Student, professor honored for community work

A graduate student transforms his tutoring work at an elementary school into a filmmaking project. A professor launches a successful program that brings students to high schools, teaching industrial design. Each won an SF State Community Service Learning Award, presented at a luncheon April 16.

Martin Linder, associate professor of Design and Industry, is the founder and director of Industrial Design Outreach (iDo), a program that links SF State students and faculty involved in design education with public high school students in San Francisco. The program collaborates with Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, designing and building community benches, and with several other schools in the city. iDo receives funding from the Miranda Lux and Fear Not foundations.

Andrew J. Marco, a Master of Fine Arts candidate in Cinema, works as a tutor at the Si Se Puede after-school program at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in San Francisco, through the federal America Reads program. He developed a film and storytelling class in which the children write, direct, act, do makeup, costumes, set design and edit their own movies. Within one year, Marco’s students have created two short films and written more than 25 stories. “My class usually contains 10–20 students who are bright, energetic and provide me with the greatest hope for our future,” Marco said.

The SF State Institute of Civic and Community Engagement presents the Community Service Learning Awards each year to faculty, students and community partners. The faculty award includes a $1,000 prize. Each of the three student awards includes a $250 prize.