About the EX[L] Center

Mission

The mission of the EX[L] Center is to help students emerge as civically-engaged, adaptable leaders, ready to join in the enterprise of building strong and sustainable communities by promoting hands-on, community-based, problem-centered learning.

Goals

To address this mission, EX[L] seeks to:

  • Support, expand, and create community-based opportunities that allow UA faculty and students to engage in Akron.
  • Sustain and develop connections between UA constituencies and local changemakers.
  • Help students develop a connection to Akron as they explore their own pathways to a degree.
  • Assist faculty with creating innovative, transdisciplinary, community-engaged learning strategies.

Meet our EX[L] Team

Christin Seher, EX[L] Center at The University of Akron

Christin Seher, Ph.D.

Director
Professor of Instruction

Email | 330-972-6322

About Christin

Megan Delong, EX[L] Center at The University of Akron.

Megan Delong

Assistant Director
Community Engaged Learning

Email | 330-972-4709

About Megan

Origin

The University of Akron has a long history of strong hands-on and problem-based learning, as well as community-engaged activity by faculty and students; but, many of these activities have developed and function in silos. Founding Director, Jeff Hoffman joined the university in July 2015 to launch an initiative in experiential learning that addressed these silos.

Hoffman, an entrepreneur of global repute, entered the field of higher education "perfectly" according to one faculty member who continued, "He went on a listening tour, meeting with faculty in small groups, exploring the terrain of disciplines, projects, and partnerships that had evolved organically here at UA but which lacked a strong sense of identity and connectedness across campus." Hoffman and EX[L] resource director, Ian Schwarber, then met with the most interested faculty from across the university. Hoffman shared his impressions and enlisted their assistance in advancing the development of the EX[L] Center.

Meanwhile, Hoffman and Schwarber reached out to community and student leaders as well, eventually establishing a three-part structure for EX[L] drawing from the strengths and perspectives of student, faculty and community advisory councils. Schwarber's skill at event conceptualizing and marketing helped raise EX[L]'s profile, opening opportunities for collaborations with entrepreneurs and local secondary schools. Energetic and charismatic, Hoffman and Schwarber sparked entrepreneurial, social entrepreneurial, and community development-oriented events both on and off campus in 2015 and 2016. These included BluPrints to EX[L], entrepreneurial panel discussions held in Akron hotspot the BluJazz nightclub and an immersion week for area high school students. In 2016, they selected a faculty collaboration director, Carolyn Behrman, to join them in overseeing EX[L] activity. Having launched EX[L], Hoffman and Schwarber separated from the University of Akron in Fall 2016.

Behrman and Anoo Vyas were appointed as co-Directors of the EX[L] Center in Fall 2016. A Now a professor emeritus, Behrman has 20+ years of experience in community-based research and service-learning linking University of Akron students with organizations and groups across Akron. At EX[L], Behrman concentrated her energies on academic-community engagement and works with faculty and students to enhance existing and foster new community-engaged experiential learning through the curriculum. Vyas employed his significant experience with business incubation, business law and creative and entrepreneurial community partners to develop new opportunities for students within the greater Akron area.

Faculty Steering Committee

The EX[L] Center operates with a Faculty Steering Committee.

Name Department Term Subcommittee Email

Dr. Mehmet Baysal

Mechanical Engineering

Spring 2025

Awards

mmbaysal@uakron.edu

Dr. Sydney Chinchanachokchai

Marketing

Spring 2024

Awards

schinchana@uakron.edu

Julie Cortes

Assistant Clinical Professor

Spring 2024

Carnegie

jcortes@uakron.edu

Alison Doehring

ZipAssist

Spring 2024

Carnegie

aer15@uakron.edu

Dr. Shanon Donnelly

Geosciences

Spring 2024

Carnegie

sd51@uakron.edu

Dr. Amber Ferris, Chair

Communication

Spring 2024

Carnegie

aferris@uakron.edu

Nick Glavan

UA Research Foundation

Spring 2024

Awards

Nmg38@uakron.edu

Dr. Rhiannon Kallis

Communication

Spring 2024

Outreach

rkallis@uakron.edu  

Dr. Kara Kvaran

Women’s Studies

Spring 2025

Outreach

kkvaran@uakron.edu

Dr. Bill Lyons

Political Science

Spring 2024

Carnegie

wtlyons@uakron.edu

Dr. Jon Miller

English, UA Press

Spring 2025

Outreach

jon@uakron.edu

Name Department Term Subcommittee Email

Dr. Carolyn Behrman

Anthropology, Past Co-Director EX[L]

Spring 2023

Curriculum

behrman@uakron.edu

Dr. Parizad Dijbord-Sawan

Modern Languages

Spring 2023

Curriculum

parizad@uakron.edu  

Dr. Shanon Donnelly

Geosciences

Spring 2023

Curriculum

sd51@uakron.edu

Dr. Amber Ferris, Chair

Communication

Spring 2023

Curriculum

aferris@uakron.edu

Michael Gentithes

School of Law

Spring 2023

Awards

gentithes@uakron.edu

Nick Glavin

UA Research Foundation

Spring 2023

Awards

Nmg38@uakron.edu

Dr. Drew Ippoliti

Myers School of Art

Spring 2023

Awards

aippoliti@uakron.edu

Anne Jorgensen

Athletics

Spring 2023

Awards

ajorgen@uakron.edu 

Dr. Bill Lyons

Political Science

Spring 2023

Curriculum

wtlyons@uakron.edu

Gary Spring

UA SEED Clinic/Akron Law

Spring 2023

Awards

gspring@uakron.edu

Dr. John Ellis

Social Work

Spring 2024

Outreach

jellis@uakron.edu

Dr. Rhiannon Kallis

Communication

Spring 2024

Outreach

rkallis@uakron.edu  

Dr. Juan Xi 

Sociology

Spring 2024

Awards

jx@uakron.edu

Dr. Sydney Chinchanachokchai

Marketing

Spring 2024

Outreach

schinchana@uakron.edu

Dr. Mehmet Baysal

Mechanical Engineering

Spring 2025

Outreach

mmbaysal@uakron.edu

Dr. Kara Kvaran

Women’s Studies

Spring 2025

Outreach

kkvaran@uakron.edu

Jon Miller

English, UA Press

Spring 2025

Outreach

jon@uakron.edu

Name Field Term Email
Heather Braun English Spring 2022 hbraun@uakron.edu
Evi Goroginanni Classical Studies Spring 2022 eg20@uakron.edu
Kara Kvaran Women's Studies Spring 2022 kkvaran@uakron.edu
Jon Miller UA Press and English Spring 2022 mjon@uakron.edu
Carolyn Behrman Anthropology, Past Co-Director EX[L] Spring 2023 behrman@uakron.edu
Scott Bible Management Spring 2023 scb3@uakron.edu
Parizad Dijbord-Sawan Modern Languages Spring 2023 parizad@uakron.edu  
Amber Ferris, Chair Communication Spring 2023 aferris@uakron.edu
Michael Gentithes School of Law Spring 2023 gentithes@uakron.edu
Nick Glavin UA Research Foundation Spring 2023 Nmg38@uakron.edu
Drew Ippoliti Myers School of Art Spring 2023 aippoliti@uakron.edu
Anne Jorgensen Athletics Spring 2023 ajorgen@uakron.edu 
Bill Lyons Political Science Spring 2023 wtlyons@uakron.edu
Gary Spring UA SEED Clinic/Akron Law School Spring 2023 gspring@uakron.edu
John Ellis Social Work Spring 2024 jellis@uakron.edu
Rhiannon Kallis Communication Spring 2024 rkallis@uakron.edu
Juan Xi  Sociology Spring 2024 jx@uakron.edu
Name Field Term Email
Sarah Hamilton
(co-chair)
Associate Director ZipAssist Spring 2021 shamilton@uakron.edu
Juan Xi
(co-chair)
Sociology Spring 2021 jx@uakron.edu
Carolyn Behrman Anthropology, Past Co-Director EXL Spring 2023 behrman@uakron.edu
Adel Alhalawani Biomedical Engineering Spring 2023 aalhalawani@uakron.edu
Scott Bible Management Spring 2023 scb3@uakron.edu
Amber Ferris Communications Spring 2023 aferris@uakron.edu
Evi Goroginanni Classical Studies Spring 2022 eg20@uakron.edu
School of Law Spring 2023 gentithes@uakron.edu
Jon Miller UA Press and English Spring 2022 mjon@uakron.edu
Nick Glavin UA Research Foundation Spring 2023 Nmg38@uakron.edu
Parizad Dijbord-Sawan Modern Languages Spring 2023 parizad@uakron.edu
Gopal Nadkarni Mechanical Engineering Spring 2021 gnadkarni1@uakron.edu
Jacob Farrar Taylor Institute Spring 2021 jfarrar@uakron.edu
Kara Kvaran Women's Studies Spring 2022 kkvaran@uakron.edu
Heather Braun English Department Spring 2022 hbraun@uakron.edu
Drew Ippoliti Myers School of Art Spring 2023 aippoliti@uakron.edu
Anne Jorgensen Athletics Spring 2023 ajorgen@uakron.edu
Bill Lyons Political Science Spring 2023 wtlyons@uakron.edu
Gary Spring UA SEED Clinic/Akron Law School Spring 2023 gspring@uakron.edu
Name Field Term Email
Sarah Hamilton
(co-chair)
Associate Director ZipAssist Spring 2021 shamilton@uakron.edu
Juan Xi
(co-chair)
Sociology Spring 2021 jx@uakron.edu
Amanda Booher English Spring 2020 abooher@uakron.edu
Hunter King Polymer Sciences Spring 2020 hking@uakron.edu
Evi Goroginanni Classical Studies Spring 2022 eg20@uakron.edu
Rob Peralta Sociology Spring 2020 rp32@uakron.edu
Jon Miller UA Press and English Spring 2022 mjon@uakron.edu
Terry O'Sullivan Political Science Spring 2021 tmo@uakron.edu
Parizad Dijbord-Sawan Modern Languages Spring 2020 parizad@uakron.edu
Gopal Nadkarni Mechanical Engineering Spring 2021 gnadkarni1@uakron.edu
Jacob Farrar Taylor Institute Spring 2021 jfarrar@uakron.edu
Kara Kvaran Women's Studies Spring 2022 kkvaran@uakron.edu
Heather Braun English Department Spring 2022 hbraun@uakron.edu
Name Field Term
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan Modern Lan. Spring 2020
Amanda Booher (co-chair) English Spring 2020
Juan Xi Sociology Spring 2021
Hunter King Polymer Sciences Spring 2020
Peter Niewiarowski Biology Spring 2019
Sarah Hamilton ZipAssist Spring 2021
Rob Peralta Sociology Spring 2020
Andy Platt CBA Dean's Office Spring 2019
Terry O'Sullivan Political Science Spring 2021
Christin Seher (co-chair) Dietetics Spring 2020
Gopal Nadkarni Mechanical Engineering Spring 2021
Jacob Farrar Taylor Institute Spring 2021
Jodi Henderson-Ross Wayne Campus Spring 2021
Name Field Term
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan (chair) Modern Lan. Spring 2020
Amanda Booher English Spring 2020
Curtis Clemons Math Spring 2018
Hunter King Polymer Sci. Spring 2020
Peter Niewiarowski Biology Spring 2019
Deb Owens Business Spring 2018
Rob Peralta Sociology Spring 2020
Andy Platt Business Spring 2019
Pam Schulze Family Sci. Spring 2018
Christin Seher Dietetics Spring 2020
Dick Steiner Statistics Spring 2020
Don Visco Engineering Spring 2018
Deb Wallace Pan Afr. Studies Spring 2019
Name Field Term
Matt Lee (chair) Sociology Spring 2017
Hazel Barton Biology Spring 2019
Curtis Clemons Math Spring 2018
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan Modern Lan. Spring 2017
Brant Lee Law Spring 2017
Peter Niewiarowski Biology Spring 2019
Terry O’Sullivan Poli. Sci. Spring 2017
Deb Owens Business Spring 2018
Andy Platt Business Spring 2019
Pam Schulze Family Sci. Spring 2018
Markus Vogl Art Spring 2017
Don Visco Engineering Spring 2018
Deb Wallace Pan Afr. Std. Spring 2019

Founding Faculty Advisory Committee, 2015-16

Name Field
Bill Lyons (chair) Political Science
Matt Lee Sociology
Carolyn Behrman Anthropology
Hazel Barton Biology
Brant Lee Law
Terrence O'Sullivan Political Science
Andrew Terrence Business
Pamela Schulze Family and Consumer Science
Deborah Wallace Pan African Studies
Parizad Dejbord-Sawan Modern Languages
Peter Niewiarowski Biology/Biomimicry
Deborah Owens Business
Markus Vogl Art
Donald Visco Jr. Engineering
Matt Kolodziej Art
Rebecca Erickson Sociology
Jodi Henderson-Ross Sociology
Charles Waehler Psychology
Robert C. Schwartz Counseling
Kathryn Feltey Sociology