reaching students in those schools with the lowest test scores and highest free lunch rates (schools serving low-income students/families). Each year, Writing Partners serves, on average: 8 university classes, 12 K-12 classes, 600 university students and 600 4th-6th grade students. Our goal is to continue to reach PK-12 elementary school children who will benefit the most from Writing Partners; students who attend elementary schools serving low-income students with low test scores.
Sac State Lead: Samantha Blackburn
Sac State Department/College: Community Engagement Center
Community Partner: Bowling Green Chacon Elementary School; Marion Mix Elementary School
Awarded Amount: $5,000
String Project Student-Teacher Ratio Improvement
Project Description: The Sacramento State String Project offers affordable, high-quality violin and cello classes to underserved school children in the Sacramento area while providing hands-on teacher training for CSUS School of Music students. In partnership with the Robla School District, the project aims to improve the student-to-teacher ratio by hiring additional teacher trainees. This project not only enriches the children's education with the discipline and joy of instrumental music but also prepares Sacramento State students to become effective and passionate string music teachers, creating a valuable synergy as a service organization.
Sac State Lead: Andrew Luchansky
Sac State Department/College: School of Music, College of A&L
Community Partner: Robla School District
Awarded Amount: $5,000
Immigrant Stories
Project Description: Immigrant Stories is a workshop series and showcase event that empowers and amplifies the stories of first and second-generation immigrants from our campus and city. The project is a collaboration between the Dreamer Resource Center and Capital Storytelling. Through a series of workshops, immigrant-identifying students and staff will come together, build community and solidarity, and share their stories with one another to support identity development and well-being. Through the public showcase, individuals will share their stories on stage with a larger public audience, which will ultimately increase understanding and advocacy for our immigrant population.
Sac State Lead: Kim Gomez
Sac State Department/College: Dreamer Resource Center
Community Partner: Capital Storytelling
Awarded Amount: $4,930
Growing Diaspora: Student-Led Research into the Cultivation and Preparation of Cultural Staple Foods for Local Immigrant and Refugee Communities
Project Description: The “Growing Diaspora” project is a collaboration between Sacramento State Geography students, Soil Born Farms, and the Rancho Cordova community. Aimed at enhancing ties and deepening knowledge about cultural staple foods of immigrant and refugee communities, students will survey and interview residents to research crop cultivation and preparation. Soil Born Farms plans to diversify its agricultural offerings based on these insights. The project involves an upper-level Geography course in Fall 2024 for data gathering and report development, followed by a Spring 2025 course focusing on cultivation experiments. The project addresses health and well-being, environmental sustainability, and cultural appreciation, while providing valuable research skills to students.
Sac State Lead: Caroline Keegan
Sac State Department/College: Department of Geography, College of NSM
Community Partner: Soil Born Farms
Awarded Amount: $5,000
Afro-Futures from Oakland to Sacramento
Project Description: "Afro-Futures from Oakland to Sacramento" is a collaboration between the Museum of Children's Art's Community Futures School (CFS) and Sacramento State's Pan African Studies program. CFS, a high school program in Oakland, teaches students Afrofuturist practices to envision anti-racist futures for 2045 through art, literacy, technology, and research. The collaboration involves three components: students in Sacramento State’s ETHN 70 courses will correspond with CFS students as pen pals, discuss Afrofuturist stories, and host CFS students for a campus visit. This pilot project aims to foster future connections through courses in the Black Honors College and the upcoming Afrofuturism course in the Ethnic Studies department.
Sac State Lead: Jasmine Wade
Sac State Department/College: Department of Ethnic Studies, College of SSIS
Community Partner: Museum of Children's Art
Awarded Amount: $5,000
ATSA TechArt Partnership
Project Description: In the upcoming academic year of 2024-2025, professors and undergraduate students from CSU Sacramento will collaborate with Aspire ATSA to introduce an innovative interdisciplinary course titled 'TechArt'. This project aims to merge science and art education, enriching the educational landscape of underserved students while fulfilling essential A-G requirements. Undergraduate student mentors will play a pivotal role in guiding participants, sharing their personal journeys, and nurturing aspirations within STEM fields. By fostering a sense of belonging and possibility, this partnership will not only equip students with valuable skills but also inspire them to envision themselves as future Sac State graduates poised for success.
Sac State Lead: Azizi Jones Penn
Sac State Department/College: College of Engineering and Computer Science
Community Partner: Aspire Twilight Academy
Awarded Amount: $5,000
EmpowerHer: Shaping Young Future Leaders with Confidence and Wellness
Project Description: The EmpowerHer project is a comprehensive program designed to nurture confidence, knowledge, and wellness in 5th and 6th graders. Through interactive workshops, engaging activities, and meaningful discussions, participants will learn about menstrual health, sustainable menstrual products, body positivity and self-care. The project aims to empower young girls to make informed choices, embrace their bodies, and foster positive relationships with themselves and others.
Sac State Lead: Sommer Hayes
Sac State Department/College: Associated Students, Inc., Student Engagement and Outreach
Community Partner: Health Education Council
Awarded Amount: $5,000
Project Title: Uplift Lives Collaboration - Project Rebound and Zion G
Project Description: Project Rebound is partnering with Zion Girls to enhance student success through community engagement, mentorship, leadership, life skills, and workforce development. This initiative will involve Sacramento State staff and student volunteers mentoring individuals impacted by the justice system from diverse, disadvantaged backgrounds. The Pillars of Progress mentoring program will offer an eight-month curriculum focused on leadership development, personal growth, and essential life skills. Participants will engage in activities promoting education, well-being, and workforce development, advancing equity, antiracism, and social justice both on campus and in the community.
Sac State Lead: Aaron Greene
Sac State Department/College: Project Rebound
Community Partner: Zion Girls Academy
Awarded Amount: $5,000
Festival of New American Music
Project Description: The 47th Festival of New American Music (FeNAM) at California State University, Sacramento, features a diverse lineup of performers and composers, including Hub New Music, Metaphor Percussion, the Myra Melford Trio, and keynote speaker Angélica Negrón. This year's festival emphasizes community engagement by partnering with Natomas Charter School’s Performing and Fine Arts Academy and McClatchy High School, providing students with direct access to guest artists through masterclasses, performances, and lectures. Committed to accessibility, all events are free, promoting inclusivity and enriching the Sacramento community with the vibrant sounds of contemporary American music.
Sac State Lead: Shuying Li
Sac State Department/College: School of Music
Community Partner: Natomas Charter School
Awarded Amount: $5,000
Folsom Boulevard Coalition: PG&E Mural 2024-25
Project Description: This collaborative project, developed with the Folsom Boulevard Coalition, involves students working with community stakeholders to design artistic murals for the intersection of Folsom Boulevard and Howe Avenue. Spanning four upper-division design courses, the initiative provides hands-on experience, enhancing learning outcomes and contributing to community beautification. The murals will showcase the students' creative skills and dedication to community improvement.
Sac State Lead: PJ Carlino
Sac State Department/College: Department of Design
Community Partner: Folsom Boulevard Coalition
Awarded Amount: $5,000