PBA-Conniston Partnership Earns Florida Campus Compact Award

10/15/2019

Florida Campus Compact on Wednesday named Palm Beach Atlantic University a Campus-Community Partnership Award recipient in recognition for the University’s ongoing partnership with Conniston Middle School.

Dr. Mireille Aleman (left), director of the Center for Integrative Science Learning at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Kate Magro, director of Workship at PBA, and Danielle Hanson, PBA's director of corporate and foundation relations, display the Campus-Community Partnership Award presented to PBA at the Florida Campus Compact 2014 Awards Gala and Dinner in Jacksonville on Thursday. PBA is a private, Christ-centered college in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.

Dr. Mireille Aleman (left), director of the Center for Integrative Science Learning at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Kate Magro, director of Workship at PBA, and Danielle Hanson, PBA's director of corporate and foundation relations, display the Campus-Community Partnership Award presented to PBA at the Florida Campus Compact 2014 Awards Gala and Dinner in Jacksonville on Wednesday.

Palm Beach Atlantic received a third-place honor in the Campus-Community Partnership Award category at the Florida Campus Compact 2014 Awards Gala and Dinner in Jacksonville. PBA was one of six university finalists, along with Pensacola State College, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Florida State University and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.

Peer institutions outside of the state of Florida selected the finalists. In all, 32 campuses were represented at the ceremony.
The award recognizes one outstanding campus-community partnership that produces measurable improvements in people’s lives while enhancing higher education.

In June 2012, PBA founded the Center for Integrative Science Learning (CISL). The goal of CISL is to prepare students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in post-secondary education and, ultimately, to be leaders and innovators in STEM careers.

PBA’s first community partnership to benefit from the resources of CISL is Conniston Middle School, a neighbor of PBA’s Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus. Through the partnership, Conniston teachers and students have a deeper engagement and enthusiasm for the STEM disciplines. Activities include interactive science assemblies, new after-school clubs, teacher trainings and the design of more than 30 laboratory modules.

“Our university has had a long history of service, and its impact on our county’s civic prosperity is immeasurable,” said Dr. Mireille Aleman, director of the CISL. “It is a great honor to be recognized for the work our team has accomplished over the past three years; I am convinced, however, that tonight’s recognition is the direct result of many years and countless hours of foundational work accomplished by so many before us.”

PBA professors of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and education have invested more than 300 hours working closely with Conniston teachers and administrators to meet the unique educational needs of students.

In addition, 65 PBA students have spent more than 400 hours volunteering at Conniston since June 2012. PBA students also have had an opportunity to help with the design and implementation of curriculum.