Faculty Snapshot left bracketright bracket Fall 2021

Sarah Stanlick

Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative and Global Studies; Director, Great Problems Seminar

Stanlick office items

In each issue of the Journal we introduce you to members of the faculty through items they have in their offices.

Sarah Stanlick

Sarah Stanlick

1. GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION
I am proud to have a chapter in this book featuring undergraduate critical service-learning. Our team worked hard to build a reciprocal, transformative relationship with our refugee resettlement community partner and our new neighbors. It showed what happens when you put stakeholders at the center of a truly collaborative partnership.

2. THE LORAX
As for so many other children, The Lorax was a transformative book for me. It was the first real recognition I had of the danger of waste and greed but, more important, a strong lesson in stewardship and one person’s capacity to make change. My teaching and research are focused on engendering capacity for civic agency and community engagement.

3. UNITED NATIONS
I can trace the UN part of my life back to a 4th grade field trip that captured my imagination for what international collaboration could be. I’ve had the good fortune to work in that space in a variety of ways over the years. Prior to my doctoral work, I was a research associate for former US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power and helped with her book on UNHCR head Sergio Vieira de Mello. I have presented at the UN about my research on refugee issues and women’s human rights, as well as my work on an online, open-educational resource for UN Women. In my current role, I am constantly invoking the UN Sustainable Development Goals in my teaching and project advising.

4. BOB ROSS PEZ DISPENSER
We were heading to Berlin for an Interactive Qualifying Project in early March 2020 but COVID had other plans. We were concerned about losing the cohort bonding and sense of community, but mandatory fun events, like a “Bob Ross Virtual Paint Night” helped us connect and bond.

5. DECK OF CARDS
I am part of a research collective called Assessing the Practices of Public Scholarship that focuses on re-imagining assessment as a more generative, inclusive, and authentic practice. This set of cards was a playful and fun representation of the history of Imagining America—an organization dedicated to civic life, art, and social justice—that was created for its 20th anniversary convening.

6. QUSQU THE ALPACA
This little guy, Qusqu, came from a trip I led a few years ago with 21 students as part of a specialized backpack program to develop global citizenship identity. Traveling with students with the aim of meaningful learning and identity development is what brought me to WPI and The Global School.

Aunt Wanda

DIGITAL JOURNAL BONUS
This particular photo in my office shows my Aunt Wanda holding my mom as a baby. As caretaker for her grand- and great-grandchildren, she was the inspiration for my work on grandfamilies and tech. I keep that photo close to remind me of why.

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