After some time without leadership, Gigi Fenlon is revamping DePauw Community Service and Outreach programs. She sat down with me to talk about her efforts.
Name: Gigi Fenlon
Title: Coordinator of Community Service and Outreach and Assistant Professor of University Studies
Her Campus: So tell me a little about yourself
Gigi: I am originally from Tampa, Florida. I attended Northwestern University where I studied Communication and Architectural Art History. From there I went on to get a Masters in Theatre and went on to work professionally in the theatre. I started teaching about 22 years ago at a school other than DePauw. I started to teach at DePauw around 18 years ago up until last year when I decided to take a break. I took a job back in Tampa then realized that it wasn’t the right time yet to go back.
HC: Why DePauw Community Service?
G: When I came back from Tampa, my position had been filled. I ran into someone who works in the Civic Global and Professional Opportunities office who I had taught when he was a student at DePauw. He made me aware of the position overseeing the Community Service and Outreach programs, and thought I would be a good fit for the position because of my past experience with outreach teaching classes that were highly involved in community engagement. Also, I worked for seven years as the Coordinator of Arts, Marketing, and Promotion for the University so I already had the outreach experience under my belt.
HC: Tell me about how you are trying to bring the community service groups back together.
G: I came in and have been investigating to figure out which groups serve whom and have no real governing authority, as well as getting in touch with community members to find out what services DePauw has done, does, and what we could do. I am really focusing on coordination among the whole campus. In my research I am finding that there are organizations doing great work but they are all over the place. I am working to put together a DePauw Community Service council to allow the leaders to talk to each other and bring more energy to the process. I am trying to bring together different populations of students who wouldn’t otherwise come together to work toward common service goals.
Anyone who is interested in getting involved in the exciting new structure of DePauw Community Service can contact Gigi at gfenlon@depauw.edu.