STARKVILLE, Miss.--With the beginning of the 2013 spring semester, one very busy Mississippi State faculty member will become even busier.
April K. Heiselt is being named director of the university's new Center for the Advancement of Service-Learning Excellence. She officially begins the part-time duty Jan. 1 while continuing as an associate professor in the College of Education's counseling and educational psychology department.
Announcement of Heiselt's appointment recently was made by Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, and Gary Jackson, MSU Extension Service director.
Approved last month by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning, the center is a joint effort between the academic affairs division and extension service. Its major missions include:
--Advancing service and learning within MSU's academic programs and extension service and;
--Creating opportunities for faculty to take advantage of local and statewide service opportunities that may be integrated into course learning objectives.
Gilbert said Heiselt, a University of Utah doctoral graduate who joined the MSU faculty in 2006, brings extensive experience to the position.
Faculty adviser for the Maroon Volunteer Center, director of the Service DAWGS (Donating a Wonderful Gift of Service) student-employee volunteer program and chair of the Maroon Edition Service Committee are among some of the campus positions Heiselt has held in recent years.
Gilbert said she now officially becomes "the university's chief advocate for service-learning in her role as center director, and as chair of the Community Engagement Committee."
