Shriver Peaceworker Fellows
Community Partners
2007-2008

Community partners of the Peaceworker Program represent small and large organizations providing services directly and indirectly across a range of social need areas in the Baltimore region and the UMBC campus.

Ashoka is an international citizen sector organization based in Washington DC.  They are the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs—men and women with system changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems.  Peaceworker Benjamin Nathanson will be leading their education and community organizing for the Baltimore City Alley Greenway Initiative.

Association of Enterprise Opportunities (AEO) is the national association of community-based organizations that provide entrepreneurial education, access to capital, and support to aspiring and active low-income entrepreneurs.  Peaceworker Samuel Bronson will be doing outreach and research with AEO’s member organizations.

Baltimore Mental Health Systems is the manager, funder, coordinator, and local authority for mental health services in Baltimore City.  Peaceworker Bryan Cimorelli works to plan and develop policies and programs that serve homeless persons with mental illness.

College Gardens Community Center/YMCA, located in the nearby Yale Heights neighborhood of Baltimore, College Gardens provides a range of youth and community services including tutoring programs, experiential education, and computer classes.  Peaceworker Chad Sawyer coordinates the afterschool program for local elementary students as well as additional activities of the center. 

The Community Conferencing Center provides innovative and effective community justice and conflict transformation services to Baltimore City.  Peaceworker Renee Burgos coordinates diverse activities of the Center and facilitates community conferences.

Institute for Global and Cultural Studies at Wheaton High School, a new and unique institute involving a three way partnership between Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, and UMBC.  Peaceworker Joyce Armstrong serves as the UMBC liason on the project working closely with staff from all partners to plan and implement the Institute’s start in Fall 2006. 

Office of Baltimore Councilperson Jim Kraft serves the Cities 1st District which includes many historic neighborhoods and diverse communities. Peaceworker Jennifer Piorkowski will work with Council staff on a variety of urban policy projects crafting new legislation.

Paul’s Place, a non-profit organization located in Southwest Baltimore, provides a variety of outreach services for those experiencing personal crisis.  Peaceworker Nathanael Clark assists the Director of Programs in implementing services specifically designated for the Washington Village neighborhood’s individuals, families and the community.

UMBC On-Campus Community Partners

The Choice Program, based out of the Shriver Center on the UMBC campus, takes a community-based, family-centered, comprehensive case management approach to supporting youth and families in at-risk environments. Peaceworker Maureen Sarver serves in a number of community outreach and curriculum development projects.

The English Language Center (ELC), located on the UMBC campus, provides intensive English Language courses and tutoring services for international students.  Peaceworker Kevin Okun serves as an ESOL instructor and tutor at the center.

Intercultural Living Exchange (ILE) is a living learning community at UMBC  for students in the department of Modern Languages and Linguistics.  Peaceworker Michelle Dudley coordinates a variety of activities designed to provide a rich intercultural learning experience for diverse resident students.

MLL-Family Separation and Reunification Research Project  With support from the Spencer Foundation a team of UMBC faculty will conduct research on the special challenges and opportunities that face immigrant children in school.  Peaceworker Lisa Fink will be a research assistant leading focus groups in Baltimore’s Latino community.

Office of Student Life works to provide programs on the UMBC campus that enhance the overall student experience through creating intentional models of self-authorship.
Peaceworker Jordanna Spencer coordinates undergraduate service opportunities and creates linkages between various student organizations and departments on and off campus.
STEM Education Project, supported by the National Science Foundation, engages participants in enhancing science and math education in high needs Baltimore County Public Schools.  Peaceworker Mary Mannion assists full-time in an elementary classroom in a local school.

Universities at Shady Grove (DPET UMBC) offers UMBC undergraduate degrees in social work, psychology, and political science from a campus in the richly diverse Montgomery County.  Peaceworker Andres Cruz develops internship experiences for undergraduate students in the capitol region.  

Young Scholars is a community of precocious youth admitted for study at UMBC.  Peaceworker Joyce Armstrong coordinates activities and communications serving these exemplary youth and their families.
UMB School of Social Work Field Placement Office provides diverse practicum experiences for social work students in Baltimore area agencies.  Peaceworker Jessica Donaldson will be pursuing a placement in a school-based setting.