SIUE Hosts CODES End-of-Semester Presentations at Lovejoy Library

SIUE Hosts CODES End-of-Semester Presentations at Lovejoy Library

On Dec. 9, 125 students in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville CODES (Community Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars) program hosted their end-of-semester showcase in Lovejoy Library. The CODES curriculum combines small research teams with a faculty member and a community organization in order to consider how the world's vital issues impact communities near SIUE. Presentations that included data storytelling, historical analysis and youth governance covered geographical areas such as Alton, East St. Louis and Cahokia.

Scholars presented their research in front of more than 200 audience members, which included several community members and Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD.

The evening program was designed to be a showcase for seniors as well as five teams of sophomores who gave ten-minute presentations that shared their work from their implementation semesters. Projects from the sophomores involved water conservation, youth volunteering, nutrition and, for East St. Louis, tree equity.

Eighteen teams of first-year students produced poster presentations about their community organization assignments, their understanding of the issue their organization is facing as well as their plans for the future.

"Each year we gather for student to share their projects with community partners at the CODES Fall Showcase, but this was a special year because we celebrated our first class of graduating seniors and watched as our first expanded class of 100 first-year students presented their ideas to the SIUE community," said Jessica Despain, PhD, professor of English, co-director of SIUE's IRIS Center and CODES curriculum director.

The twenty-one graduating seniors received a guinea pig stuffy, representing their status as the first CODES class, and aptly naming themselves the guinea pigs.

CODES Scholars receive full undergraduate tuition for up to 18 credit hours per semester.

Community partners represented at the event were the following for first-years:

• The Wedge in Alton
• Cahokia Public Library District
• Art Place Initiative-St. Louis
• The City of Alton, Child Friendly Cities Initiative

For sophomores, community partners include two organizations:

• Jackie Joyner Kersee Food Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK-FAN)
• Heartlands Conservancy
  

CODES is supported by the Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

PHOTO: Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD observes CODES poster presentation; CODES seniors hold their guinea pigs