RADNOR, Pa. (March 21, 2017)—Cabrini University announced it is launching four new academic centers for dedicated research and scholarship in the areas of domestic violence, immigration, global issues, and urban education.
The Center for Urban Education, Equity, and Improvement; the Cabrini Center on Immigration; the Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education; and the Center for Global Learning will open as digital resources this year, the first of which will begin on March 27.
“These centers will showcase—and make accessible—the mission-based faculty and student scholarship and public engagement that is at the heart of this University,” said Jeff Gingerich, PhD, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Aligning the inaugural year with Cabrini’s 60th Anniversary is an opportunity to demonstrate the continued legacy of an Education of the Heart that has always been a part of this great institution.”
The Center for Urban Education, Equity, and Improvement will be the first center to open on March 27. By building and disseminating pertinent data, the Center will serve as a hub for research on urban education, equity, and improvement and will work with pre-K–16, corporate, state, nonprofit, and community-based institutions to provide specialized training for current and aspiring teachers and educational leaders.
Angela Campbell, PhD, Assistant Dean of the School of Education and Assistant Professor of Education, and Ronald W. Whitaker, II, EdD, Assistant Professor of Education and the Director of District and School Relations in the School of Education, will serve as the Center’s faculty directors.
The Cabrini Center on Immigration will launch in April to further support the legacy of the University’s namesake, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants. The Center will work with faculty, students, and community partners to utilize advocacy, scholarship, and the advancement of cultural expression in order to raise awareness of issues affecting immigrant communities.
To provide pertinent information on immigration and public policy, the Center will actively facilitate interdisciplinary research, faculty development, and academic programming featuring prominent scholars, activists, and artists. On a limited basis, direct legal representation may be provided to low-income clients facing deportation or seeking citizenship.
Abel Rodríguez, JD ('01), Assistant Professor of Religion, Law, and Social Justice, will serve as the Center’s faculty director.
The Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education will open in the fall. As a recognized leader in domestic violence education, Cabrini will further its commitment by building substantial, long-term resources for professionals working with children of trauma and witnesses of domestic violence.
Through its comprehensive preparation programs, Cabrini is positioned to effectively provide pre-service teachers, graduate students, current teachers, and teacher-leaders with resources to better understand how trauma and domestic violence may effect student learning. To serve as a hub for conducting research and publishing findings in the field, the Center also will provide programs and resources for teachers, social workers, schools, districts, athletic programs, and non-profit agencies.
Colleen Lelli, EdD, Associate Professor of Education and the Undergraduate PreK–4 w/Special Education Program Coordinator, will serve as the Center’s faculty director.
The Center for Global Learning also will begin during the fall semester. To enhance the global experience for Cabrini students and faculty, the Center will develop partnerships and establish funding to make study abroad opportunities more affordable, support faculty research on global issues, particularly those with a focus on social justice, and work closely with partner organizations on international initiatives.
The Center also will offer dedicated research and programming to provide students, faculty, and community organizations a broader perspective on global initiatives effecting all areas of study.
Erin McLaughlin, PhD, Chair and Associate Professor, Business, and Vonya Womack, Instructor, Business Administration and Program Coordinator of Marketing, will serve as the Center’s faculty directors.
For more information about Cabrini’s academic centers, visit cabrini.edu.
About Cabrini University
Founded in 1957 by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cabrini University is a Catholic institution that empowers students to become advocates of social change through an Education of the Heart, focusing on academic excellence, community engagement, and leadership development.
Cabrini enrolls approximately 1,300 undergraduates in more than 35 majors, pre-professional programs, concentrations, and minors on its serene 112-acre campus located 30 minutes from Philadelphia. The University also enrolls 900 students in graduate, doctoral, and professional studies programs at its main campus in Radnor, PA, and at five off-campus locations.