CONTACT: KIRK STARCZEWSKI
518 587-2100, ext. 2250
kirk.starczewski@esc.edu FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
JOYCE McKNIGHT RECEIVES ALTES AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
(Saratoga Springs, NY – November 13, 2007) Empire State College, of the State University of New York, has awarded the 2007 Altes Prize for Exemplary Community Service to Dr. Joyce McKnight, faculty mentor at Empire State College and an area coordinator in community and human services studies for the college’s Center for Distance Learning.
Dr. McKnight will receive the award, along with a $2,500 cash prize, at a reception at the college’s location at 111 West Avenue, on Tuesday, November 13 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The event is by invitation only.
Dr. McKnight is being recognized for her ability to blend her scholarly activities and teaching into real-world community action. For example, as part of her online community organization course, she engages students in an innovative process that she calls “virtual-real communities.” Students are “virtually” connected with some real New York communities – both urban and rural. Through their coursework, with Professor McKnight serving as a bridge, students have been involved in the rural Hadley-Luzerne School District, initiating a teen center, participating in discussions of the Town of Lake Luzerne comprehensive plan development, examining senior citizen needs, and brainstorming solutions for business/economic development. In the urban Vale Village, in Schenectady, the focus is on revitalizing the neighborhood community organization, addressing “typical” urban problems, and developing effective block clubs. McKnight participates with her students and guests from the local communities in bi-weekly “town meetings” in the online environment. Students are then able to use data and ideas from their study to help their own home communities through individual projects.
Said Dean Meg Benke, “Her work within various communities and organizations has led her to become inspired to remain involved in the process through which ordinary citizens come together at the grassroots level to initiate needed services and programs.”
From 1995 to 2002, McKnight and her husband chose to live in inner-city Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to “practice what I teach.” They participated in community building from the grassroots level using “general neighborly affection” activity. “Our basic strategy was to build community assets through linking various individuals and existing organizations,” said McKnight. Working with groups such as the First Mennonite Church, Cambria County Area Community College, Unity Coalition of the Southern Alleghenies, the NAACP, Cambria Mediation Services, and many others, McKnight participated in clean-up days, community gardens, children’s programming, sponsorship of young adult volunteers, an anti-bullying program and many other initiatives.
McKnight started at Empire State College in 1989, working from a variety of college locations in western New York. After holding positions in adult education at other institutions, McKnight returned to Empire State College’s Center for Distance Learning in 2003.
McKnight earned her D.Ed. in adult education from Pennsylvania State University. Her dissertation topic focused on altruistic grassroots initiatives. She received her M.Ed in counseling from Gannon University, and her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and sociology from Allegheny College.
She has written textbooks on the topic of community activism, including, Doing Democracy: Conflict and Consensus Strategies for Citizens, Organizations and Communities (Xanedu, rev. 2004), with colleagues at Penn State. Community Organizing: Theory and Practice, one of the few comprehensive textbooks in the field, is due out from Allyn and Bacon in 2009. She has authored a variety of scholarly publications and been the recipient of number of honors for her work and is listed in Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who in America.
Named for Jane W. Altes, the former interim president of Empire State College from 1998-2000, the Altes Prize is awarded by the college annually, and recognizes exemplary community service by an Empire State College faculty member who applies his or her academic expertise to address important community issues.
Empire State College offers motivated adults the opportunity to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Through a combination of face-to-face meetings with faculty, online courses and small study groups students can study anytime and anywhere. They also earn credit for college-level learning from work and life. The college serves 17,000 students at 35 locations across New York state and through its Center for Distance Learning. With 53,000 alumni, Empire State College is the SUNY college for adults. For more information on Empire State College please visit our web site at www.esc.edu.
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