March 4, 2013
Two of four faculty fellows recently named by the University of Kansas are professors in the School of Architecture, Planning and Design. They are Shannon Criss, associate professor of architecture and Jeremy Shellhorn, associate professor of design.

The Service Learning Faculty Fellows program has three goals: to support faculty fellows in their own professional growth; to make the service learning knowledge and expertise that faculty fellows possess available to all KU faculty members, and to broaden the understanding of service learning pedagogy.

Criss is the faculty fellow for the Center for Civic and Social Responsibility. She will work with the CCSR staff and faculty advisory board on programming and new initiatives.

“I am motivated by the concept of ‘service learning’ as it suggests that there is something to be learned by serving others. In effect, we expand the community and value the opportunity to learn from without,” Criss said. “I see this as a positive and strengthened definition of education, and I am pleased to serve as the CCSR faculty fellow to help extend the conversation.”

Shellhorn is assisting with the development of a campus plan to expand learning communities. He brings to his position experience with curricular design and planning, and expertise in design thinking. Shellhorn has been active in creating freshman courses in the Department of Design that create a collaborative learning environment and welcome freshmen into a new educational experience.

“The Office of First-Year Experience can create a pathway for success for every student at KU by connecting people, programs and resources across campus,” Shellhorn said. “I hope to bring a design perspective to FYE and to offer ideas of how to expand collaborative learning experiences and communities for first-year students.”

Both Criss and Shellhorn will serve two-year terms.