ABOUT THE EX[L] CENTER
EX[L] Directors
EX[L] Student Assistants
![EX[L] Center at The University of Akron.](/exl/images/about/haliuna.jpg)
Haliunaa Baasankhuu
Haliunaa is a PPE /Philosophy, Political Science, Economics/ Major. She is the Pitch Competition manager at the EX[L] Center. She is passionate, diligent, and funny. One of her best characteristics is her optimism, it makes her challenge the impossible. Haliunaa loves calligraphy and playing table tennis. She is excited to learn more about good leadership qualities, communication and organizational skills.
![EX[L] Center at The University of Akron.](/exl/images/about/yuvraj.jpg)
Yuvraj Subedi
Yuvi is a Computer Science and Mathematics major. He is the Data Manager Student Assistant at the EX[L] Center and helps with the UA Pitch Competition. He is adventurous, curious and social. He likes to dream and believes in what he dreams. He loves to watch movies, TV series and read novels. He is learning about web development and leadership skills.
![EX[L] Center at The University of Akron.](/exl/images/about/ebun.jpg)
Ebunoluwa Adedeji
Ebun is a Nursing Major and the Akron Community Internship Program Student Manager in the EX[L] Center. She is a Feminist, passionate about women’s rights and mental health. Outside school Ebun’s hobbies are reading, writing poetry, travelling, and crocheting. She is excited to learn about the Akron community partners, networking and professionalism.
![EX[L] Center at The University of Akron.](/exl/images/about/mitaya-collins.jpg)
Mitaya Collins
Mitaya is an Anthropology Major and a Psychology Minor. At the EX[L] Center she is the Photography and Design Student Manager. She can be described as creative, wise, chill, and ambitious. Mitaya’s hobbies include writing, videography, and graphic design. She is looking forward to organizing the center.
![EX[L] Center at The University of Akron.](/exl/images/about/mya-armstead.jpg)
Mya Armstead
Mya Armstead is a Public Relations and Media Studies Major. She is the Social Media and Communications Manager at the EX[L] center. She is passionate, adventurous, and social. Mya has big dreams and goals and always does whatever it takes to complete them. Her hobbies are painting, video games, and movie watching. She is excited to help the EX[L] center broaden their reach and make an impact on the city she grew up in.
Learn more about EXL
Student Advisory Council
The Council is reforming for the 20-21 school year: If you are interested in learning more about the Student Advisory Council, please email Dr. Christin Seher or Anoo Vyas for more information.
Purpose Statement:
The EX[L] Student Advisory Council currently operates differently from other student organizations. There are no traditional roles such as President, Vice President etc. Instead, we function as sounding boards by offering ideas, suggestions, or feedback as it pertains to the operations and programs of the EX[L] Center. We also function as project managers who meet to discuss student-driven and collaborative project ideas. We offer each other advice about how to best implement those ideas. We also serve as ambassadors for EX[L] reaching out to new students and faculty.
Faculty Steering Committee
The EX[L] Center operates with a Faculty Steering Committee.
EX[L] Co-Directors:
- Christin Seher - cld37@uakron.edu
- Anoo Vyas - adv5@uakron.edu
Faculty Steering Committee, 2020-21
Name | Field | Term | |
Sarah Hamilton |
Associate Director ZipAssist | Spring 2021 | shamilton@uakron.edu |
Juan Xi (co-chair) |
Sociology | Spring 2021 | jx@uakron.edu |
Carolyn Behrman | Anthropology, Past Co-Director EXL | Spring 2023 | behrman@uakron.edu |
Adel Alhalawani | Biomedical Engineering | Spring 2023 | aalhalawani@uakron.edu |
Scott Bible | Management | Spring 2023 | scb3@uakron.edu |
Amber Ferris | Communications | Spring 2023 | aferris@uakron.edu |
Evi Goroginanni | Classical Studies | Spring 2022 | eg20@uakron.edu |
Michael Gentithes | School of Law | Spring 2023 | gentithes@uakron.edu |
Jon Miller | UA Press and English | Spring 2022 | mjon@uakron.edu |
Nick Glavin | UA Research Foundation | Spring 2023 | Nmg38@uakron.edu |
Parizad Dijbord-Sawan | Modern Languages | Spring 2023 | parizad@uakron.edu |
Gopal Nadkarni | Mechanical Engineering | Spring 2021 | gnadkarni1@uakron.edu |
Jacob Farrar | Taylor Institute | Spring 2021 | jfarrar@uakron.edu |
Kara Kvaran | Women's Studies | Spring 2022 | kkvaran@uakron.edu |
Heather Braun | English Department | Spring 2022 | hbraun@uakron.edu |
Drew Ippoliti | Myers School of Art | Spring 2023 | aippoliti@uakron.edu |
Anne Jorgensen | Athletics | Spring 2023 | ajorgen@uakron.edu |
Bill Lyons | Political Science | Spring 2023 | wtlyons@uakron.edu |
Gary Spring | UA SEED Clinic/Akron Law School | Spring 2023 | gspring@uakron.edu |
Faculty Steering Committee, 2019-20
Name | Field | Term | |
Sarah Hamilton |
Associate Director ZipAssist | Spring 2021 | shamilton@uakron.edu |
Juan Xi (co-chair) |
Sociology | Spring 2021 | jx@uakron.edu |
Amanda Booher | English | Spring 2020 | abooher@uakron.edu |
Hunter King | Polymer Sciences | Spring 2020 | hking@uakron.edu |
Evi Goroginanni | Classical Studies | Spring 2022 | eg20@uakron.edu |
Rob Peralta | Sociology | Spring 2020 | rp32@uakron.edu |
Jon Miller | UA Press and English | Spring 2022 | mjon@uakron.edu |
Terry O'Sullivan | Political Science | Spring 2021 | tmo@uakron.edu |
Parizad Dijbord-Sawan | Modern Languages | Spring 2020 | parizad@uakron.edu |
Gopal Nadkarni | Mechanical Engineering | Spring 2021 | gnadkarni1@uakron.edu |
Jacob Farrar | Taylor Institute | Spring 2021 | jfarrar@uakron.edu |
Kara Kvaran | Women's Studies | Spring 2022 | kkvaran@uakron.edu |
Heather Braun | English Department | Spring 2022 | hbraun@uakron.edu |
Faculty Steering Committee, 2018-19
Name | Field | Term |
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan | Modern Lan. | Spring 2020 |
Amanda Booher (co-chair) | English | Spring 2020 |
Juan Xi | Sociology | Spring 2021 |
Hunter King | Polymer Sciences | Spring 2020 |
Peter Niewiarowski | Biology | Spring 2019 |
Sarah Hamilton | ZipAssist | Spring 2021 |
Rob Peralta | Sociology | Spring 2020 |
Andy Platt | CBA Dean's Office | Spring 2019 |
Terry O'Sullivan | Political Science | Spring 2021 |
Christin Seher (co-chair) | Dietetics | Spring 2020 |
Gopal Nadkarni | Mechanical Engineering | Spring 2021 |
Jacob Farrar | Taylor Institute | Spring 2021 |
Jodi Henderson-Ross | Wayne Campus | Spring 2021 |
Faculty Steering Committee, 2017-18
Name | Field | Term |
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan (chair) | Modern Lan. | Spring 2020 |
Amanda Booher | English | Spring 2020 |
Curtis Clemons | Math | Spring 2018 |
Hunter King | Polymer Sci. | Spring 2020 |
Peter Niewiarowski | Biology | Spring 2019 |
Deb Owens | Business | Spring 2018 |
Rob Peralta | Sociology | Spring 2020 |
Andy Platt | Business | Spring 2019 |
Pam Schulze | Family Sci. | Spring 2018 |
Christin Seher | Dietetics | Spring 2020 |
Dick Steiner | Statistics | Spring 2020 |
Don Visco | Engineering | Spring 2018 |
Deb Wallace | Pan Afr. Studies | Spring 2019 |
Faculty Steering Committee, 2016-17
Name | Field | Term |
Matt Lee (chair) | Sociology | Spring 2017 |
Hazel Barton | Biology | Spring 2019 |
Curtis Clemons | Math | Spring 2018 |
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan | Modern Lan. | Spring 2017 |
Brant Lee | Law | Spring 2017 |
Peter Niewiarowski | Biology | Spring 2019 |
Terry O’Sullivan | Poli. Sci. | Spring 2017 |
Deb Owens | Business | Spring 2018 |
Andy Platt | Business | Spring 2019 |
Pam Schulze | Family Sci. | Spring 2018 |
Markus Vogl | Art | Spring 2017 |
Don Visco | Engineering | Spring 2018 |
Deb Wallace | Pan Afr. Std. | Spring 2019 |
Founding Faculty Advisory Committee, 2015-16
Name | Field |
Bill Lyons (chair) | Political Science |
Matt Lee | Sociology |
Carolyn Behrman | Anthropology |
Hazel Barton | Biology |
Brant Lee | Law |
Terrence O'Sullivan | Political Science |
Andrew Terrence | Business |
Pamela Schulze | Family and Consumer Science |
Deborah Wallace | Pan African Studies |
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan | Modern Languages |
Peter Niewiarowski | Biology/Biomimicry |
Deborah Owens | Business |
Markus Vogl | Art |
Donald Visco Jr. | Engineering |
Matt Kolodziej | Art |
Rebecca Erickson | Sociology |
Jodi Henderson-Ross | Sociology |
Charles Waehler | Psychology |
Robert C. Schwartz | Counseling |
Kathryn Feltey | Sociology |
Faculty caucuses
In development.
Mission
The mission of the EX[L] Center is to help students emerge as civically-engaged, adaptable leaders, ready to join in the enterprise of building strong and sustainable communities by promoting hands-on, community-based, problem-centered learning.
Goals
To address this mission, EX[L] seeks to:
- support, expand, and create new experiential learning programs on campus,
- assist faculty with barriers to innovative, interdisciplinary, experiential teaching,
- be a resource for students reaching out from their curricular homes to explore interdisciplinary or other innovative pathways, and
- sustain existing, and develop new community partnerships that bring UA students and local business and non-profit change-makers together.
Origin
The University of Akron has a long history of strong hands-on and problem-based learning, as well as community-engaged activity by faculty and students; but, many of these activities have developed and function in silos. Founding Director, Jeff Hoffman joined the university in July 2015 to launch an initiative in experiential learning that addressed these silos.
Hoffman, an entrepreneur of global repute, entered the field of higher education "perfectly" according to one faculty member who continued, "He went on a listening tour, meeting with faculty in small groups, exploring the terrain of disciplines, projects, and partnerships that had evolved organically here at UA but which lacked a strong sense of identity and connectedness across campus." Hoffman and EX[L] resource director, Ian Schwarber, then met with the most interested faculty from across the university. Hoffman shared his impressions and enlisted their assistance in advancing the development of the EX[L] Center.
Meanwhile, Hoffman and Schwarber reached out to community and student leaders as well, eventually establishing a three-part structure for EX[L] drawing from the strengths and perspectives of student, faculty and community advisory councils. Schwarber's skill at event conceptualizing and marketing helped raise EX[L]'s profile, opening opportunities for collaborations with entrepreneurs and local secondary schools. Energetic and charismatic, Hoffman and Schwarber sparked entrepreneurial, social entrepreneurial, and community development-oriented events both on and off campus in 2015 and 2016. These included BluPrints to EX[L], entrepreneurial panel discussions held in Akron hotspot the BluJazz nightclub and an immersion week for area high school students. In 2016, they selected a faculty collaboration director, Carolyn Behrman, to join them in overseeing EX[L] activity. Having launched EX[L], Hoffman and Schwarber separated from the University of Akron in Fall 2016.
Behrman and Anoo Vyas were appointed as co-Directors of the EX[L] Center in Fall 2016. A tenured faculty member, Behrman has 18 years of experience in community-based research and service-learning linking University of Akron students with organizations and groups across Akron. At EX[L], Behrman concentrates her energies on academic-community engagement and works with faculty and students to enhance existing and foster new community-engaged experiential learning through the curriculum. Vyas employs his significant experience with business incubation, business law and creative and entrepreneurial community partners to develop new opportunities for students within the greater Akron area.
Contact
EX[L] Center is located in Bierce Library, Room 168 (see map)
Office: 330-972-8153
Email: exl@uakron.edu