Impact Magazine - COPP

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Message from the Dean

CO N T E N T S

It is my sincere pleasure to release the second annual issue of Impact, the College of Public Policy’s magazine highlighting the many important accomplishments and activities of our students and faculty.

One of the greatest realizations that I have discovered over my 32 years as an educator, researcher, and administrator is the power of discovery in the classroom and through research to address real-world issues affecting our communities. I take great pride in the work that our students and faculty are doing in the local and surrounding communities to improve the lives of the residents of these places. The spirit of using knowledge and research to improve the world is alive and well in the College of Public Policy.

One of our primary goals in the College of Public Policy is to open up opportunities for students, help them succeed, and see them realize their dreams and aspirations. In this respect, I point out the work that Roger Enriquez, director of the Policy Studies Center and associate professor of the Department of Criminal Justice, and his colleague, Miguel Bedolla, have done with Pathways to the Health Professions, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the amount of $1.8 million, to recruit high school students, living in local areas that lack healthcare services, to pursue careers in health professions with the hope that they return to their communities to practice. More than 200 students were part of this program. In addition, our associate dean for undergraduate programs and community engagement, Francine Romero, who is also an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration, has established important links with local and surrounding high schools to

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bring students to the College of Public Policy to learn about our undergraduate majors in Criminal Justice and Public Administration, learn about careers in these areas, and attend classes where they get to interact with our faculty members and students. Moreover, Associate Dean Romero along with Patricia Jaramillo, a faculty member in the Department of Public Administration, are working with the UTSA P-20 Program, headed by Joseph Kulhanek, to establish a summer program that helps students transferring from San Antonio College to our College of Public Policy learn valuable research, writing, and presentation skills to enhance their academic experience and opportunities to succeed in their studies. Finally, I am also pleased to report that, with the generous contributions of many members and friends of the College, we have established the Henry B. Gonzalez Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship will provide a legacy to the spirit of Congressman Gonzalez’s passion toward public service.

We are extremely pleased to also highlight our 2018 Alumna of the Year, Geraldine J. Garcia, who graduated with a Master’s degree from our Criminal Justice program. It is very clear that Geraldine Garcia embodies our student majors: those who come to our program, many of these the first in their families to attend college, the passion that they develop in their studies, and the lofty impact that they make in their careers. Ms. Garcia overcame so many obstacles associated with sexism as she sought to become a police officer. When she retired in 2016 after 34 years with the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), then-Assistant Chief of Police Garcia was the highest ranking woman in the history of the SAPD police force. Ms. Garcia is a highly dynamic,

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passionate, and inspirational individual who regularly speaks to and motivates our students.

As I end this message, I announce that several months ago I made the decision to step down as Dean of the College of Public Policy at the end of May. I will become a faculty member in the Department of Demography, where I will be teaching and conducting research. I have greatly missed working directly with and mentoring students and conducting research and writing.

I am very excited about this next phase of my career. In looking back over the last 7.5 years as dean of the College of Public Policy, some of the greatest pride points are the opportunities that we have provided our students to realize their dreams, the establishment of many collaborative ties with people and with local governmental and non-profit organizations in the community, and the recruitment of many highly productive faculty, including many women scholars.

What will the future hold for the College of Public Policy? We are excited to be part of the President’s new vision for the Downtown Campus.

This may involve some change, and several of our faculty are included in that planning process.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has helped me and supported me during the last 7.5 years as Dean. I very much appreciate your support and encouragement.

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Students

ADMINISTRATION Rogelio Sáenz, Ph.D. Dean Francine Sanders Romero, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Community Outreach Rob Tillyer, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research DEPARTMENT CHAIRS Michael Smith, J.D., Ph.D. Criminal Justice P. Johnelle Sparks, Ph.D. Demography

H E N RY B. G O N Z A L E Z C E N T E N N I A L S C H O L A R S H I P E N D OW M E N T

Heywood Sanders, Ph.D. Public Administration (Interim)

The UTSA College of Public Policy and the family of Henry B. Gonzalez are pleased to announce that the Henry B. Gonzalez Centennial Scholarship is now endowed. The College has raised the threshold level of $25,000 for the scholarship to sustain itself and award talented students for years to come. This represents the first major scholarship available to students in both of our undergraduate majors and will be awarded based on academic excellence and financial need. In recognition of Congressman Gonzalez’s attendance at San Antonio College, preference will be given to students transferring from one of the Alamo Colleges.

Henry B. Gonzalez was a trailblazer in public service who left a lasting impact on his community, state and nation. He valued education, inclusivity, equality, and respect, making tremendous

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contributions to policy and politics as an elected representative to the San Antonio City Council, Texas State Legislature, and United States Congress. We are proud that this scholarship is the first in San Antonio dedicated to his memory.

The College and the Gonzalez family sincerely thank all of the many donors who made this endowment possible. It will now help to support our students into the future as they prepare to make their own contributions to public service as UTSA graduates with criminal justice and public administration degrees.

To learn more about how you can also contribute to the Henry B. Gonzalez Centennial Scholarship and grow the scope of support for our current and future students, please contact Stephen Skinner, Director of Development, at 210-458-6129 or stephen.skinner@utsa.edu.

INSTITUTE Lloyd Potter Professor & Director Institute for Demographic & Socioeconomic Research (IDSER) IMPACT STAFF Francine Sanders Romero, Ph.D. Executive Editor Michelle Skidmore Managing Editor Joaquin L. Herrera Design Michelle Skidmore Courtney Campbell Photography

UTSA College of Public Policy 501 W. César E. Chávez Blvd.

San Antonio, TX 78207 (210) 458-2530

CHARLES A. GONZALEZ Fo r m e r U. S. Re p re s e n t a t ive

Civic Engagement

Roger Enriquez, J.D. Associate Professor & Director, Policy Studies Center

copp.utsa.edu

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Alumni

CONNECT!

R O G E L I O S Á E N Z , P H . D.

Amy Chanmugam, Ph.D. Social Work

/UTSACOPP @POLICYUTSA @POLICYUTSA /POLICYUTSA | IMPACT 3

COPP in the news

Master of Social Work program rises in the rankings The Master of Social Work program is among the best graduate social work programs in the country, having risen 16 points in the national ranking to #75, according to U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools Rankings Guide. The program ranked #91 in 2016 and placed fifth among Texas social work graduate programs. Social Work Chair Amy Chanmugam congratulated everyone involved who helped increase the program’s national visibility.

“It’s a pleasure to have colleagues so dedicated to

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building this program and its reach,” she said.

“This is wonderful news regarding the quick rise of our Social Work program, debuting in the U.S. News & World Report rankings the last time at 91 and now rising up to 75,” remarked Dean Rogelio Sáenz. “This is a testament to the great work that everyone is doing related to the quality of research and teaching in the department.”

Each school’s score reflects a survey of academics at peer institutions.

More COPP faculty and students in the news

» Criminal Justice Assistant Professor Dylan Jackson was featured in, “New UTSA study links food insecurity to family violence,” KSAT 12; and “A need for a new, broader way of studying crime,” commentary, San Antonio Express-News. » Marcos Mendoza, MSCJC ’18, was profiled by News4 San Antonio in “UTSA graduate reflects on military deployment, education opportunities ahead.” » Criminal Justice Professor Byongook Moon’s comments were included in an Education Week article, “When students assault teachers, effects can be lasting.” » Demography Professor and Texas State Demographer Lloyd Potter was featured in a KLRN On the Record report on rapid growth in San Antonio and surrounding areas, as well as in a San Antonio ExpressNews article, “Rising S.A. property values ‘nerve-wracking’ for some residents,” a 1200 WOAI report, “Asian immigrants now more numerous than Mexicans in several Texas metros,” and a Texas Public Radio report, “How can the next census change the future of America?” » Associate Dean Francine Romero contributed a chapter to The Presidents and the Constitution, A Living History, which was featured in Bloomberg View’s “Must-Reads of 2017.” » Dean Rogelio Sáenz’s commentary, “How housing costs are changing Central Texas’ demographics,” appeared in The Austin American-Statesman.

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» Public Administration Professor Heywood Sanders was quoted in “Is there a future for a convention center expansion?” San Diego Union Tribune. » Criminal Justice Chair Michael Smith was quoted in “Police complaints plummet in San Antonio following body camera use,” Statescoop, a state and local government online news source. » Criminal Justice Chair Michael Smith and Criminal Justice Associate Professor Rob Tillyer were featured in “UTSA Criminal Justice Department researching roots of human trafficking,” 1200 WOAI. » Social Work Advanced Policy & Advocacy class was featured in “Nonprofits and residents seek ways to improve city’s vulnerable ZIP codes,” San Antonio Express-News. » UTSA Master of Social Work program was featured in the following: “Social Work interns help students in advocacy center,” The Ranger, San Antonio College; and “UTSA Downtown offering evening child care,” KENS-5, Spectrum News and Texas Public Radio. » UTSA Policy Studies Center was featured in “UTSA program paves the way for health professionals from medically underserved communities,” San Antonio Express-News.

COPP in the news

Demography alumni present new findings on Hurricane Maria’s death toll Hurricane Maria made landfall in September 2017, devastating much of Puerto Rico, an island known for its rich history and dynamic culture.

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and authored by two UTSA Demography alumni, the number of deaths officially attributed to the storm was drastically underestimated.

Alexis Santos-Lozada, Ph.D. ’15, assistant professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State University and Jeffrey Howard, Ph.D. ’14, assistant professor of Kinesiology, Health and Nutrition in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development, conducted a study on mortality estimates in Puerto Rico. Their research showed that the death toll was more than ten times higher than the government’s official count.

The method used to tally storm deaths varies by state and locality. Santos-Lozada and Howard examined the historical patterns of variability in deaths by month for the 2010–2016 period using conservative estimation techniques to determine excess deaths. Using newly released vital statistics data from the Puerto Rico Vital Statistics System, they compared the actual number of deaths following the hurricane, from September through December 2017, to the level of expected deaths based on historical patterns of variability.

Santos-Lozada and Howard’s estimates suggest that the number of excess deaths in Puerto Rico was 459 in September, 564 in

October, and 116 in November, totaling 1,139 excess deaths. Their estimates also suggest that the number of deaths observed returned to within the range of normal variability in December.

The government’s official death toll remained at 64 until August 28, 2018, when it was revised to 2,975 following the release of another study conducted by George Washington University, which analyzed deaths through March 2018.

“This research is significant because accurate estimates of deaths from environmental disasters are important for informing rescue, recovery and policy decisions,” Howard noted. “There are multiple methodologies that can be used to assess the impact of an event like this. Ours is on the conservative side, others are more liberal, but all of the estimates agree that the number of deaths attributable to Hurricane Maria is over 15 times the original government death toll.”

“By getting an accurate number, we are first acknowledging something happened, and we can start this process, which I hope in the future can help reduce the loss of life among the most vulnerable populations,” said Santos-Lozada.

Santos-Lozada and Howard both earned their doctoral degrees in Applied Demography from the COPP. Santos-Lozada specializes in estimates and projections, biodemography and mortality, and health disparities. Howard specializes in epidemiology and demography, trauma research and health disparities.

COPP wins Corporate DiversityFIRST Leadership Award The College of Public Policy was recognized by the Texas Diversity Council (TXDC) as one of its Corporate DiversityFIRST™ Leadership winners for commitment to the pursuit of cultural diversity and inclusion in the community and workplace.

The College received the Leadership Award on Nov. 1, 2017, at the Greater San Antonio Best

Practices & DiversityFIRST™ Awards Luncheon at the Omni San Antonio Hotel.

TXDC acknowledged the College for its commitment to engaging a multicultural community, addressing disparities and inequities in minority populations and educating students to advance the public good to improve the quality of lives within diverse local and global communities.

Report using new data shows white deaths surpass births for first time in nation’s history Demography Professor and COPP Dean Rogelio Sáenz co-authored a report with Kenneth M. Johnson, senior demographer and professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy, finding that whites are now dying faster than they are being born in 26 states. According to their analysis of data from the National Center for Health Statistics data, deaths now outnumber births among whites people in a majority of U.S. states.

According to Sáenz, this demographic change has broad implications for the country’s identity and its political and economic life with as America transforms into a multi-ethnic society.

Sáenz and Johnson’s research brief indicates that the white population will grow older in the coming years with the aging of baby boomers. As they do, demands on the health care and retirement system will dramatically increase. The brief notes that, the youth population—increasingly a population of color—will require major investments in education and training if the United States is to maintain a productive workforce in an increasingly competitive technological and global labor market. With an aging white population and a youthful population increasingly of color, each with competing demands on government budgets, there will be considerable potential for conflicts concerning funding priorities, according to Sáenz. However, these new generations also provide a potential demographic lifeline to America’s aging white population by reinvigorating local commerce and labor markets and by fostering economic development that will contribute to meeting the growing demands on the nation’s health care and retirement programs.

The report points out that the white natural decline is associated with an aging population, low fertility, and a diminishing childbearing-age population.

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2nd Binational Conference highlights role of social workers

By Derek Plantenga and Michelle Skidmore In partnership with the Mexican National Association of Higher Education Institutions of Social Work and the USN North American Hispanic Education Foundation, the Department of Social Work hosted an international conference in November 2017 that drew scholars, students, professors, and researchers from around the world to raise awareness of transnational responsibility of social work in migration processes, with an emphasis on human rights.

The event highlighted the role of social workers as agents of support for migrant families and populations in new socio-economic environments on both sides of the border.

“We enjoyed it in many ways. It was intellectually stimulating, and we were happy to have partnered with an excellent organization,” said Dr. Ramiro Quintero Chavez, professor at Universidad de Sonora.

Almost 300 people registered for the conference, which accommodated both English and Spanish-speaking individuals. Participants included researchers, social workers, members of nonprofit organizations, professors, and graduate students from some of the following universities from México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Universidad de Sonora, México; Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, México; Instituto Universitario de México, Tapachula, Chiapas; Universidad Autónoma de Juárez, Durango; Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla; Universidad Veracruzana, México; Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León; Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas; and the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.

Other participants came from the following: University of North Carolina, Indiana University, The University of Utah, Our Lady of the Lake University, the University of Texas at Austin, Loyola University Chicago, University of Denver, Southern Adventist University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, UT Health, Texas State University, UTSA, City of San Antonio, the University of Flensburg and Freie Universität Berlin.

The conference focused on strengthening efforts to advance training and intervention strategies for social workers. Experts on migration processes and human rights covered topics including U.S. immigration policy, social work ethics and best practices for intervention with migrant populations justice and due process with unaccompanied minors and immigrant families, deportation and forced return to new

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environments, the development of strategies for social workers, and the non-government organizations and social actors who develop public policy strategies related to cross-border issues.

The conference kicked off with an opening ceremony including remarks by UTSA President Taylor Eighmy and San Antonio Councilman Rey Saldaña. Saldaña discussed Senate Bill 4 and its impact on Texas. President Eighmy noted that hosting the conference reflects his vision for UTSA as a world-engaged institution. He highlighted UTSA’s innovative work in establishing the Dreamers Resource Center and shared his hope that the dialogue and collaboration of the binational conference would contribute toward efforts to better serve immigrant populations.

Social workers in Mexico are developing solutions to help those who are returning due to the threat of DACA ending and the sanctuary cities law. The 2nd Binational Conference aimed to strengthen ties with world leaders and researchers to work toward strategies for developing public polices and ethical solutions for the return of migrants in vulnerable situations.

In his keynote address on U.S. immigration policy, Dean Rogelio Saenz shared demographic data on trends related to undocumented immigration in the United States.

Social work program administrators from the U.S. and Mexico held a panel discussion on the ethics of current practices with migrant populations and families in Mexico and the United States. Panelists were Dean Martell Teasley, The University of Utah; Professor Olivia Peralta Montoya, Universidad de Sonora; Dr. Jack

Richman, University of North Carolina; and Dr. Amy Chanmugam, COPP Social Work Chair.

Dr. Melissa Torres, professor and director of the Human Trafficking Research Portfolio of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin, gave a second keynote entitled Forced Immigration: Poverty, Human Trafficking and the U.S.-Mexico Border.

Other sessions covered a wide range of topics related to high-priority scenarios for social work intervention, models of support for migrant families and the situation of new socio-educational and labor/work environments resulting from forced return and deportation.

The theme for Day 2 focused on the exercise of human rights of migrant populations and crossborder issues. Professor María Elena Ramos Tovar, of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León led a plenary session on social protection and rights of migrant children and adolescents. A final panel explored the current state of affairs for Dreamers in the U.S. and the DACA program. Moderated

by State Rep. Diego Bernal, panelists included Cesar Espinosa, Executive Director, FIEL (Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha); Andrea Fernandez, Dreamer and former member of the Immigrant Youth Leadership of UTSA; and Fátima Menéndez, Legislative Staff Attorney, MALDEF. “Investigators in the field are very interested in continuing with one of the biggest social problems in the world,” said Chavez. “To find results in immigration reform, we believe that with joint efforts, we can make the difference for vulnerable populations who need protection and support of the American laws.”

The conference concluded with a working group of experts and leaders focused on establishing commitments to developing public policies and intervention strategies that more effectively address the needs of migrant populations by framing migration as a social condition and taking into account the importance of ethics and human rights. Papers presented will be published as part of an e-book based on the conference, designed to enhance social work understanding of binational immigration issues.

Criminal Justice practitioner brings restorative discipline pilot project to UTSA In October of 2017, Criminal Justice Lecturer Robert Rico met with UTSA Student Affairs’ leaders and program directors to introduce a restorative discipline pilot project to UTSA. Rico presented how the pilot program could serve as a model for student success. All agreed that utilizing restorative practices in their settings would be beneficial. The restorative discipline project aims to reduce student conflicts through restorative justice techniques.

Restorative justice is an approach that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders.

All stakeholders affected by the injustice come together to discuss how to repair the harm.

Restorative justice enables offenders to take responsibility for their actions and to understand the harm they have caused, which may make it less likely for them to re-offend. Restorative justice emphasizes repairing the harm done to the community rather than focusing on blame and punishment.

“With restorative justice, students learn valuable tools such as openness and honesty when communicating,” said Lydia Bueno, assistant dean of students. “Everyone is included and treated the same.”

According to Bueno, using restorative justice in a proactive way teaches students to respect differences in opinion because the method involves active listening and consideration of others’ feelings.

Rico believes restorative justice practice will have tremendous impact at UTSA. “Through the resolution of conflicts using a restorative justice approach, studies have shown that suspension or expulsion minimizes in school settings, and students feel less of an outcast,” Rico said. “Rebuilding relationships among the student body, faculty members and staff can lead to student success, inclusion and retention.”

Rico will continue to train staff to use restorative justice techniques.

The pilot program is set to officially roll out in the fall of 2019. Rico hopes that the pilot project will minimize student conflicts over time, strengthen relationships among the student body, enrich students’ experiences, cultivate a sense of community and improve retention rates.

Pathway to Health Professions program will help to eliminate health disparities

By Michelle Skidmore and Miguel Bedolla As determined in federal government reports, San Antonio has a high number of zip codes where residents are medically underserved and suffer from a shortage of health professionals. In these sectors, many of them are economically disadvantaged. These populations have a large representation of racial and ethnic minorities and suffer from increased risk factors and poorer overall health with lower life expectancy rates.

In 2016, the Pathway to Health Professions (PHP) program began, under the supervision of Policy Studies Director Roger Enriquez, to prepare high school students for careers in the health care industry. The program targets college prospects recruited from 15 Bexar County high schools. The program is made possible by a $1.85 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration. The program is comprised of 77 percent Latino, 10 percent African Americans, 10 percent non-Hispanic whites and 3 percent Asian American students and includes more female than male participants.

Through research and creation of an academic enrichment pathway that introduces high school students to the world of health professions, the program aims to reduce the health disparities in communities.

The program has an interest in helping young people from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods enter the health professions.

The program also encourages them to return to their communities to deliver quality and affordable health care services after they have finished their professional education.

PHP incorporates problem-based learning. Every morning for six weeks, students explore a health problem that is relevant in Bexar County, from four perspectives: basic sciences, social sciences, epidemiology, and the humanities.

Students develop the mental strategies of a self-directed problem solver while developing the identity of a health professional. The morning instructors ask the relevant

questions, such as: “What percentage of high school students have unwanted pregnancies? What led them to it? Should the state regulate sexual relationships?”

In the afternoon, students work with faculty to seek the answers to the questions.

Every two weeks, students deliver a group presentation on their progress toward the answer. This equips them with the skills they need to interact with people, which are necessary to be successful in the health care industry.

“This program is going to give me a head start for what to expect in the real world of health care,” said Julia Owens, one of the participants.

The program has finished its third year.

About 35 freshmen from UTSA participated in the Pathway program. After the six weeks of the summer program, students are not required to enroll at UTSA. However, if they do and stay in the program, they receive financial support. College students will receive about $3,000 per year to supplement the costs of their education. Their obligation is to maintain a GPA sufficient to enter the health professional school of their choice.

New funding can help support traditional and nontraditional students and veterans who return to college to prepare to enter a health professions school.

“It will take about six or seven or more years the time for our early students to finish their education and return to their communities, to really see the impact we talk about – eliminating the health disparities across Texas,” said Miguel Bedolla, M.D., Pathway to Health Professions Director.

“However, we are already seeing results,” Bedolla added. “Students in our program are scoring about 100 points more on the SAT than their non-Pathway peers. This is enabling them to be competitive, which is very important as they think about applying to health professions programs.”

“We want to foster success in the students and we tell our participants not to let their present economic disadvantage determine what they will be in the future,” Bedolla said.

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Research

BY THE N U MBE RS 2 0 1 7 S P O N S O R E D R E S E A RC H

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research proposals submitted

research awards received

24 sponsored projects

$5.8 million in research funding requested

$1.4 million in research awards

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published journal articles

published book chapters

published books

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Investigating Human Trafficking

By Ingrid Wright Human trafficking has emerged in recent years as an issue of national and international concern. Each year, millions of people worldwide are forced to work for little or no pay. Some are exploited for sex. Estimates from the International Organization of Labor places the number of trafficked persons as high as 21 million worldwide, while the U.S. government estimates that 14,000 to 17,000 people are trafficked into the U.S. each year. They can be men, women, children, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals.

Some of the victims are forced into commercial sex facilitated online or in the streets.

Traffickers use physical and sexual abuse, threats of harm, cruelty, and psychological manipulation to get their victims to comply with forced labor.

Criminal justice Professor Michael Smith and Associate Professor Robert Tillyer are working closely with the federal government on human trafficking prevention efforts.

They are conducting research to examine the analytical tools that U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) uses in trafficking Michael Smith, Professor and Chair, Department of investigations and victim Criminal Justice assistance efforts. “ICE Homeland Security Investigations is one of two federal law enforcement agencies charged with investigating human trafficking crimes. While the agency makes use of many different intelligence sources, we may be able to assist in its efforts by analyzing non-classified data sources to help improve the effectiveness or efficiency of human trafficking investigations or the provision of services to victims,�

Smith explained. .

The researchers will be evaluating strengths and weaknesses of the tools that ICE currently uses. Drawing on best practices from criminology and quantitative analytics, they will provide input to ICE about how to expand its toolbox to reduce human trafficking incidents and help victims restore their lives.

In the first phase of the project, the UTSA researchers will begin to identify open source data maintained by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that could be leveraged to assist ICE HSI in its disruption efforts. During this phase, the team will conduct interviews with law enforcement agencies, NGOs and other human trafficking stakeholders both in Texas and at its Washington, D.C. headquarters.

The project will conclude with a preliminary analysis plan to help ICE improve the targeting of offenders, organizations and money flow. The researchers will also provide additional resources to ICE victim support personnel in their efforts to help human trafficking victims.

Research n Linking

food insecurity with family violence

Food insecurity is a major public health concern. Today, more than 13 percent of children in the United States live in food-insecure households, where the family lacks access to affordable and nutritious food. Criminal Jackson Justice Assistant Professor Dylan Jackson, a recipient of the President’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Research, investigates how health factors influence criminal and antisocial behaviors across the life course. In his new study, co-authored with Criminal Justice

Assistant Professor Kellie Patrick and published in the Journal of Health Education and Behavior, Jackson shares his findings that link food insecurity with family violence. The study examined family violence exposure among very young children. His findings show that in households with consistent access to food, only about one in 25 children were exposed to violence, but where nutritious food was lacking, one in five children either saw or experienced violence in the home.

This suggests that there are reasons to believe that food-insecure households face many of the same environmental and social risk factors as households at risk for family violence.

n Reducing the prevalence of sexual harassment in the military Sexual harassment remains a large problem within the U.S. military despite policy initiatives to reduce its persistence.

Victims have experienced career disruption, loss of motivation, loss of self-esteem, lower job satisfaction, physical Harris health issues and other problems.

Social Work Professor Richard J. Harris, Demography Associate Professor Corey S. Sparks, and Daniel P. McDonald, executive director of research, development and strategic initiatives at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, collaborated on an article analyzing organizational climates and individual experiences of harassment that was published in Armed Forces & Society. The findings show that a focus on problem units could help reduce the prevalence of sexual harassment.

“The paper’s major contribution is to measure units and link those units’ climates back to individual experiences,” said Harris. Using the

Defense Equality Opportunity Climate Survey, the research utilizes a unique data set that allows independent assessment of organizational climates and the experiences of individuals within those organizations.

“In places where sexism is more prevalent, people are more likely to be harassed because there is a higher level of tolerance,” added Harris.

“It is more likely that inappropriate behaviors will occur in unfavorable units.”

If the sexual harassment environment can be controlled, individuals are less likely to experience assault. The research does not have the capacity to link individual experiences with specific perpetrators, but it can measure climates and work toward reducing the likelihood that individuals will experience harassment or engage in such behavior.

Partly based on research Harris has conducted on measuring the organizational climates, the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute developed a policy document in 2017 that is part of its substantial efforts to reduce sexual assault in the military.

n Assessing the pre-kindergarten population in Bexar County Associate Professor Corey Sparks gathered data on the Pre-K population in Bexar County and found that compared to the estimates from ten years ago, the Pre-K population has remained almost constant. However, Sparks this is not uniform within the county, mainly because some school districts are experiencing a decline in the number of 3- and 4-year-old children. Sparks uncovered more information about the demographic trends associated with the pre-kindergarten population and about gaps in Pre-K enrollment.

Sparks’ findings show that non-English speaking immigrant groups had the lowest enrollment in early childhood education. These non-Latin American groups of immigrants are

recent arrivals to the United States. Sparks is preparing a manuscript to document the enrollment disparity in this population, using data from the American Community Survey to estimate rates of Pre-K enrollment for various demographic groups over time.

“This is important for education policymakers, because these recently arrived, non-Spanishspeaking populations are at a disadvantage in terms of early childhood education,” said Sparks.

“Programs could be developed to focus on reaching out to these groups to decrease this enrollment gap.”

Sparks hopes his research will foster evidence-based decision making by administrators of early childhood education programs and will inspire longitudinal studies that follow the Pre-K population over time to determine enrollment patterns.

n State

of the Nonprofit Sector Survey

By Dr. Jennifer Alexander and Dr. Kandyce Fernandez .Department of Public Administration Assistant Professor Kandyce Fernandez and Associate Professor Jennifer Alexander, in collaboration with the San Antonio Nonprofit Council, conducted a “State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey” in Bexar County and the surrounding 12 counties. The survey marked the first attempt to create a composite picture of the nonprofit sector for the region.

The intention was to generate data on the composition of the sector, including organizational characteristics, financial data and trends, managerial perspectives on nonprofit values, community impact and unmet organizational needs. A total of Alexander 244 organizations completed the on-line survey administered between June and July 2017.

Survey results revealed that nonprofit organizations in San Antonio and surrounding areas have difficultly sustaining political and social aspects of their mission in an environment of Fernandez scarce resources. Activities such as community outreach and education are central to mission success but they fall outside of funded programs. The project culminated in a final report that was published in 2018 by the San Antonio Nonprofit Council and funded by the San Antonio Area Foundation. Fernandez and Alexander presented the results to the broader community at the annual meetings of the San Antonio Nonprofit Council, the San Antonio Area Funders Group and at the annual conference of the Association for Research on Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Survey data also were made available for research conducted by M.P.A. student and spring 2018 graduate Jenna Gonzales as part of her exit project. Gonzales explored the relationships between resource needs and nonprofit values, and whether organizations indicated they collaborated across sectors when struggling financially. In a follow-up to the survey, Fernandez and Alexander are conducting additional research to determine the relationship between unrealistically low overhead ratios and public advocacy. The trend toward low overhead, known as the starvation cycle, leaves organizations in a chronic state of infrastructure deficit and without the ability to plan or engage in risk taking. As a result, organizations have limited capacity to fulfill traditional social and political roles in a community. The intention is to deepen understanding of the challenges facing nonprofits with regard to community engagement, advocacy, and competing pressures to marketize and commodify their organizations. To access the report, please visit https://www.tncouncil.org/ under the advocacy section.

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Faculty

COPP Faculty awarded for outstanding contributions

COMM UN I T Y EN GAGEM ENT

E XC E L L E NC E I N U N I V E RSI T Y SE RV I C E

Derek Plantenga

Patricia Jaramillo

DE PA RT M ENT O F SO C I AL WO R K

D EPA RT M EN T O F P UBL I C A D M I N I ST RAT I O N

Senior Lecturer Derek Plantenga’s award for Community Engagement recognizes, encourages and rewards those non-tenure track faculty who are exemplary in their service and civic scholarship outside the university, providing leadership and making significant contributions to the public good. “He has improved the lives of countless others and strengthened UTSA’s community relationships, with impressive and far-reaching impact in San Antonio and elsewhere in South and Central Texas, and with immigration-focused scholars and practitioners across the United States and Mexico,” Social Work Chair Amy Chanmugam noted.

Plantenga showed outstanding leadership during the planning, design and execution of the 2nd Binational Conference on Social Work, Migration and Human Rights, which took place at UTSA’s Downtown Campus in November 2017. His leadership reflects his continuous contributions to the external community that create sustainable connections with the University and elevate the civic mission of the institution.

Senior Lecturer Patricia Jaramillo’s award for Excellence in University Service recognizes, encourages and rewards those tenured/tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty who are exemplary in their commitment to service within the university. Her service has had a major impact on the opportunities, lives and future of UTSA students by providing leadership in critical areas such as advising students, serving on university committees and/or creating new student programs and opportunities.

Her service takes many forms, including making significant contributions to university efforts, supporting college projects and outreach, major departmental administrative responsibility and her overall dedication to her students. She has supported the College’s outreach initiatives by providing instruction to high school students from underserved areas of San Antonio as part of the COPP Countdown to College program, and recruited talented students for the Archer Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C., Jaramillo also has served as advisor to the Public Administration Student Organization where she helped expand its membership to a mix of undergraduate and graduate students as well as on a subcommittee to redesign curricula that defined the course content for the new Public Service pathways. She has worked in various capacities with the University and community to increase voter turnout among college students. These are just a few of the contributions Jaramillo has made toward advancing the mission of UTSA and improving student success. “Patricia elevates the idea of service to a dynamic contribution that exponentially enhances the University,” Associate Dean Francine Romero stated.

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he UTSA College of Public Policy made a strong showing at the University Excellence Awards Ceremony on April 19, 2018. Faculty representing the Departments of Social Work, Public Administration and Criminal Justice were honored for their remarkable achievements in the areas of teaching, research, community engagement and university service.

RE SE ARCH ACHI EV EM ENT

T E AC H I N G E XC E L L E NC E

Dylan B. Jackson

Candace Christensen

DE PA RT M ENT O F CRI MI NAL J U STI C E

D EPA RT M EN T O F S O C I A L WO RK

Assistant Professor Dylan B. Jackson’s award for Research Achievement recognizes, encourages and rewards those non-tenure and tenured/tenuretrack faculty who have conducted a sustained program of high-quality, high-impact research that has translated into national and international recognition and has made a substantial contribution to the faculty member’s field. Jackson joined the UTSA faculty in 2015 after completing his Ph.D. He hit the ground running as a researcher, focusing on advancing the Developmental/Life-Course Criminological Paradigm, a burgeoning area that assesses the role of events and developmental processes that impact offending behaviors. Since 2015, Jackson has published 33 peerreviewed journal articles (26 as primary author; six as sole author), 13 of which are deemed by the profession to be “impact” articles (in the top 20 percent of citations in the field). “In the span of only two and a half years, Dr. Jackson has produced the quantity of scholarship that one typically would expect to see from a candidate for full professor at many of UTSA’s peer-aspirant universities,” said Criminal Justice Chair Michael Smith.

His focus on high-risk health behaviors, high-risk health conditions and diminished health resources that contribute to antisocial and delinquent behaviors in youth has set him on a trajectory to bring positive international attention to the excellent research communities at UTSA into the future.

Assistant Professor Candace Christensen’s award for Teaching Excellence recognizes, encourages and rewards accomplished faculty whose command of their respective disciplines, teaching methodologies, communication skills and commitment to learning translate into a superior learning experience for students. She maintains high expectations and standards for her students, ensuring academic rigor while meeting the challenges of motivating students who value ethical and responsible citizenship. Christensen has demonstrated a unique ability to create a transformative learning experience that intentionally extends beyond the classroom environment. In teaching a diverse set of masters-level courses, Christensen fosters deep learning through a collaborative/constructivist teaching and learning approach. For example, in her Advanced Community Practice course, she incorporates the implementation and evaluation of a community-based participatory research photovoice project aimed to advocate for increased awareness and response to sexual violence within the UTSA community. This project, which emphasizes the power of visual storytelling, provides the opportunity for students to recruit and train participants to compose and take photos representing both community problems and strengths. The result is a transformative experience for both the students and the community that fosters a campus culture of respect.

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NEW FACULTY Cashen M. Boccio

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Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice Ph.D., Florida State University

» Social Work Assistant Professor Heidi Rueda won the

Research Interests: Trait-based theories of crime; self-control; psychopathy; life-course criminology; criminological theory

Chantal Fahmy Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice Ph.D., Arizona State University Research Interests: prisoner reentry; institutional corrections; social support; public health; deviant subcultures

Alexander Testa

Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park Research Interests: consequences of criminal justice contact; criminal justice decision making; cross-national criminology; crime and public policy

Megan Hayes Piel

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work Ph.D., Arizona State University Research Interests: child welfare and wellbeing; youth aging out of foster care; foster family resilience; mental health in emerging adulthood; intergenerational transmission of child abuse and neglect

Bonita B. Sharma

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work Ph.D., University of Texas at Arlington Research Interests: impact of natural and built environment on sustainability and gender equality; community and global health; technology; empowerment and leadership of women; human mobility; global social work; interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research

Jelena Todic

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin Research Interests: social determinants of health; structural health equity interventions; restorative justice and health; LGBTQ health; structural and cultural competence

Ying Huang

Assistant Professor, Department of Demography Ph.D., University at Albany—State University of New York Research Interests: urban sociology; social stratification and population health; variation in neighborhood inequality over time and across racial/ ethnic groups; social, spatial and policy interactions that produce and reproduce racial and ethnic disparities in health

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Faculty Awards

DOCUmation Academic Excellent Award for her participatory research to improve the lives of adolescent and teen dating populations. DOCUmation presented her with a $2,000 check on the field at a UTSA football game in the Alamodome.

» Associate Dean and Associate Professor Francine

Romero was nominated for the 2017 Water for Life Award VI. She was one of 24 nominees who made a significant water-related contribution to the quality of life in the Greater San Antonio region.

» Dean Rogelio Sáenz was the recipient of the César Estrada Chávez Award for his leadership in support of workers’ rights and humanitarian issues. Sáenz was officially honored and recognized by the American Association for Access, Equity, and Diversity (AAAED) at its 44th national conference and annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 6, 2018.

The book titled Disability, Intimacy, and Sexual Health: A Social Work Perspective, co-authored by Social Work Assistant Professor Heidi Adams Rueda, was nominated by the chief program officer at Providence Place for the “Best Scholarly Book Award” given by the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR).

» The Department of Social Work presented awards to the following individuals at the Spring 2018 Last-Class-of-Semester event: Senior Lecturer Derek Plantenga Social Work Professor of the Year Award Jesús Ortega Adjunct Professor of the Year Award. Jesús is now Director of Diversity and Inclusion at UT Austin’s Medical School.

Rosalva Washington Social Work Field Instructor of the Year Award. Rosalva is an employee of University Hospital’s Trauma Unit.

Students Making Strides

Studying abroad is a time of great discovery and a means to gain the knowledge and skills to succeed in a globalizing world.

C O N T I N U E S O N PA G E 1 4

STUDY ABROAD | IMPACT 13

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3 COPP students have been traveling to Spain for the past eight years to develop a deeper understanding of public policy in another country. In 2018, students visited the cities of Elche, Alicante, Granada and Madrid, where they attended lectures given by various university and city officials. They also visited the Supreme Court in Alicante where they listened to a presentation on common court cases and crime statistics in the surrounding area. Students were able to make connections between the criminal justice systems in the

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United States and Spain.

“The study abroad trip to Spain was a highly impactful opportunity that has added to both my professional and personal development. This opportunity allowed me to be more aware of the similarities/differences between other countries, such as Spain and the United States– which in turn bolsters my cultural competence as a student and future social worker.”

– Stephanie Gasca, Master of Social Work student

Students

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Welcome newest members of Pi Alpha Alpha

The Department of Public Administration recognized students and alumni for their outstanding scholastic achievements and commitment to public service during the Pi Alpha Alpha induction ceremony on Feb. 22, 2018. Pi Alpha Alpha (PAA) is the global honor society for public affairs and administration and recognizes outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in public administration, public policy and public affairs. PAA has 162 chapters at member schools of The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). The College’s Master in Public Administration program is accredited by NASPAA. The Department honored its members with a ceremony at the Downtown Campus. Guest speakers, Munirih Jester ’15 and Karlerik “Erik” Naslund M.P.A. ’15 delivered a strong message to students about why they chose to work in the nonprofit sector. After the presentation, members pledged to uphold the highest ethical standards applying to public service and to endeavor to encourage and engage in meaningful interaction with other members.

“Being inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha means that all my hard work and sacrifice has paid off,” said Rebekah Lopez, public administration undergraduate student. “It feels gratifying to be recognized by my College and to be among people who value public service and education like I do. I hope to use this honor by extending my network for my future endeavors as a public servant.”

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Public Administration student receives volunteer award from Target

Stuart Ransom goes above and beyond to help others in need. His employer, Target, took notice and recognized him for his outstanding volunteerism by presenting him the Outstanding Volunteer Award in May 2018. After Hurricane Harvey, Stuart helped organize a massive relief effort to collect much-needed supplies for struggling families. He devoted hours to cleanup efforts in communities damaged by the storm, even while taking classes full time. He attributes his motivation for giving back to the Bachelor of Public Administration program’s focus on civic engagement.

Public Administration class participates in global dialogue exchange using technology to connect students across the globe

By Gina Amatangelo This spring students in the Public Administration senior seminar participated in the Soliya Connect Program, a virtual exchange program that connects students in Western countries with their counterparts in predominantly Muslim countries in order to promote mutual understanding on a range of social and policy issues. The Department of Public Administration piloted the program in Spring 2017 and following positive feedback from students, 63 students studying communications and public administration at UTSA have now completed it.

As UTSA becomes a world-engaged university, the Connect Program offers a unique way for students to have an international experience without leaving their campus. The program is run by Soliya, a nonprofit organization based in New York City, and currently connects students from 100 universities in 27 countries. For 8 weeks, students meet in a virtual classroom using a web conferencing platform with a group of 8 to 10 students and two trained facilitators.

The structured conversations help students build skills in finding common ground and provide opportunities for them to develop their interests in current events in world regions. Some students express a stronger interest in traveling and learning about other cultures after completing the program.

UTSA students noted a range of benefits from participating in the program. Students broaden their perspective and build critical thinking skills as they consider policy issues from a range of perspectives. Amani Moss, a student completing her bachelor of public administration degree, said, “In the past, I’ve had a tendency to stay silent if I disagreed with someone. I didn’t believe that people with different opinions could have a civil conversation, especially on conflicting topics.”

Virtual exchange programs also come with inherent challenges.

Students have to work through technical difficulties and language barriers. At times, the group may experience difficult dynamics.

For example, some students may avoid topics that they consider controversial, or other participants may disengage from the conversation. UTSA students discussed how they worked with their facilitators to address these challenges and advance the group’s goals.

Public administration student Bryan Ramirez noted, “The minor difficulties that we faced were overridden by the great moments we shared. I would recommend that other UTSA students participate in programs like Soliya. It’s important to be exposed to other cultures and viewpoints. This will help us to avoid being misinformed or misled about other regions of the world.”

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Students n Scholarship

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student, a COSA Ambassador

helps master of social work student combat mental health crisis Master of Social Work student Genesis Guillen is recipient of the Ima Hogg Scholarship. The $5,000 award will support Guillen’s studies prior to launching a career in providing mental health services to underserved and underrepresented individuals and their communities in Texas.

Each year the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health awards scholarships to graduate social work students committed to joining the mental health workforce and addressing the mental health crisis. Guillen hopes to make a difference in the lives of others who need quality mental care.

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student’s paper on zero tolerance published in UTSA journal School administrators are starting to rethink zero tolerance policies that require school officials to hand down harsh punishment, such as suspension or expulsion, when students break certain rules.

While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in public administration, Andrew Vasquez worked with Assistant Professor Veronica Elias on a research paper exploring the implications of zero tolerance and its effect on the juvenile justice system.

His paper was published in Volume 3 of UTSA’s Journal of Undergraduate Research & Scholarly Work. Andrew was also a finalist in the UTSA Graduate School’s 3MT Competition, where students use their creativity to present their research in three minutes or less.

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Master of Social Work students raise awareness of sexual violence using symbolic photographs n

In an effort to foster a campus culture of respect, Master of Social Work (MSW) students, in collaboration with Beaks Up, Speak Up, presented a photo exhibit to bring awareness to perceptions related to sexual violence.

The mission of the Photovoice project is to advocate for increased awareness and response to sexual violence within the UTSA community through empowerment and respect to diversity, using symbolic photographs and fostering dialogue.

The exhibit is the culmination of three Photovoice projects that MSW students completed in 2017. The pictures represent the social action that students could take to address sexual violence. The UTSA student organizers also recruited other college students in the San Antonio and Coastal Bend regions of Texas to contribute to the project. The exhibit features 14 photographs.

“The Photovoice exhibit represents the ideas, feelings and values students have about preventing campus sexual violence and fostering a campus culture of respect,” Assistant Professor Candace Christensen explained. “These images generate emotional, intellectual, and artistic understandings of how the UTSA community can identify and prevent sexual violence. What is most important about this exhibit is that it represents the perspectives of university students who are actively addressing a campus community problem.”

Master of Public Administration student Louis Delgado worked as an intern in the City of San Antonio’s (COSA) human resources department during the summer of 2018 as part of the COSA Ambassador Summer Internship Program. Begun in 2004, the COSA Ambassador Summer Internship Program exposes college students to professional opportunities and innovative career paths through paid internships and community service projects. Program participants gain experience in highdemand occupations in an effort to attract San Antonio’s graduating professionals to career opportunities within the local community.

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Equity & Inclusion Fellow Master of Public Administration student Sonia Moreno Rogers was selected as a 2017 Equity & Inclusion Student Fellowship Recipient. She is one of 34 fellows from universities nationwide. The Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM) presented her with the award at the 2017 Fall Research Conference in Chicago. The goal of the fellowship program is to introduce recipients to the world of public policy and to foster excellence and diversity in research, analysis and education.

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selected for Hispanic Caucus Internship Public administration undergraduate Andrea Ramos Fernandez was selected for the prestigious Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Internship Program.

Andrea joined other young leaders in Washington D.C. in the Fall 2018 semester to be immersed in the nation’s legislative process. She interned on Capitol Hill for a member of Congress and participated in weekly leadership training and professional development activities.

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Center Undergraduate Fellowships » Sara Attia (Criminal Justice) » Jamilyn Keeton (Public Administration) » Ian May (Criminal Justice)

Archer Center Graduate Fellows n

n Maverick

Crawford, III, COPP Most Outstanding student

What did it mean to you to win the most outstanding student award?

A few days before the ceremony, Dr. Romero, our Associate Dean, asked me to talk to some high school seniors. I accepted the invitation. During the event, she announced that I won the Most Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award. Seeing my name on that beautiful glass award was like a dream to me. I would have never thought that I would win. I was in disbelief and shock, but I was extremely humbled to receive the award.

Tell us a little bit about your role while you interned at the U.S. Pretrial Services.

I got to sit in on interviews with individuals who were recently arrested. I conducted two interviews after shadowing the officers and asked questions about their background. These questions helped to determine if the offenders could be released on bond. I had to complete a report at the end of the interview. One of the defendants that I interviewed had autism, and I was able to explain to the pretrial officer about a possible sanction to place on the defendant to ensure the safety of the community.

It worked. The officer agreed with my assessment. I told them to have detailed instructions to keep the defendant on a strict routine. People with autism react significantly with strict adherence to a schedule. This helped me learn more about the administration of the court system, and I was able to apply material that I learned from the classroom.

How did your double major in criminal justice and public administration prepare you for your future?

It prepared me for a career in public service.

Those majors helped me be a better advocate for underprivileged communities. It’s vital that their voices are heard, too. Dr. Patricia Jaramillo was a significant influence in adding public administration to my degree plan. She told me I could still graduate on time with

a double major from COPP. Dr. Jaramillo and other professors in the College of Public Policy are dedicated to preparing the students for a career in public services by educating them through their experiences and expertise in their respective fields.

Tell us a little bit about your diagnosis with an intellectual disability and autism. What was it like for you growing up?

The community I was from is set up for autistic people—people like me—to fail without the ability to succeed in any form or fashion. In my opinion, mental health is not addressed in the community of people of color such as the African-American community or the Latino community. Since mental health was somewhat a myth to my community, it was a major struggle I endured in my life. My speech impediment was so severe, I remained silent most of the time to not embarrass myself. The doctors said my condition would never improve. I had no one to help me and felt very alone. My family didn’t understand what I was going through and didn’t know how best to treat my disorders.

I was bullied in high school. I suffered a speech impediment, and it was so bad that I passed out when I had to speak in front of the class. I would talk about going to St. Philip’s College and people would laugh because they thought I was too dumb to be a college student. No one taught me how to study, communicate my needs or anything to help me be successful in college.

Judith Jones, M.S.W. Summer 2018 National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

“My experience as an Archer fellow has been phenomenal. The program has opened doors for me and has helped me advance policy and practice for the well-being of individuals, children and families.”

Caitlin Caswell, M.S.W. Summer 2018 Alliance for Excellent Education “I am so excited to use this opportunity in D.C. to learn about the federal policies that effect my clients as a social worker and to gain experience advocating for policies that are more equitable.”

Raymond Banks, M.P.A. Summer 2018 U.S. Department of Defense “As an Archer Fellow, I valued the public policy immersion opportunity the most. This opportunity gave me firsthand insight into the world of politicians and public administrators.”

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Research Paper Competition Winners

You have overcome many obstacles in your life.

What motivated you to succeed and inspire others to do the same?

UNDERGRADUATE

One of my instructors at UTSA, Gina Amatangelo, encouraged me to give a speech. She knew I was timid about talking in front of others. In the capstone course for the minor in civic engagement, we got a chance to mentor students from Lanier High School. I told them

Paul Gray (Public Administration) “Effects of Workplace Layout on Job Satisfaction”

C O N T I N U E S O N PA G E 1 8

Josh Barrera (Criminal Justice) “Sanctuary Cities” MASTER’S

DOCTORAL

Muntasir Masum (Demography) “Alcohol Consumption and Mortality Risk in the U.S.”

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Students n Marissa

Hinton, COPP Most Outstanding Graduate Student

and high disorder neighborhoods and whether that was effective against victimization.

How did your master’s degree in criminal justice and criminology prepare you for your future?

My hope is that my work inspires others to pursue this line of research in criminology as we shift from strictly punitive approaches to more rehabilitative approaches. The traditional form of punishment to hold persons accountable for their crimes is not getting us where we need to be on its own. I hope my research will impact policy so that everyone receives fair treatment. I hope for more practitioners to see the value of our research. We need different perspectives across disciplines to affect change in our communities.

What impact do you hope your research will have in the community?

I learned many professional skills. I feel more specialized in research and critical thinking. I learned a lot about myself, and the experience helped me become more well rounded as an individual.

How did you feel after learning the news you were COPP’s most outstanding graduate student?

Where do you see yourself in the next couple of years?

I was very surprised. I didn’t think I would win. It felt nice to be acknowledged.

I’ve never had so many doors open at one time. As I continue my education, I get to sort through options I never thought I had. Maybe I’ll enroll in a Ph.D. program. The future seems very positive.

What research are you currently working on?

I’m working on a few projects – one is a thesis on high-risk adolescents and their expectation for future success. I am studying veterans treatment courts and evaluating their effectiveness.

We’re looking at the use of more rehabilitative approaches and less punitive measures for holding veterans accountable for their offenses. I am also working on a food insecurity study with Dr. Dylan Jackson. It’s worthwhile to see how mental health and neighborhood risk play a role in access to resources.

Describe your experience working with Dr. Hartley on the role of veterans treatment courts?

This experience was eye opening. I enjoyed working with the court system and understanding the importance of recognizing the underlying causes of veterans’ offenses. Many veterans are

Any advice you want to give to prospective students? grappling with mental health issues, substance abuse and homelessness, so it’s imperative they receive proper treatment through a fair process focused on rehabilitation. This project let me know that I was on the right path because I want to help people.

You have a journal article forthcoming. Tell us a little bit about that.

I published a paper with Associate Professor Marie Tillyer and former Assistant Professor James Ray in the Department of Criminal Justice.

I presented my paper at the American Society of Criminology Annual Conference in November of 2017. That piece discussed parenting styles in low

Use the resources that the school and department have. So many tools are available right at your fingertips. Start saying yes. We have the writing center, tutoring, counseling and career services. Take advantage of those resources. Don’t be afraid to talk to your teachers.

They want to help. The graduate program is challenging, and your professors are aware of this. They have been in your shoes. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Connect with people in your cohort. It will be very rewarding. You will grow both personally and professionally. I am definitely not the same person when I started. I love the MSCJC program, and I love UTSA.

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 7 about my hardships growing up, and I felt a sense of fulfillment because, at that moment, I could give back to someone else what no one gave to me—encouragement. I let them know that no matter what situation you find yourself in, never give up on your dreams and don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t have the aptitude or capability to make something of yourself.

What was the turning point in your life after suffering from physical and emotional abuse?

After everything I went through, I realized I needed to beat this. I decided to stay in school.

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I attended St. Philip’s College in 2014 and transferred to UTSA to continue my studies in criminal justice.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy my volunteer work with children of autism at UTSA’s Autism Center. I write blogs to share my story with others. I like to speak to some of the kids in the juvenile probation department and Any Baby Can. I want to give back and be an example to them, so it’s my way of encouraging them never to give up and give them everything positive that I never received.

Where do you see yourself in the next couple of years?

I’m thinking of starting a nonprofit organization and authoring a book to inspire youth who may believe there is no hope for them to succeed. I also planned on continuing my education by either attending law school or obtaining a master’s degree. If I receive a master’s degree, I plan to get on in social work or public administration to ensure that I have the tools to make a big difference in the autism community and to those who have been afflicted or placed at a disadvantage.

Students

n Alpha

Phi Sigma presents career exploration event with leaders in the field of security

UTSA’s chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society, hosted a networking event with the American Society of International Security (ASIS) in April 2017.

The event enabled criminal justice and cyber security students to explore careers in security management and law enforcement within the public and private sector. Almost 100 participants attended the event.

Henry Meade, criminal justice lecturer and Alpha Phi Sigma adviser, invited his class along with students from the UTSA College of Business cyber security program to listen to a panel of experts discuss their job missions and security partnerships. Students also had the opportunity to network one-on-one with representatives from employers including the FBI, Covergint Technologies, Texas Biomed, Securitas, City of San Antonio, USAA, Accenture, Randolph Air Force Base and others.

“It’s vital to provide our students an opportunity to recognize the numerous other job opportunities that a criminal justice education can provide,” Meade said. “The same students who attended this evening also participated in a ‘game day’ observation with the San Antonio Spurs Security Team.”

“By APS hosting ASIS, we were able to give our students a glimpse of how private and public sector institutions work together in securing our homeland,” he added.

“The purpose of this career exploration event is to get employers in front of the students,” said Dionne Davila, career counselor for UTSA’s University Career Center. “The representatives are in the position to be able to teach students the importance of marketable skills and selling themselves.”

San Antonio Police Department SAFFE (San Antonio Free Fear Environment)

Officer Alex Johnson facilitated the event.

Mark Hammergren, security management professional and regional vice president for the San Antonio ASIS chapter, shared the benefits of being a member and encouraged students to join the organization to build connections with key professionals in the industry. ASIS offers certifications to help members gain a competitive edge in the marketplace and to enhance their career and earning potential.

One of the professionals in attendance was alumna Nishita Maliek ’15, MSCJC ’17 who works as an investigator with Keypoint Government Solutions.

Founded in 1955, ASIS is the world’s largest membership organization for security management practitioners. ASIS has hundreds of chapters across the world with members representing a wide array of industries in the public and private sectors.

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Civic Engagement

COPP students participate in visit

by U.S. Supreme Court Justice U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor gave a dynamic and inspirational talk to UTSA students, faculty and staff on Jan. 25, 2018, at Retama Auditorium on the 1604 Campus. The Downtown Campus community watched via simulcast. Sotomayor spoke of her childhood and her inspiration to become a lawyer and judge. Like many students at UTSA, Sotomayor was a first-generation college student. She shared advice on getting through college and

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working hard. She also spoke of the importance of civic engagement. Nohelia Villeda, a public administration and criminal justice double major and Joel Reyes, a criminal justice major, were among a select group of 10 students who had the opportunity to ask Sotomayor questions.

Villeda posed a question on the importance of mentors. “When growing up, what family member or teacher encouraged you the most and how?”

Reyes’ question related to career advice.

“What advice would you have for a college student interested in becoming appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court?”

“As a first-generation student, it was very inspiring to hear her story because it has strengthened my belief that I will be successful in the chosen career path I have set up for myself,” Villeda said.

Civic Engagement n Climate

Change on Trial

During the fall of 2017, Associate Dean and Associate Professor Francine Romero’s Foundations for Civic Engagement class presented “Climate Change on Trial, the Case for a San Antonio Heat Island Policy.”

Students introduced two policies: cool roofing and the expansion of San Antonio’s current tree ordinances. In the mock trial, San Antonio’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Douglas Melnick, served as the witness for the prosecution, and Cara Tackett, senior vice president of Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc., served as the witness for the defense. The class also invited members of the community to act as jurors to decide which policy should take effect. Their project was featured in Gilbert Garcia’s column for the San Antonio-Express News.

SOCIAL WORK CLASS PROJECTS

Professor and Rev. Peter Bauer’s advanced policy and advocacy classes engage the community on issues of inequity and voter suppression

n It’s

Not on MY Map

The Master of Social Work Advanced Policy & Advocacy class presented a panel called “It’s Not on MY Map.” More than 150 people attended the event hosted by the YWCA on San Antonio’s West Side. The project outlined the equity impacts in San Antonio’s most vulnerable zip codes. Panelists explored solutions for improving equal opportunity in housing, economic mobility, education and other areas for greater success for all residents. One of the panelists was Matthew Martinez, Ph.D., research analyst at Rice University and alumnus of the UTSA Applied Demography program.

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Take Your Vote Back

Take Your Vote Back was a panel discussion on Texas gerrymandering and voter suppression. Experts addressed the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and how it affected minorities in Texas. They talked about possible solutions to increase voter participation, redistricting and implementing policies to include more underserved populations in voting in Texas such as the homeless and those living in poverty. Our Public Administration alumnus Drew Galloway, Executive Director of MOVE Texas, was one of the guest speakers.

Harlandale High School

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Countdown to

College Students from underserved areas of the city are given a taste of college life through a new outreach program offered by the UTSA College of Public Policy.

Many of them will be first-generation students on the path to academic success.

For the past two years, the College has offered high school students the opportunity to visit the Downtown Campus and explore undergraduate programs. Students attend criminal justice and public administration courses and sometimes participate in class. For example, students from the Mason High School (MHS) Pioneers Program had a fun, engaging and enlightening experience when they attended Dr. Patricia Jaramillo’s class participatory budgeting exercise. Students gave presentations on the projects they would like to see implemented at UTSA. Some of these projects involved developing improvements to recycling, creating access to sleep pods and hosting famous and renowned guest speakers to the college campus. Each project had to outline the scope, the need and a clearly defined budget. The Mason students had the opportunity to vote on their favorite projects. While they were casting their votes, Rowdy the Roadrunner made a surprise visit to welcome the students.

“I enjoyed learning about participatory budgeting

Mason High School Pioneers projects with Dr. Jaramillo’s class,” one of the MHS pioneers said. “I learned that there are many problems to be solved around communities and only limited amounts of money to solve those issues. Thank you for opening my eyes to the possibilities of coming to UTSA and the opportunities offered there.”

The COPP Countdown to College Program is an outreach initiative spearheaded by Associate Dean and Associate Professor Francine Romero as a way to expose Texas high school students to college life and offer them insight to the College’s undergraduate programs.

Other high schools that visited during the 20172018 academic year were Harlandale, Somerset, Kennedy and Laredo’s Lyndon B. Johnson.

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n Civic

Leadership Academy – Class mentors Lanier High School students, fosters sense of civic identity Beginning in the fall of 2017, UTSA students designed and led a “Civic Leadership Academy” for students at Lanier High School as part of the Civic Leadership Seminar, the capstone course for the minor in Civic Engagement.

UTSA students organized sessions at Lanier throughout the semester and hosted Lanier students for visits to both of UTSA’s campuses. In the program, Lanier students learn about the importance of volunteering, voting and voicing their concerns about issues in their community.

The program aims to support a collegegoing culture for Lanier students by providing them with an opportunity to regularly visit the UTSA campuses and develop mentoring relationships with UTSA undergraduate students. The servicelearning initiative fosters an interest in civic engagement through activities related to volunteerism, democratic participation and building on community strengths.

Students met with State Rep. Diego Bernal and Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales to share their concerns on health care, education, community safety and other local issues.

In 2018, 32 UTSA undergraduates mentored 32 juniors and seniors at Lanier.

The students met with several Lanier graduates who now work at UTSA. UTSA students in the capstone course also participated in the community impact poster competition for the third annual Civic Engagement Summit in February of 2018 and won People’s Choice Award.

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n Unmasked:

Beyond the Chair

Social Work students work toward diminishing the cycle of domestic violence. One in three women in Bexar County will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Students in Professor Elizabeth Cruz’s class partnered with New Life Ministries to develop a curriculum to help beauty professionals spot signs of domestic abuse. On Nov. 28, 2017, the Communities and Practice class presented a forum called “Unmasked: Beyond the Chair” to educate the public about their project.

The forum calls for stylists and members of the community to learn more about the resources available to help victims of abuse. Their initiative received extensive coverage on KENS-5 and Spectrum News.

n Students

learn about food insecurity at Urban Farm

Students of the Foundations of Civic Engagement class, taught by Public Administration Lecturer Patricia Jaramillo, visited the work site at Garcia Street Urban Farm in the spring of 2018 to learn more about food insecurity and the impact of urban farming on a community’s health, well-being and economic development.

“We visited the site to physically remove all

the rocks from the soil so that it could make the planting process easier,” said Stephanie Barrera, criminal justice and public administration undergraduate student. The Farm, developed by the San Antonio Housing Authority, helps students recognize health disparities as a critical social problem that needs to be addressed in underserved communities.

Alumni

Jessica Beemer shows resiliency during Hurricane Harvey

By Ingrid Wright Meet Jessica Beemer ’08, M.P.A. ’13. This Houston native jumped into action to help her community recover from Hurricane Harvey.

With a bachelor’s in political science, a master’s in public administration and solid professional experience in the public sector, Beemer landed a job working as north sector manager for Houston City Councilman Dave Martin of District E, assisting with city processes and constituent services in the Lake Houston/Kingwood area.

While working for the City, Beemer developed an emergency response manual, including information for the Houston Office of Emergency Management, city leaders, constables, school districts and leaders from neighboring jurisdictions.

In January 2017, Beemer became Martin’s chief of staff, serving his entire council district, which comprises Lake Houston, Kingwood, Southeast Houston and Clearlake. Hurricane Harvey slammed into Houston seven months later, dumping more than two feet of rain over Harris County and registering seven-day readings of more than 40 inches. Along with others at the City, Beemer began to monitor river levels to assess the emergency. She

also dusted off the emergency manual she had created a year earlier and used it to seek emergency relief assistance for the Kingwood and Clear Lake communities. More than 17,500 homes were devastated by the storm.

“I’ve never prayed for rain to stop so hard in my life,” Beemer recalls thinking while relocating to the second floor of her Kingwood home. “All I was thinking about were the senior citizens on breathing machines who couldn’t get out and people that I knew in flooded neighborhoods who had health issues. We knew we were running against the clock to coordinate rescue operations, and we did the best we could in a critical situation.”

Following the storm, Beemer remained in her district. She organized rescue operations, set up emergency shelters and distributed food and supplies to victims, independent of the Red Cross.

Once Hurricane Harvey passed, Beemer printed community maps and surveyed District E to assess the storm damage and support cleanup efforts. She jumped into action and created a platform for volunteers to help clean up debris in the storm-ravaged community.

With surrounding roads impassable, members of the community began showing up in boats to provide evacuation support to Houston

residents. Beemer helped direct them to areas of the greatest need, where they remained for several days.

Beemer also turned to her alma mater for help.

“Being as embedded in San Antonio as I was when I was an undergraduate, interning in the commissioner’s court and going through grad school, you become part of the city and people remember you,” she said.

Indeed, San Antonians responded. San Antonio’s Solid Waste Management crew, for example, helped clean up more than 100,000 tons of debris.

“I worked very closely with San Antonio Solid Waste Director David McCary (who also received his M.P.A.) for a little over a month helping familiarize his crews with the area,” Beemer said.

San Antonio crews picked up more than 100,000 tons of debris. Private citizens also donated time, supplies and money to help Houston’s relief efforts. Ultimately, Councilman Martin presented a City of Houston Proclamation to honor the City of San Antonio, sharing that the recognition in large part represented the effort and commitment Beemer displayed through her selfless acts and leadership.

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P H OTO G R A P H Y BY CO U RT N E Y CA M P B E L L

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G ER A LD I N E J. GA RC IA

Alumna of the

year

When former Assistant Chief of Police Geraldine J. Garcia retired from the San Antonio Police Department in 2016 after 34 years, she was the highest-ranking woman in SAPD history. At this writing, she still is.

STO RY BY K AT E H U N G E R P H OTO BY CO U RT N E Y CA M P B E L L

“How I got there is a whole other story,” said Garcia, the College of Public Policy’s 2018 Alumna of the Year.

Garcia first applied to SAPD in 1975, not long after women were allowed to serve in uniform on patrol. She wasn’t admitted to the San Antonio Police Academy. Instead, a member of the allmale interview panel told her she would “make someone a beautiful wife and pretty secretary.”

She never forgot those words.

Even more galling, she received no answer when she asked for feedback on how to improve her chances.

“I said, ‘I am going to find whatever it is you can’t tell me I don’t have, and I’ll be back and I will have your jobs,’” she recalled.

And she did, rising above the rank of any of the men on the panel all those years ago.

C O N T I N U E S O N PA G E 2 6

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Alumni

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

PERSISTENCE PAID OFF

Garcia’s perseverance and persistence didn’t go unnoticed.

“Those qualities led me in part to promote her to deputy chief and then to assistant chief. Her hard work ethic and her persistence and integrity all pushed her to the top.”

WILLIAM MCMANUS SAN ANTONIO POLICE CHIEF

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After she was rejected by SAPD, Garcia continued attending college. She married, had two sons and pursued a law enforcement career through the UT System. After several years as a university police officer, she once again applied to SAPD. This time, she was accepted. She entered the police academy in 1982.

Garcia served in many roles during her career with SAPD. Her philosophy was simple: Take the jobs no one else wants and learn from them.

A self-described problem solver, Garcia earned promotions like clockwork, moving on to new opportunities and finding ways to make things better everywhere she landed.

“To me you can fix just about anything,” she said. “You can do something.”

While a patrol officer, she worked overtime in undercover narcotics. She was also the first female instructor at the police academy, where she taught physical training, firearms and other skills.

She went on to work in applicant processing, then became a detective and worked in the evidence unit and then full-time in narcotics.

She was promoted to sergeant and moved to the community-policing unit and before moving over to vice. As a lieutenant, she moved to patrol and then led the reorganization of the park rangers to the current park police. As a captain, she worked in Professional Standards (internal affairs) and then served as administrative captain in services and support division.

In other words, she learned the department inside and out. Even as her career flourished, she returned to college to finish her bachelor’s degree at age 50. She earned her master’s in Justice Policy (now Criminal Justice and Criminology) in 2006.

She credits her experience at COPP with enriching her perspective with analysis and concepts such as restorative justice and intelligent policing.

“It was becoming a lot more obvious that we have to do more than just what we were doing,” she said.

Garcia’s perseverance and persistence didn’t go unnoticed.

“Those qualities led me in part to promote her to deputy chief and then to assistant chief,” Police Chief William McManus said. “Her hard work ethic and her persistence and integrity all pushed her to the top.”

Appointed assistant chief in 2008, Garcia was responsible for numerous areas within the department, including Operations Bureau,

Administrative and Operations Support Bureau, and the Tactical Support Division, Major Crimes and Intelligence Division.

FAMILY FIRST “My job wasn’t my priority; my children were and still are,” Garcia said. “I loved narcotics because my hours were such that I could go to those football games and other school activities. I could see my children perform.”

Garcia worked, studied and parented at full tilt, often sleeping just a few hours a night for years, her sons recalled. She trained her two boys how to respond if she was recognized in public from her narcotics work. They knew what to do if she suddenly began to act like a family friend and told them to tell their “parents” hello.

“That meant for me to grab my brother and walk the other direction,” said Vince Garcia, her oldest son.

Vince and his brother Nathan described Garcia as a devoted mom who set a great example as a single working mother.

“I still to this day cannot understand how somebody could still do all that and raise two sons,” Nathan said.

LEAVING A LEGACY A 2011 inductee into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, Garcia serves on the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women for District 5. She served as a career and technical education instructor at East Central High School in the 2017-2018 school year and currently works as an associate with Andrade-Van de Putte & Associates, an external relations firm.

Both McManus and Garcia voiced concerns about a void in high-level female leadership at SAPD in the wake of her retirement. But Garcia left a legacy that continues to impact every applicant who interviews at the department: She made policy changes to the interview process. The new policy requires every interview panel to include a woman, to ask interviewees the same questions, to score answers and to provide feedback to let interviewees know what they could have done better.

McManus touted Garcia’s policy as establishing a “much fairer foundation” for applicants. And Garcia found a way to come full circle by solving a problem that delayed her own entry into the department by several years, even as it failed to keep her down.

“This is how women will get promoted now,” she said.

Serving Society Marcos Mendoza ’16, MSCJC ’18 For Marcos Mendoza, the sky is the limit.

A veteran of the United States Air Force and a first-generation college graduate, Mendoza has a passion, commitment and a desire to serve. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and his master’s degree in criminal justice and criminology. Throughout his academic career, he has kept striving for excellence, taking advantage of new opportunities and paying it forward.

While a student at UTSA, Mendoza was active in the classroom and in the community.

As a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society, Mendoza was a frequent volunteer. He traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico, as part of the College’s study abroad program and had the opportunity to network with leaders in public service.

“As soon as I began my studies at UTSA, I set high standards for myself and immediately became engaged in my classes, student life and community,” Mendoza said. “My goal was to increase my knowledge about our criminal justice policies and eventually play a role in reforming, implementing and designing policies to better serve public safety.”

In 2017, Mendoza became the second COPP student to be accepted into the AmeriCorps VISTA paid internship program under the Alamo Area Council of Governments. As a VISTA employee, Marcos implemented economic development strategies for low-income communities in Frio and Medina counties.

“My education from UTSA inspired me to be a community leader who serves others,” said Mendoza, who also credits his parents with his success. “I am blessed to have access to a wide range of opportunities to help me succeed.”

Mayor Ron Nirenberg honored Marcos, other VISTA interns and Senior Corps volunteers during National Service Recognition Day on April 3 for their dedication to making a positive impact in the community.

Mendoza continues to give back to his community and stay engaged with opportunities to teach the next generation of public servants and career professionals. The day before his graduation, he gave a presentation to middle and high school students representing Region 20 at the annual UTSA P-20 Parent Engagement Summit, held at UTSA’s Downtown Campus.

Mendoza encouraged students to get involved with all opportunities that come their way.

Marcos, who also has a graduate certificate in Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, traveled to Italy during the summer to represent UTSA as part of the College of Business International Immersion Program – European Innovation Academy. Marcos worked closely with top entrepreneurs and business leaders from all over the world and participated in professional development activities. He hopes to draw upon his experiences and knowledge to help others achieve success.

n UTSA

alumnus is on a mission to help recently rehoused veterans feel at home

By Michelle Skidmore A UTSA alumnus and U.S. Army veteran is helping fellow veterans turn their houses into homes. James Pobanz ’14, M.S.W. ’17 is a co-founder of VetStrong, a nonprofit that provides furniture and other home essentials to previously homeless veterans.

Pobanz and co-founder Barbara Walz saw a way to give back to the military community after learning that recently rehoused veterans had places to live but no beds, chairs or tables. Walz, a nurse at a VA hospital, noticed that these circumstances impacted veterans’ health.

“A house is more than just an edifice,” Pobanz said. “It’s a place where one finds comfort, solace and strength. We want to help our veterans successfully reintegrate back into society and furnishing a house is one way to do that.”

Thanks to the generous support of the community and city leaders, VetStrong acquired a warehouse to store donations for veterans and their families.

VetStrong is also teaming up with TXServes – San Antonio, a coordinated network of public, private and nonprofit organizations serving thousands of veterans, service members and their families in San Antonio and Bexar County. TXServes provides access to a continuum of providers for emergency services, employment, recreation, financial capabilities and more. When someone reaches out for help for donations of furniture, TXServes sends a request to all nonprofits that deliver this service.

VetStrong can accept the request and offer assistance.

VetStrong officially launched in July with a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening at its warehouse located at 1735 Babcock Road in San Antonio. Members of the community donated lightly used or new household items such as lamps, beds, couches, nightstands, chairs, and linens.

| IMPACT 27

n Alumna

applies participatory budgeting to District 8 Stephanie Flores ’16 is putting her knowledge of participatory budgeting to work. As a policy intern in San Antonio City Councilman Manny Peláez’s office, she strives to engage the community in the District 8 participatory budgeting initiative. Initiated by Councilman Peláez, the project brings together residents and nonprofit organizations of District 8 to brainstorm how to spend $25,000 in public funds for community improvement projects. Residents voted to fund projects for Well Med Charitable Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, David’s Legacy Foundation and Youth Code Jam.

n Recognizing

Excellence: Alumna Angela Pichardo, H-E-B Excellence in Education Award finalist While earning her undergraduate degree, Angela Pichardo ’99 saw more than her fair share of children visiting their incarcerated parents at the Bexar County jail and figured it was time for a change. Pichardo decided to be a teacher, and a great one at that -- so great that she was selected as a finalist for H-EB’s Excellence in Education Award. All finalists received a $1,000 surprise check.

Angela has made tremendous contributions to her students and the community as a STEM teacher at Bob Hope Elementary School in the Southwest Independent School District.

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Where are they now?

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

James Wagoner ’78 is the Divisional Vice President for Corporate Protection and Security at the Health Care Service Corporation, Dallas, Texas, Office.

David Blackwell ’81 is an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Pilot for Momentum Aerospace Group.

Michael Ramos ’81 is a judge for the City of San Antonio Municipal Courts. He was interviewed for an episode of the new Netflix documentary I am a Killer, which revolves around a capital murder case that he prosecuted as an assistant DA. Bob Saunders ’81 is the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Capability Manager Ranges, Chief Range Modernization. He proudly serves his country as a member of the U.S. Army, Fort Eustis, Virginia.

David Rivas ’87 is a warden for the San Luis Regional Detention and Support Center at the LaSalle Corrections, West in the state of Louisiana.

Firearms and Explosives in San Antonio.

DEMOGRAPHY

Mary Hogan Ph.D. ’11 is the director of Accreditation and Strategic Planning at the University of the Incarnate Word, School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Mauricio Rodríguez Ph.D. ’16 is a full-time professor with the Department of Actuarial Sciences, Physics and Mathematics at Universidad de las Américas Puebla, San Andrés Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. In 2017, he became a member of the National System of Researchers Dan Shinaberry Ph.D. ’16 is the Data Communications Research Manager for Facebook and Instagram in New York, N.Y. Lorenzo Sanchez Ph.D. ’18 is the Director of Emergency Management for the University of Texas at San Antonio. He recently received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of Homeland Security.

P U B L I C A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

Richard Deck ’89 is a private practice attorney in El Paso, Texas.

He was awarded Attorney of the Year by the El Paso County Attorney in 2010.

Robert Garza M.P.A. ’98 is the new president of Palo Alto College.

He formerly served as president of Mountain View College in the Dallas County Community College District.

Patricia Lenzi ’89 is Chief Judge of Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California; Chief Judge, Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Court; Chief Appellate Justice Bishop Paiute Tribe; Appellate Judge, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe; and Deputy Judge, Colorado River Indians Tribal Court.

Tyler Temperton ’12 is a member of the first graduating class of the Bachelor of Public Administration program and is a project manager for The Sabinal Group, a commercial contractor.

Captain Daniel J. Kiley ’00 is an officer with the University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department and was recently promoted to assistant chief of police.

Leissa Kimball ’03 is a librarian for the City of San Antonio.

Stacia Lopez ’18 is a Crime Gun Intelligence Coordinator for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

Summer Koehler ’17 works as a corporate relations associate for Texas Public Radio in San Antonio.

Sabrina Fortaleza ’13 is a certified academic advisor for San Antonio College.

Dilip Gokhale M.P.A. ’13 is a supervisory investigator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Philadelphia District Office. He was recently accepted into the Temple University

James E. Beasley School of Law. Heather Riddle ’15 works as a computer administrator for The Writing Center at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Stephanie Wickwire ’16 works as zoning director and policy advisor for San Antonio District 10 City Councilman Clayton Perry.

Patrick Reyes ’17 is an annual giving specialist for University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

Branden Dross M.P.A. ’18 is a community field service representative in the Customer Response Unit at CPS Energy.

SOCIAL WORK

Angelica Cervantes M.S.W. ’09 is the Chief Program Officer of Providence Place in San Antonio, Texas. She is currently working on opening a new transitional housing program for adult women survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault.

David Huete M.S.W. ‘13 is the Sr. Director of Transformational Support Services at Haven for Hope in San Antonio, Texas. David helped develop a coordinated entry system for the community, guiding the development of a highly successful and recognized jail outreach program.

Robyn Wiatrek M.S.W. ’16 was promoted to supervisor with Child Protective Services.

Monica Peña M.S.W. ’18 was promoted to Intensive Case Manager/Youth Empowerment Facilitator.

Got news to share?

Alumni, we would like to hear from you.To be included in the next issue of our magazine, please drop us a line by emailing copp@utsa.edu.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE Weijer, S. G.A., Augustyn, M. B., & Besemer, S. (2017). Intergenerational continuity in crime: An international, empirical assessment. In A. A. Blokland and V. van der Geest (Ed.), International Handbook of Life Course Criminology (pp. 279298). Amsterdam: Routledge.

Augustyn, M. B., & J. M. (2017). Revisiting juvenile waiver: Integrating the incapacitation experience.

Criminology, 56, 154-190.

Augustyn, M. B., & Jackson, D. (2017). An intersectional look at the rush to “Adulthood”: Considering the role of gender, race and SES in the link between precocious transitions and adult antisocial behavior. Youth and Society, 1-24.

Augustyn, M. B., Ward, J., & Krohn, M. (2017).

Exploring intergenerational continuity in gang membership. Journal of Crime and Justice, 40(3), 252-274.

Augustyn, M. B., & Loughran, T. (2017). Juvenile transfer as a mechanism of social stratification: A focus on human capital. Criminology, 55, 405-437.

Henry, K., & Augustyn, M. B. (2017).

Intergenerational continuity in cannabis use: The role of parent’s early onset and lifetime disorder on child’s early onset. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(1), 87-92.

Hoskin, A., Hartley, R. D., Ellis, L., & McMurray, H. (2017). Does religiosity explain cross-national differences in crime? The case of the United States versus Malaysian university students. Journal of Religion & Society, 19, 1-17.

Maddan, S., & Hartley, R. D. (2017). Towards the development of a standardized focal concerns theory of sentencing. In J. T. Ulmer & M. S. Bradley (Ed.), Punishment Decisions: Locations of Disparity.

ASC Division on Corrections and Sentencing Handbook (vol. 2, pp. 311-335). New York: Routledge.

Jackson, D. (2017). Diet quality and bullying among a cross-national sample of youth. Preventive Medicine, 105, 359-365.

Jackson, D., & Vaughn, M. G. (2017). Sleep and preteen delinquency: Is the association robust to ADHD symptomatology and ADHD diagnosis?

Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 39(4), 585- 595.

Kleck, G., & Jackson, D. (2017). Does crime cause punitiveness? Crime & Delinquency, 63(12), 15721599.

Jackson, D., Newsome, J., & Lynch, K. R. (2017).

Adverse housing conditions and early-onset delinquency. American Journal of Community Psychology, 60(1/2), 160-174.

Jackson, D., & Vaughn, M. G. (2017). Parental history of disruptive life events and household food insecurity. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 49(7), 554-560.

Jackson, D., & Johnson, K. R. (2017). Does breastfeeding reduce offspring junk food consumption during childhood? Examinations by SES and race/ ethnicity. Public Health Nutrition, 20(8), 1441-1451.

Jackson, D., & Vaughn, M. G. (2017). Parental incarceration and child sleep and eating behaviors.

Journal of Pediatrics, 185, 211-217.

Jackson, D. (2017). The interplay between early language and temperamental difficulties in the prediction of severe antisocial behavior among males. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 7(2), 70-80.

Jackson, D., Vaughn, M. G., & Salas-Wright, C. (2017). Poor nutrition and bullying behaviors: A comparison of deviant and non-deviant youth.

Journal of Adolescence, 57, 69-73.

Jackson, D., & Vaughn, M. G. (2017). Household food insecurity during childhood and adolescent misconduct. Preventive Medicine, 96, 113-117.

Jackson, D. (2017). The interplay between early father involvement and neonatal medical risk in the prediction of infant neurodevelopment. Prevention Science, 18(1), 106-115.

Jackson, D., Lynch, K. R., & Newsome, J. (2017).

Exploring the origins of early-onset delinquency: The role of housing disarray, deterioration, and safety hazards. American Journal of Community Psychology, 60, 160-174.

DeWall, N., Lynch, K. R., & Renzetti, C. M. (2017).

Love and hurt: Why we behave aggressively against loved ones. In B. J. Bushman (Ed.), Aggression and Violence: A Social Psychological Perspective (pp.

259-274). New York: Taylor & Francis.

Lynch, K. R., & Renzetti, C. M. (2017). Alcohol Use, hostile sexism, and religious self-regulation: Investigating risk and protective factors of IPV perpetration. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-27.

Renzetti, C. M., Lynch, K. R., & DeWall, N. (2017).

Ambivalent sexism, frequency of alcohol use, and IPV perpetration. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33, 183-210.

Lynch, K. R., Jewell, J. A., Golding, J. M., & Kembel, H. B. (2017). Associations between relationship sexual behavior norm beliefs and intimate partner rape judgments: A structural equation model.

Violence Against Women, 23, 426-451.

Lynch, K. R., Jewell, J. A., Wasarhaley, N. E., Golding, J. M., & Renzetti, C. M. (2017). Great sexpectations: The impact of participant gender, defendant desirability, and date cost on attributions of a date rape victim and defendant. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-25.

Lynch, K. R., & Logan, T. (2017). Implementing domestic violence gun confiscation policy in urban and rural communities: Assessing the perceived risk, effectiveness, and barriers. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-27.

Golding, J. M., Lynch, K. R., Malik, S., & FosterGimbel, O. (2017). Justice served?: Perceptions of plea bargaining involving a sexual assault case.

Criminal Justice & Behavior, 45(4), 503-518.

Wasarhaley, N. E., Lynch, K. R., Golding, J. M., & Renzetti, C. M. (2017). The impact of gender stereotypes on courtroom perceptions of lesbian intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32, 635–658.

strain theory: A comparison of strains, mediating, and moderating effects explaining three types of delinquency. Youth & Society, 49(4), 484-504.

Moon, B., & Morash, M. (2017). A test of general strain theory in South Korea: A focus on objective/subjective strains, negative emotions, and composite conditioning factors. Crime & Delinquency, 63(6), 731-756.

Lang, G., Bailey, D., Curtis, K., Rico, R., Patton, S., Karydas, J., Martinez, D., & Sepeda, E. (2017).

Restorative Discipline Practices: A Journey in Implementation by a Community of Texas Educators. Austin: Park Place Publications.

Wilcox, P., & Tillyer, M. S. (2017). Place and neighborhood contexts. In D. Weisburd and J. E. Eck (Ed.), Unraveling Crime-Place Connection: New Directions in Theory and Policy (vol. 22). New York: Routledge.

Richards, T. N., Tillyer, M. S., & Wright, E. M. (2017).

Child maltreatment type and IPV victimization, perpetration, and victimization/perpetration. Child Abuse & Neglect, 67, 240-248.

Walter, R. J., Viglione, J., & Tillyer, M. S. (2017).

One strike to second chances: Using criminal backgrounds in admission decisions for assisted housing. Housing Policy Debate, 27, 734-750.

Kelsay, J., Tillyer, M. S., Ward, J. T., & Tillyer, R. B. (2017). The violent victimization of children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly: Situational characteristics and victim injury. Violence and Victims, 32, 342-361.

SPONSORED PROJECTS Enriquez, R., District 5 Land Title Remediation Pilot Project - Roadrunners Helping with Estate Planning (RHEP) $42,885: City of San Antonio Hartley, R., Multi-site Evaluations of Courts on the Frontline: Systematically Assessing Implementation and Intermediate Outcomes in Veterans Treatment Courts $146,135: Missouri State University Moon, B., A Longitudinal Study of Teacher Victimization at Schools: Prevalence, Predictors, and Negative Consequence, $364,469: US Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice Smith, M., An Evaluation of a Social Interaction Training Program to Reduce the Use of Force and Build Legitimacy, $108,389: University of Texas at El Paso Smith, M., Feasibility of Establishing a Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy at Winston-Salem State University, $14,987: University of North Carolina System Smith, M., Improving Human Trafficking Investigations: A Data-Driven Approach, $17,498: George Mason University Tillyer, R., Examining Prosecutorial Discretion in Federal Criminal Cases $39,823: United States Department of Justice Tillyer, R., SJPD Traffic & Pedestrian Stop Study, $24,200: University of Texas at El Paso

Moon, B., & Morash, M. (2017). Gender and general

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DEMOGRAPHY/IDSER Clerge, O., Sanchez Soto, G., Song, J., & Luke, N. (2017). ‘I Would Really Like to Go Where You Go’: Partners of graduate students as tied movers.

Population, Space and Place, 23(2).

Sanchez Soto, G., & Singelmann, J. (2017).

The occupational mobility of Mexican migrants in the United States. Revista Latinoamericano de Poblacion, 11(20), 55-78.

Eason, J. M., Lichter, D., & Sparks, C. S. (2017).

Crime, punishment, and spatial inequality. In A. Tickamyer, J. Sherman and J. Warlick (Ed.), Rural Poverty in the United States (pp. 349-386) New York: Columbia University Press.

Walter, R., Foote, N., Cordoba, H., & Sparks, C. S. (2017). Historic roots of modern residential segregation in a southwestern metropolis: San Antonio, Texas in 1910 and 2010. Urban Science, 1(2), 1-19.

Harris, R. J., McDonald, D. P., & Sparks, C. S. (2017). Sexual harassment in the military: Individual experiences, demographics and organizational contexts. Armed Forces & Society, 44(1), 25-43.

SPONSORED PROJECTS Jordan, J. TxDADS LTC Map Application Enhancement and Maintenance, $22,665: Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services Jordan, J. TxHHSC LTC Map Application Maintenance, $16,153: Texas Health & Human Services Commission Potter, L., AVANCE San Antonio Service Area Head Start/Early Head Start Community Assessment Update 2017, $10, 962: AVANCE – San Antonio, Inc. Potter, L. AVANCE Wintergarden Service Area Head Start/Early Head Start Community Assessment Update 2017, $13,954: AVANCE – San Antonio, Inc. Potter, L., Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment Update: $4,308: Center for New Communities Potter, L., COSA Head Start Community Assessment Update 2016, $13,000: City of San Antonio Potter, L., COSA Head Start and Early Head Start Community Assessment Update 2017, $13,000: Federal Pass Through Potter, L., Demographic Data and Assistance, $765, 797: Texas Department of Transportation Potter, L., Demographic Data Research and Analysis for Modelling Transportation Demand and Demographic Research Technical Assistance, $573,602: Texas Department of Transportation Potter, L., Estimation Allocation Factors for Local Workforce Development Areas, $17, 323: Texas Workforce Commission Potter, L., Intergovernmental Personnel Assignment Agreement, $17,810: United States Department of Veterans Affairs

30 IMPACT |

Potter, L. Texas Workforce Commission Estimated Factors for Local Workforce Development Areas, $17,323: Texas Workforce Commission Potter, L., The New 100th Meridian: Urban Water Resiliency in a Climatic and Demographic Hot Spot, $24,219: University of Texas at Austin Sparks, C., Demographic Estimation of PreKindergarten Population in Bexar County/San Antonio, $19,901: City of San Antonio

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Fernandez, K., & Alexander Terry, J. K. (2017).

The institutional contribution of CBOs to civic health. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 39(4), 436-469.

McCabe, B. C., Ponomariov, B. L., & Estrada, F. (2017). Professional cities: Accredited agencies, government structure, and rational choice. Public Administration Review, 78(2), 295-304.

McCabe, B., Reddick, C. G., & Demir, T. (2017). Municipal professionalism: More than just a job in government? American Review of Public Administration, 47(8), 867-880.

Ponomariov, B. L., Kisunko, G., & Balabushko, O. (2017). Overcoming the impact of corruption through diligence: The experience of Russian female managers. International Journal of Public Administration, 1-15.

Ponomariov, B. L., & McCabe, B. C. (2017).

Professionalism vs. public service motivation: Can public administration education alleviate the tension.

Administrative Theory & Praxis, 39(2), 80-99.

Ponomariov, B. L., Balabushko, O., & Kisunko, G. (2017). The decisive impact of tax administration practices on firms’ corruption experience and perceptions: Evidence from Europe and Central Asia. International Journal of Public Administration, 1-10.

Paulin, A., Anthopoulos, L., & Reddick, C. G. (2017). Beyond Bureaucracy: Towards Sustainable Government Informatisation. New York: Springer.

Brajawidagda, U., Reddick, C. G., & Chatfield, A. (2017). Urban resilience in extreme events: Analyzing online news and Twitter use during the 2016 Jakarta terror attack. Information Polity, 22(23), 159-177.

Chatfield, A., & Reddick, C. G. (2017). A longitudinal cross-sector analysis of open data portal service capability: The case of Australian local governments. Government Information Quarterly, 34(2), 231-243.

Reddick, C. G., & Zheng, Y. (2017). Determinants of citizens’ mobile apps future use in Chinese local governments: An analysis of survey data.

Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 11(2), 213-235.

Reddick, C. G., Chatfield, A. T., & Ojo, A. (2017). A social media text analytics framework for doubleloop learning for citizen-centric public services: A case study of a local government Facebook use.

Government Information Quarterly, 34(1), 110-125.

SPONSORED PROJECTS

Fernandez, K. & Alexander, J., Survey of Regional Nonprofit Sector, $11,000: The Nonprofit Council

SOCIAL WORK Linton, K. F., Adams Rueda, H. L., & Williams, L. R. (2017). Disability, intimacy, and sexual health: A social work perspective. Washington, DC: NASW Press.

Bolin, S. J., Adams Rueda, H. L., & Linton, K. F. (2017). Grand challenges in school social work: Collaboration and constraint in school social workers’ sexuality support for children with disabilities. Children & Schools, 40(1), 25-34.

Bermea, A. M., Adams Rueda, H. L., & Toews, M. L. (2017). Queerness and dating violence among adolescent mothers in foster care. Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work, 33(2), 164-176.

Chanmugam, A. G. (2017). Children and young people in domestic violence shelters. In C. Freeman & P. Tranter (Ed.), Geographies of children and young people: Risk, protection, provision and policy (vol. 12, pp. 1-25). Singapore: Springer.

Chanmugam, A. G., Madden, E. E., Hanna, M., Cody, P. A., Ayers-Lopez, S., McRoy, R. G., & Ledesma, K. (2017). Agency-related barriers experienced by families seeking to adopt from foster care. Adoption Quarterly, 20(1), 25-43.

Christensen, C. (2017). Using photovoice to address gender-based violence: A qualitative systematic review. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 1-14.

Gill, E., Christensen, C., & Perez, A. (2017). The sale of the Atlanta Hawks: Is it racism or White ownership playing the race card? Journal of Sports Media, 12(1), 113-140.

Harris, R. J., McDonald, D. P., & Sparks, C. S. (2017). Sexual harassment in the military: Individual experiences, demographics and organizational contexts. Armed Forces & Society, 44(1), 25-43.

Hoffman, S. G., Adams Rueda, H., & Lambert, M. C. (2017). Confirmatory factor analysis of the Warwick-Edinburgh mental wellbeing scale among youth in Mexico. International Social Work, 1-7.

Hoffman, S. G., Marsiglia, F. F., Nevarez, L., & Porta, M. (2017). Health literacy among youth in Guatemala. Social Work in Public Health, 32(1), 30-37.

Teasley, M. L., Nevarez, L., & Frost, C. J. (2017).

Bringing attention to issues related to school social work practice with immigrant children and children of undocumented parents. Children & Schools, 39(4), 195-199.

SPONSORED PROJECTS Mikow, J., Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Title IV-E Program $267,854: Texas Department of Family Protective Services Mikow, J., Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Title IV-E Program $355,171: Texas Department of Family Protective Services

2018 Criminal Justice summer camp participants visit FBI building in San Antonio

CO PP BY TH E N U MBER S ENROLLMENT

1,460 30.4%

Fall 2018 Enrollment

of COPP students are graduate students

2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8 D E G R E E S AWA R D E D UNDERGRADUATE

GRADUATE

228

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

16

Master of Science in Criminal Justice & Criminology

61

Bachelor of Public Administration

31

Master of Public Administration

289

142

TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE

TOTAL GRADUATE

85

Master of Social Work

10

Ph.D. in Applied Demography

| IMPACT 31

501 W. César E. Chávez Blvd. | San Antonio, Texas 78207