Excellence in Engagement Grant Awarded to Dr. Anderson-Butcher

Social Work Professor Dr. Dawn Anderson-Butcher in collaboration with Dr. Jerry Davis of the Department of Athletics, received an Excellence in Engagement Grant from the OSU Office of Outreach & Engagement to support the LiFE Sports project.  Becky Wade-Mdivanian of the College of Social Work participated in the development of the grant proposal and will take a lead role in the project.  Social Work doctoral student, Allie Boester, will also participate in the project as a Graduate Research Associate.

The Excellence in Engagement Grant awarded to Dr. Dawn Anderson-Butcher and her research team will support a comprehensive youth development initiative at Ohio State called the Learning in Fitness & Education (LiFE) Sports project.  This project is a collaboration between the College of Social Work (CSW), the OSU Athletic Department, the Department of Physical Activity and Educational Services (PAES) in the College of Education, the Department of Recreational Sports (RS), the Boys & Girls Club of Columbus (BGCC), the Office of First Year Experience (FYE) at OSU, the OSU Economic Access Initiative (EAI), and the Ohio Department of Education’s (ODE) Office of Safety, Health, and Nutrition.  The grant will help fund recreation and educational services to over 600+ vulnerable youth through the LiFE Sports summer camp and booster activities, and the development of curriculum and tools for use by other youth development providers.   The grant will also support teaching and learning contributions involving new interdisciplinary course development, the establishment of a new youth development minor at Ohio State, and increased service learning and field practicum opportunities for OSU students.  Research innovations and publications related to this project include evaluating youth outcomes resulting from participation in LiFE Sports, as well as the development of tools and priorities that focus on service, teaching, and youth development translational research. Scholarship in these three areas will be of value to youth participants, OSU students, faculty, the university, and the broader community.

Learn more about the LiFE Sports project.