The Sun Devil Advocacy Network and ASU displayed exhibits at the State Capitol building on the Senate Lawn to thank Arizona officials on Feb. 11. (Photo by Diana Lustig)
The Sun Devil Advocacy Network partnered with ASU to display exhibits to thank Arizona elected officials for supporting higher education projects on Tuesday at the State Capitol building on Senate Lawn for the 28th consecutive year.
ASU schools, departments and other student programs showcased research programs and University initiatives.
One exhibit displayed Sun Devil Dining and its commitment to sustainability. Sustainability manager Ann Kinzig presented the display. She said she works with teams to ensure sustainability initiatives align more and more with ASU.
One project ASU food services will be working on will be the Tempe Orange Harvest presented by ASU Cares. The harvest will take place March 1 on the Tempe campus. Volunteers will pick Seville oranges and have them processed to used for Sun Devil Dining ingredients.
Kinzig said the oranges are too sour to eat, but the fruit is still used in the kitchens at ASU.
“We use them in dressing and Devil-Ade, which is like lemonade but with an orange flavor,” she said.
ASU Preparatory Academy also had an exhibit on display. The academy is a K-12 charter school that prepares students in Arizona for success with individual attention in a university-embedded program.
Students at the school utilize technology to address problems and challenges and work together to come up with solutions. The school also participates in community service programs.
The academy has two locations, one on the Polytechnic campus and the other located in downtown Phoenix.
The academy follows a Cambridge Curriculum, which is an accelerated, international learning system, but unlike the Herberger Young Scholars Academy, the ASU Preparatory Academy isn’t exclusive to gifted students.
Executive Director of High School Relations Mark Duplissis said all the schools under the ASU Preparatory Academy are A- and B-rated schools.
“Students are selected through a lottery system,” he said. “We are actually having one of those lotteries tonight."
Changemaker Central also presented some of its projects for the year at the event. Management intern and public administration graduate student Kaitlin Thompson said she was glad to be there to represent the program.
“We try to connect students to whatever they are interested in this year,” she said.
Changemaker Central is a student-run organization where students collaborate on projects, meet with potential partners and seek professional development.
The organization has connections with the Peace Corps, Teach for America and AmeriCorps and connects students to other national service opportunities.
On Feb. 18, Changemaker will hold an Ignite event at the Arizona Science Center. Participants will share ideas and connect with other students through rapid-fire five-minute presentations, in a manner similar to TED Talks.
School departments and student organizations weren’t the only stations exhibited at the Capitol. The ASU Retirees Association, which was established in 1991, was also on display.
ASURA president Barry McNeill said the organization is run by volunteers who are all ASU retirees and offers benefits to its members.
“Once you retire, this organization does various things for you, like Legislature activities, community outreach, education activities and fundraising,” he said. “With over 600 members, it is a good chance for people to meet some of their old colleagues."
Reach the reporter at kgrega@asu.edu or follow her on twitter @kelciegrega
