Contact: Monica D. Griffin, Director, Community Studies
and Engaged Scholarship; Blow Hall, Room 326B;
m d g r i f @ wm . e d u ; 2 2 1 - 2 4 9 5
FAQ’s and Answer Sheet
Community Studies Minor at W&M
Fall 2013 CMST Courses
African American English CMST 250 – 01
CRN -16609 2:00 pm - 3:20 pm MW
School of Education, Room 2021
Prof. Anne Charity Hudley, ahchar@wm.edu
This course will explore the linguistic and social
features of English as spoken by AfricanAmericans in the United States. We will
examine hypothesis about the history and
emergence of African-American English and
explore the relationship of African-American
English to Linguistic theory, Education praxis,
American culture, and racial prejudice. In
particular, we will combine the study of the
language and culture of everyday life with the
application of this knowledge to raising the
literacy levels of K-12 students.
*** This course is cross-listed with Africana
Studies 306, English 464, and Linguistics 464.
The Community Studies minor is designed to prepare students for community-based research.
Community Studies aims to move students beyond experiences of volunteerism to critically examine
the relevance of their academic learning in community settings and develop scholarly approaches to
understanding and engaging social issues.
FAQ’s and Answers
Q1:
Answer: First and foremost, a committed focus and desire to complete
research as an undergraduate student at W&M. Also, the following:
-
-
Q2:
Afrn Amer Nature Writers CMST 250 – 03
CRN 18652 2:00 pm - 3:20 pm TR
St George Tucker Hall 310
Prof. Jacquelyn Y McLendon, jyclen@wm.edu
This course will survey a range of critical
theories and perspectives about civic
engagement, including but not limited to
philosophies of citizenship, organizational
structure and efficacy, social justice and
inequality, social movements, and others.” One
central problem of the course is how to
understand inequalities, injustices, and
disparities in critical and evidence-based ways.
A second concern is how to engage identified
inequalities and the like at the community level
and with some prospect of promoting positive,
meaningful, and sustainable social change.
This course privileges social science theory,
systematic empirical research, and conclusions
and strategies that are grounded in empirical
evidence.
***This course is cross-listed with Latin
American Studies and Sociology 340.
CMST250 Intro. to CMST (Topics vary by professor); or Sharpe Seminar
CMST 350 Critical Engagement in Context
CMST 351 Methods in Community‐Based Research
Electives: At least five (5) credit hours drawn from the College's existing curriculum,
in courses that will enrich the student's understanding in a subject area and advance
their development toward completing a community‐based research project.
Senior Research Paper OR Honors Thesis
Why is there a 750-word-or-less essay required for Permission to Enroll
in the core courses?
Answer: The CMST Minor requires sustained focus on a research question (or
set of questions). This makes the CMST Minor is truly different than other
minors on campus that require a combination of courses within a department
or across disciplines. The essay helps professors assess how you are thinking
critically about a community-based research goal and where you are in your
capacity to conduct research. The essay also helps the program to identify a
suitable advisor for your research depending on what training you need in
order to be successful in achieving both academic and community-oriented
goals.
*** This course is cross-listed with Africana
Studies 306, American Studies 350, English 465,
and Environmental Sciences and Policy (ENSP)
249.
Critical Engagement in Context CMST 350
CRN - 19112 3:30 pm - 5:50 pm W
Blow Memorial Hall 333
Prof. David P Aday, dpaday@wm.edu
What does the Community Studies Minor require?
Q3:
What about volunteering? Or partnering with community?
Answer: Students are expected to engage in a minimum of 60 hours of work
in association with or in collaboration with and within communities
connected with their stated community-based research project. The nature
of this association and degree of collaboration may vary by student or project.
Their fulfillment of this requirement will be monitored and subject to
evaluation by the Sharpe Program.
Q4:
As a Community Studies Minor, am I eligible for funding?
Answer: YES, enrolled and declared Community Studies Minors are eligible
to apply for Sharpe and Community Studies summer research grants at any
point in making progress toward community-based research.
Q5:
How do I get started?
Answer: BEGIN WRITING the essay to get permission by email to register for
a core course. Visit office hours to talk to one of our core course advisors
about making an academic plan of study for declaring the CMST Minor. Use
the worksheet on the back of this sheet to start planning. (The declaration
form is also available on the Community Studies website: type “Community
Studies” into the Search line of the W&M website.)
FAQ’s and Answer Sheet
Contact: Monica D. Griffin, Director, Community Studies
and Engaged Scholarship; Blow Hall, Room 326B;
m d g r i f @ wm . e d u ; 2 2 1 - 2 4 9 5
Community Studies Minor at W&M
Self-Design a CMST Major!
What Community Studies Students Do
At W&M, a student working in consultation with
a faculty advisor may formulate an
Interdisciplinary Studies major that is uniquely
tailored to his or her interest. Community
Studies core courses are ideally structured to
support students in the process of responsibility
formulating a sound academic program of
interdisciplinary study toward communitybased research with an advisor:
-
CMST250 Intro. to CMST (Topics vary by
professor); or Sharpe Seminar
CMST 350 Critical Engagement in Context
CMST 351 Methods in Community‐Based
Research
Electives
Senior Research Paper OR Honors Thesis
Normally, students pursuing an interdisciplinary
major base their program upon a solid
understanding of an established discipline, and
must include courses from at least three
departments, with no more than half of the
credit hours from any one department. More
than two courses at the introductory level are
seldom approved.
Applications for interdisciplinary majors must
be submitted to the Committee on Honors and
Interdisciplinary Studies before the beginning of
preregistration for the first semester of the
student's senior year. All interdisciplinary
programs must be compatible with the degree
requirements for Arts and Sciences.
CMST Majors are REQUIRED to include either an
Independent Study or an Honors project within
the proposed major. See examples of our
students’ work listed to the right of this column.
For more information about self-designing a
Community Studies Major, please contact:
Monica D. Griffin, Director, Community Studies
and Engaged Scholarship; mdgrif@wm.edu;
(757) 221-2495
OR
Anne Charity Hudley, W&M Professor of CMST
ahchar@wm.edu; (757) 221-3009
William Morris, Class of 2011; Community Studies minor
Honors Thesis: “Bridging the Achievement Gap: an Exploratory Study of a Virginia
School”; Advisor: Dr. Vernon Hurte, Education
* William is now a graduate student, Education, University of Pennsylvania
Blair Smith, Class of 2011, Sociology Major/Community Studies minor
Supervised Research: “Feminist Rappers in Hip Hop as Models for Mentoring Young
Black Girls”; Advisor: Prof. A. Charity Hudley;
*Blair is now a graduate student, Syracuse University; Director, PAGE for Imagining
America Consortium
Brittney Calloway, Class of 2011, Interdisciplinary Studies
Honors Thesis: “An Exploration of Discipline Strategies in Middle Schools”; Advisor:
Prof. A. Charity Hudley, English/Education/CMST
*Brittney is now employed by Teach for America, Washington, DC
Jerome Carter, Class of 2012, Africana Studies/Neuroscience double-major
Honors Thesis: “Multicultural Science Education,” Advisor: Prof. A. Charity Hudley,
English/Education/CMST
*Jerome is now taking classes at UMBC and Towson to prepare for an MPH and MD.
Ellie Walsh, Class of 2012, Anthropology major/Community Studies minor
Honors Thesis: “Conceptions of and Treatments for Cognitive Disability in Antebellum
Virginia: John Minson Galt’s “Lecture on Idiocy” (1859)”; Advisor: Prof. Karen Wulf,
American Studies
*Ellie is now a graduate student in Education at Vanderbilt University
Matt Sinclair, Class of 2012, Psychology major, Community Studies minor
Supervised Research: Promoting Positive Youth Development: A case study of ETL's
Alpha Beautillion; Advisor: Vernon Hurt, Education
*Matt received the 2010 Galano Award for Community Service and Engagement in
Psychology.
Taylor Nelson-Farris, Class of 2013; Psychology major/Community Studies minor
Supervised Research: “Let’s Get Cooking! The Effects of Cooking-Based Nutritional
Education on Children’s Willingness to Try New Foods “; Advisor: Catherine Forestell,
Psychology
Ashley Pettway, Class of 2013; English major/ Community Studies minor
Supervised Research: “Early Readers, Future Leaders”; Advisor: Anne Charity Hudley
Jackie Carroll, Class of 2013; Sociology/INTR Community Studies double-major
Honors Thesis: “The Non-Profit Industrial Complex & Critical Methodologies in
Engaged Scholarship”; Advisor: Monica D. Griffin, Community Studies
Alex Cooper, Class of 2013; Government/INTR Community Studies double-major
Supervised Research: “Of Pride and Prejudice: An Analysis of LGBTQ NGOs in Serbia";
Advisor: Monica D. Griffin, Community Studies