Amanda Moore McBride, Ph.D., a faculty member in the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, has agreed to become the next director of the Richard A. Gephardt Institute for Public Service, announced Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton.
She will succeed James W. Davis, Ph.D., professor emeritus of political science in Arts & Sciences.
“The Gephardt Institute was envisioned as a nonpartisan resource for the entire campus, one that encourages people from all walks of life to become more involved in serving society,” Wrighton said. “Jim Davis has done an excellent job of building bridges between the institute and other service programs on campus, some of which are now being consolidated under the umbrella of the Gephardt Institute.”
The institute is named in honor of two-time presidential candidate Richard A. Gephardt, D-Mo., who stepped down in 2004 after serving nearly 30 years as U.S. representative for Missouri’s 3rd District. He serves as an adviser to the institute, participating in on-campus events and using his connections to initiate new public-service programs and opportunities.
Davis has directed the institute since its launch in 2005. He also led the institute’s steering committee comprising University administrators and the deans of schools participating in institute programs.
In addition to announcing McBride’s appointment, Wrighton announced that Stephanie Kurtzman, director of the University’s community service office, will become associate director of the Gephardt Institute.
She will continue her leadership of student volunteer programs, such as Service First and Each One Teach One, but these programs will now be offered as part of the institute’s broader public-service mission. Kurtzman’s responsibilities are being expanded to encourage the community service office to engage graduate and professional students in public-service activities.
All changes are effective July 1.
Kristin Lappin, a former congressional liaison in Gephardt’s office, will continue in her role as assistant director of the institute, and, as previously announced, special assistant to the chancellor Steve Givens will serve as the chancellor’s liaison to the institute in his new role as assistant vice chancellor.
The institute is developing plans for community service programs, public-affairs conferences, special lectures and public-service internships. It is also working with campus leaders to coordinate course offerings and other learning opportunities for students interested in public-service careers.
“In selecting Amanda McBride, I have turned to an academic leader in areas vital to the growth of the Gephardt Institute,” Wrighton said. “I am delighted that she has taken on this exciting leadership opportunity.”
McBride’s social work research focuses on civic engagement, international service and global citizenship, youth service as youth development, and the relationship between civic service and asset-building. In the School of Social Work, she serves as research director for the Center for Social Development (CSD) and is principal investigator of the center’s Global Service Institute research initiative with Michael Sherraden, Ph.D., CSD director and the Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor of Social Development, as co-investigator.
McBride was lead editor of a 2004 special issue of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, titled “Toward a Global Research Agenda on Civic Service,” and a 2005 issue of Voluntary Action, titled “International Service in the Context of Globalization.” She recently co-edited a forthcoming book titled Civic Service Worldwide: Impacts and Inquiry.
McBride leads CSD’s civic service research grants and fellows program, which supports 20 fellows with research spanning 32 countries. She also recently won the Excellence in Teaching Award among full-time faculty in the School of Social Work, largely for the students’ appreciation for her experiential, service-learning pedagogy.
“The institute has the potential to make important contributions to service projects on campus, in St. Louis and around the world,” McBride said. “I look forward to working with students, faculty and administrators from across campus to ensure that the institute lives up to that potential.”
To further support students interested in service careers, the institute, through its new connection with the School of Social Work, has created the Richard A. Gephardt Public Service Scholarship, a two-year, full-tuition award that will honor an outstanding graduate student in social work who is committed to making a difference through service.
The scholarship recipient will have a mentoring relationship with Gephardt and other institute leaders and will complete an internship with an appropriate local, national or international organization.
Kurtzman has been building community service programs since 1998. As director of the community service office, she oversees efforts to help students connect with volunteer opportunities in the St. Louis community that are sustainable, meaningful, effective, educational and fun, including highly popular campus fund-raisers such as Relay for Life and Dance Marathon. The community service office will continue to be housed in the Women’s Building and will work closely with Jill Carnaghi, assistant vice chancellor for students.
“Bringing Stephanie Kurtzman into the Gephardt Institute as associate director reflects the high regard in which she is held and the impressive successes she has realized in developing the community service office,” Wrighton said.
Kurtzman works closely with students, student groups and St. Louis nonprofit agencies in the development of effective campus-community partnerships.
She founded and co-chairs Service First, advises Leadership Through Service in St. Louis, chairs the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award, coordinates the Stern Summer Service Scholarship and the Kaldi’s St. Louis Service Scholarship, coordinates campus blood drives, oversees Each One Teach One and advises Give Thanks Give Back and Feed St. Louis.