About the Center - Staff
July 30th, 2008
Meet the Staff
Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement
Dr. Deena Sue Fuller
Director, Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement
Tennessee State University
Nashville TN 37209
(615) 963-5155 or dfuller@tnstate.edu
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Dr. Deena Sue Fuller is a professor of Educational Psychology and Director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement at Tennessee State University (TSU). As a professor in the College of Education, Dr. Fuller taught Educational and Developmental Psychology, Classroom Assessment, Adult Psychology, and Classroom Management. Currently, as Director of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, she is working to implement service-learning at the university. Examples of service-learning programs include working with schools and after-school programs to address such diverse issues as health and wellness, improved educational opportunities/achievement, literacy, educational technology, music and arts, and economic development. Since 2004, she has written and manages six grants that support educational and economic development activities for at-risk youth and their families.
Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, she planned and implemented a free educational summer camp in New Orleans for 250 elementary aged children who were victims of the hurricane. The project was funded by a HUD Universities Rebuilding America Grant. In addition to coordinating the grant projects, Fuller trains faculty in the integration of service learning into their courses, as well as establishing service-learning opportunities for students.
Dr. Fuller is the lead person in developing university-community partnerships for TSU. As a result of her efforts, TSU will be the first HBCU in the country to be the host institution for a state campus compact. To build statewide support for the Tennessee Campus Compact, she has developed an AmeriCorps* VISTA Project to build service-learning across the state and to strengthen university connections with P-12 schools, especially in high poverty areas.
Dr. Fuller’s research and service have focused on violence prevention/peace education, multicultural education, teacher education accreditation, service-learning, parent education, child/adolescent development, and child and family wellness. She has led numerous workshops and published book chapters and articles on the above topics.
Ginger Hausser Pepper, MPA, Assistant Director
(615) 963 - 1246
Ginger has been employed by TSU since 2006 but has over 15 years experience in local, state, and federal government. At TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Ginger orchestrated the successful award and management of over $1.25 million in grants that connect TSU to the community. These grants have resulted in the following community projects:
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- Renovation work at two nonprofits organizations
- Renovations of three homes in a low socioeconomic area of North Nashville
- Initiation of a Reading Clinic at a targeted Metro school
- Support and supply of materials for after school programs in targeted North Nashville that includes college student mentoring programs
- Assisting faculty with the integration of service-learning in the curriculum of the College of Education and the College of Public Affairs and Urban Studies
Funding sources supporting these activities include:
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Vanderbilt University
- Tennessee Board of Regents
TSU has partnered with many community organizations to improve North Nashville including:
- Affordable Housing Resources
- Bethlehem Centers of Nashville
- Grace Eaton Child Care
- Hadley Park Neighborhood Association
- Neighbors Reaching Out
- North Nashville Organization for Community Improvement
- Metro Nashville Schools
- Preston Taylor Ministries
Ginger has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and served as a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellow for Public Policy. Prior to coming to TSU, Ms. Hausser worked for state government in a non-partisan policy capacity analyzing the efficiency and effectiveness government programs for the state comptroller and General Assembly. She has coordinated the delivery of terrorism awareness training to thousands of emergency responders across the nation and facilitated the review of training curriculum for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Ginger served as an elected official in the Metro Nashville City Council from 1999-2007 representing 16,500 individuals and serving as a liaison between government, neighborhood residents, and two universities (Vanderbilt and Belmont). She was the youngest elected women on the City Council and named by the Nashville Scene as one of the top council members in Nashville.
Her experience as an elected official and as staff of TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement gives her a particular passion for working with students on becoming responsible and engaged citizens and for TSU to lead efforts to assist its surrounding community.
Darlene Harris – Fiscal Analyst III
(615) 963 - 5794
Darlene Harris Vasser serves as Fiscal Analyst III for the Center for Service Learning. Darlene has been an employee at Tennessee State University for 28 years, serving in several capacities from Secretary to Associate Athletic Director for Finance, the position held prior to joining the Center staff. Other University areas worked over the years include the College of Engineering and Technology, the School of Graduate Studies, the Center of Excellence in Basic Skills, the Alumni Relations Office and Title III Administration. Over the years, Darlene has garnered a wealth of experience in budget management, program planning, research and evaluation, administrative operations and staff supervision.
In her role as Fiscal Analyst for the Center, Darlene is responsible for coordinating the financial activities for all accounts associated with the Center for Service Learning. She is also responsible for maintaining all grant-specific financial documentation, including but not limited to the federal Title III and HUD grant requirements.
Darlene is a three-time graduate of Tennessee State having received a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Education (’80), Master of Education in Education Administration (’98),and Doctor of Education in Administration and Supervision (’03). Additional training has been received in survey research, data entry and statistical analyses utilizing SPSS.
Darlene’s favorite past time is watching movies, reading and traveling. Darlene is a widow, and the proud parent to two children, Eugene II and Ebony.
Tammy Taylor - Office Administrator
(615) 963 - 5383
Roni Jarvis – Program Coordinator
615-963-1244
roni.jarvis@tnstate.edu, ronijarvis@yahoo.com
In January 2009 Roni began working as the TBR Grant Coordinator in the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement and has since accepted a position as the Center’s Project Coordinator where she will be supporting and implementing projects related to the Title III Grant as well as the Housing and Urban Development Grant. Her duties are listed below:
- Assist with documenting and maintaining all grant documentation
- Assist with assessment of all grant projects
- Consult with faculty to help them improve their service-learning courses
- Serve as liaison between community partners and faculty
- Work with community based organizations to plan facilitate and participate in community level work, including assisting with program and project development
- Participate in planning, scheduling, and documenting meetings
- Prepare community correspondence materials
- Coordinate staff and community meetings
- Assist in preparing results of assessments for presentation and publication
- Assist in proposal development and writing
- Analyze service learning survey data
- Grant report writing assistance
- Assist with construction/consult coordination
Nekya Young- Program Coordinator
(615) 963-1244
Delineating Urban Food Deserts and Associated Health Impacts in North Nashville
(Presented at the 4th Annual State of Environmental Justice In America 2010 conference in Washington DC)
Mapping Urban Inequalities in North Nashville
(Presented at the 2009 ESRI (Environmental and Social Research Institute) conference in San Diego, CA)
Cross-Sectional/Meta-Analysis of the impact of I-40 upon the Jefferson Street Community
Ex-Offender’s Industrial Labor Skills, Residential Housing Construction Market and Commute To and From Work Patterns in North Nashville
Nekya Young will assist with implementation of TSU’s HUD grants. Specifically, Nekya will lead work with TSU faculty and students and students at the Pearl Cohn Ninth Grade academy at McKissack school to create a computer lab for students, school personnel and the community. Students in ninth grade will learn computer skills and GIS mapping. Nekya will research the needs of TSU’s target community for current and future HUD grants and analyze the impact of grant activities.
Ms. Young’s favorite hobbies are: shoe shopping, traveling, spending time with family, camping, laughing and any activity that involves computers.
Andrea Coleman – AmeriCorps* VISTA
615-963-1245
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Andrea Coleman is a May 2008 graduate of Tennessee State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Social Sciences . She decided to give back to her alma mater by dedicating two years of service through the Americorps* VISTA program. Some of her duties are to serve as a liaison between TSU’s Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, and coordinate work project development for TSU Annual Service Day. She is also helping to implement more service learning opportunities into the curriculum on TSU’s campus.
Susan West - Service Learning Assistant
(615) 963 - 1249
Susan is a 2009 graduate of TSU. She earned a degree in Communications, with an emphasis in Mass Communications, as well as a minor in Nonprofit Leadership and certification with American Humanics . She has been employed with the CSLCE since June, 2008. Her main duties include developing and administering service learning surveys and analyzing the data for research and grant purposes. Susan’s most recent accomplishment includes the re-opening of the newly renovated Shopping Bag, a thrift store that support s the programs of Bethlehem Centers of Nashville. Susan has completed seven service learning courses during her enrollment at TSU and is a strong advocate for the integration of coursework and community service.
Brittany Sims - AmeriCorps* VISTA
(615) 963 - 1245
Brittany Sims graduated cum laude from Hampton University in May 2009 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English. She moved back to her hometown of Nashville, TN to accept a one year position with the AmeriCorps*VISTA program, enabling her to segue her passion for volunteering and community service into a career stepping stone. While at TSU, she works to improve communications and understanding between community partnerships and the university; assists in the expansion of the Literacy Partnerships Reading Clinics; and serves as the Mentor Coordinator for the Youth Empowerment Program, a high school mentoring program funded by a grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. Brittany is a graduate student in TSU’s Masters in Public Administration program and upon completion of her VISTA year, plans to attend law school. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, and working out.
Shirley Nix-Davis- YEP Program Director
(615) 963-1243
Shirley Nix-Davis was hired April 2010 to implement and direct the Youth Empowerment Program. She is an educational, health and human services professional with more than 25 years of experience working in a wide variety of research and school associated programs, and non-profit organizations. She has worked for Vanderbilt University in the Department of Psychology & Human Development as well as the Department of Human & Organizational Development gaining expertise in educational research programs. Shirley has worked many years in Metro Nashville Public Schools with students, parents and teachers in several contracted programs. She possesses skills in the areas of program management and coordination, group facilitation, psycho-social counseling, educational counseling, family, individual, and group counseling, case management, parent engagement, community engagement and stakeholder collaboration. She has written grants, managed budgets, and has identified, developed and maintained partnerships and stakeholders for their participation in a variety of not-for-profit programs.
Shirley is a product of Tennessee State University, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology, with a minor in Psychology; and a Master of Arts Degree in Sociology, with a concentration in Gerontology from Fisk University.
