At the end of this semester, Karina Lopez and Ryan Dawson will be leaving The Center for Community Engaged Learning and Research to pursue other opportunities. Karina will be attending graduate school at Smith College, located in Northampton, Massachusetts and Ryan has accepted a position with Temple University and plans on enrolling in graduate school within a year.
Karina first joined the Bonner Program as a Bonner Scholar and later became a staff member, dedicating 10 years to the goals of the Center. Her work has connected her to many different non-profit organizations in the local area that include, PEI Kids, Department of Corrections, Anchor House, Rescue Mission, Mercer County Correctional Center and many more. She has led students in service learning trips to Atlanta and has facilitated discussions with Bonner Scholars around Gender, Power and Privilege, Mass Incarceration, the Civil Rights Movement and many more. She is currently co-leading a Sustained Dialogue group on campus. Karina’s last day will be on May 19th, 2017.
Ryan began his journey with our office three years ago, first as an AmeriCorps member and later as a CEL Division Coordinator. He has worked with Bonner Scholars whose placement included El Centro, Mercer Arc, Trenton Area Soup
Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, and Trenton Urban Promise. Ryan also supports the Bonners who manage the newspaper “The Wall” (https://thewall.pages.tcnj.edu/). He has worked with the Pre-College programs connected to the Commission for Blind and Visually Impaired (also connected to the TCNJ’s Center on Sensory and Complex Disabilities). Ryan has led students in service learning trips to New Orleans and Richmond, VA. Ryan’s last day will be May 6th, 2017.
Please join us in wishing the best to both Karina and Ryan!