The Sense of Community in Lansing Project Team

John H. Schweitzer, Ph.D., is a professor in Urban Affairs Programs at Michigan State University and Director of the SOC Project. His current research involves measuring the health of cities and communities through assessment of their social/political fabric and infrastructure, measurement and improvement of racial/ethnic climate, and evaluation of human service and education programs. He has served as a Fulbright lecturer in Singapore and as a consultant/evaluator for numerous city, state, and federal agencies. http://www.msu.edu/user/schweit1

 

Annalie Campos received her Master of Resource Development and Urban Studies from Michigan State University. She has assumed a number of positions in the area of community development; primarily community organizing, and community program development and implementation in multicultural and diverse communities. Her present research interest is in promoting and increasing recycling and pro-environment behavior through community environmental collective action. This was also the topic of her thesis.

 

Corey Warren is currently working on her Masters in geography-urban studies, she received a bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Humanities from Michigan State University in 1998. Her research interests include sustainable urban design, public/private uses of space, and community development.

Dan Cantillon is a Master's student in Community Psychology and Urban  Affairs Programs. He received a Psychology Business Psychology Bachelor's degree from Miami of Ohio University in May of 1993.  His research interests include delinquency, urban communities, and juvenile justice reform.

DeBrenna Agbenyiga received her Master of Social Work and Urban Affairs Programs.  She has a graduate certificate in alcohol and drug studies and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology from the University of South Carolina-Columbia.  Her research interests include community development, HIV/AIDS and African American Women, sense of community issues, and policy development.

Jongyeul Moon ,Ph.D., is a research associate in Center for Urban Affairs at Michigan State University.  He  received his Bachelor's and Master's degree in Political Science fromYensei University in Seoul, Korea, and his Doctoral degree in Resource Development and Urban Studies from Michigan State University. His primary research interest is Public Information Disclosure Approach for Pollution Control.  He is also interested in Environmental Policy, Urban Environmental Management, Public Involvement and Geographic Information Systems.  As a hobby, he enjoys playing tennis.  He competitively extends an invitation to anyone that will join him in such an invigorating sport.

Junko Takada is a Master's student in Communication and Urban Affairs Programs.  She received an English Language Bachelor's degree from Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka, Japan in March of 1998.  She is now learning web page design to update this sense of community project's web page.

Pamela Martin has a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from USC-Columbia.  Her research interests are racial socialization, racial identity and developing sense of community in urban areas. She is a Doctoral candidate in Ecological/Community Psychology and Urban Affairs Programs.

Peggy Desmond is a Doctoral candidate in Resource Development and Urban Affairs. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration  from Notre Dame in Management Information Systems and her Master of Arts from Notre Dame in International Peace Studies. Her primary interest is community development, in particular with marginalized communities. She is also interested in post conflict community redevelopment and women in development.  Her concerns are only in improving income opportunities, but more importantly to improve the quality of life (i.e., decrease poverty). Her geographical areas of interests are the urban Midwest and Central America.

Thomas Crew received his Master of Social Work and Urban Affairs Programs in December of 1997, with an emphasis in Administration and Program Evaluation. He has a Bachelor's degree in Theater from the University of Nebraska. Currently, he is the Program Director of Heartland Big Brothers Big Sisters in Lincoln, Nebraska.
http://www.msu.edu/user/crewthom

Karen Dugas is a senior undergraduate student double majoring in Anthropology and International Studies, with a specialization in International Development. She is involved in the SOC Project through the McNair/SROP program. This program helps undergraduates obtain the skills necessary for a successful career in graduate school.   http://www.msu.edu/user/dugaskar

Beth Friar received her Master of Criminal Justice and Urban Affairs Programs degree in December of 1997 from Michigan State University. She has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Colorado State University.

Brian T. Wegener is an undergraduate student majoring Urban and Regional Planning. He is involving the SOC project through the Undergraduate Reserach Opportunity Program. His dream is to become a transportation planner, community and economic developer for a new urbanism manicipality, or work for a developer planning subdivisions.

Edwin Gomez is a Doctoral candidate in Park, Recreation, and Tourism Resources and Urban Affairs Programs. He has a Master's degree in Hospitality/Travel Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a Bachelor's degree in Geography from Salem State College. His present research interests involve recreation in urban areas with an emphasis on minority recreation patterns.  http://www.msu.edu/user/gomezedw

June Woo Kim is a Doctoral candidate in Sociology and Urban Affairs Programs. He earned a Master's degree from the same department in 1995. http://www.msu.edu/user/kimjunew

Meg Skelley Leonard was a Specialist in Urban Affairs Programs.  She completed her Master of Urban and Regional Planning and Urban Affairs Programs in December 1998. She has a Bachelor's degree in Social Relations from Michigan State University. She is currently a Departmental Analyst for the State of Michigan in the Office of Retirement Services where she works on technology projects, database development, and other projects that contribute to the improvement of the Office's customer services.  Her interests include database and project management, neighborhood planning, sense of community issues, and urban design. http://www.msu.edu/user/skelleym

Yu-hsi Lin is a Doctoral student in Sociology and Urban Affairs Programs. She earned a Master's degree in Sociology from Michigan State University. Her current field of study in sociology is health and well-being.

Juliette Mackin, Ph. D., received her Doctoral degree in Ecological/Community Psychology and Urban Studies in May of 1997. Juliette wrote the proposal for the initial stages of the Sense of Community in Lansing Project. She has a Master's degree in Psychology/Urban Studies from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Juliette's dissertation is a product of this project. It is titled Understanding the Social Fabric of Urban Communities and Its Relationship to Prosocial Behavior.

Jamie Steele is an undergraduate with a major in Telecommunication.  She is involved in the Sense of Community Project through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP).  The UROP scholars program involves undergraduate students in research experiences.  http://www.msu.edu/user/steelej6

Yasheka Williams is a Master's student in Urban & Regional Planning and Urban Affairs Programs.  She received an English Literature Bachelor's degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia in December of 1996.  Her research interests include community economic development, urban communities and grassroots organization development, and web page design.