Drexel University’s
Lindy Center for Civic Engagement recently recognized student tech volunteer organization
DUCSTeach (Drexel University Computer Science Teachers) with a Student Organization Award for Promoting Public Service and Social Responsibility. The award is presented each year to a student organization that exhibits leadership in promoting the ideals of public service and social responsibility. The Lindy Center particularly awards organizations that make distinct marks in engaging volunteers and meeting community needs.
Catherine Fuller—a program assistant for Drexel’s first-year civic engagement course,
CIVC101, who also worked with DUCSTeach this year—presented the award at a June 1 awards ceremony. DUCSTeach treasurer
Johanna Oberto accepted the award on the organization’s behalf.
DUCSTeach was founded in fall 2012 by undergraduate peer mentor and computer science student
Dan Ziegler during the honors section of Intro to Computer Science (CS 164), when College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) Professor
Jeffrey Popyack, PhD (now a DUCSTeach faculty advisor) challenged his honors students to fulfill their five-hour freshman service requirement by making a lasting difference outside of the classroom.
DUCSTeach’s current efforts, with support from CCI and the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, support local public and private educational institutions in the vicinity of Drexel's University City Campus. Most recently, DUCSTeach volunteers conducted an “
Hour of Code” at West Philadelphia’s
St. Francis de Sales School, where they led introductory computer science activities designed to demystify coding for middle school students.
Other DUCSTeach volunteer duties include providing technical support to teachers and faculty in partner schools; assisting in teaching classes or leading clubs in technology related fields (website design, app development, etc.) with kindergarten through grade eight students; helping coordinate the integration of technology into classrooms by assisting teachers in learning about and applying interactive programs, websites and presentations; and advocating computer science, engineering and other STEM fields to students of all genders, races and backgrounds.