Six Years of ABLE

Kelly Bohrer
Coordinator of Community Outreach Center for Social Concern
University of Dayton
Dayton, OH

Phone: 937-229-2516

bohrerke@notes.udayton.edu

Dear ABLE members,

It is with both sadness and joy that I am writing to tell you that I have accepted a new position here at the University of Dayton.  Starting this past November 1st, I became the Coordinator of Community Outreach (coordinating student service clubs, service learning projects, and other community service projects) in the University of Dayton’s Center for Social Concern.  I am overjoyed about this new position since it truly integrates so many aspects of my life and keeps me directly interacting with our university students.   Unfortunately, however, it does mean I am leaving my biology lab coordinator job and am no longer “located” within the science world here at UD.  Luckily, I am not totally leaving the sciences behind – the folk who hired me were wanting to reach out more to the science departments on campus, so they are excited that I have great connections with these departments.  As a matter of fact, I have already jumped into including the science students more by starting to organize many science related social justice events and immersion experiences – all of which I am very excited about!      

Because of my new position in a new part of the academic world, I will no longer have the funds or release time to attend the ABLE conference.  And I know that it is in my best interest to start investing in conferences that will bring life and ideas to my new position (hopefully I can find an organization very similar to ABLE in both its people and its values).  So, I have made the decision (a very hard one) to end my time with ABLE and to resign from my position as member-at-large.  I am sad that this means I will no longer have many chances to see you in the future.  I truly enjoy interacting with everyone at ABLE conferences and belonging to an organization that has it's heart and energy in the right place – creating and implementing exceptional educational experiences for all students and really encouraging true collaboration among members.  It is so hard to find that spirit of collaboration and sharing in the academic world – ABLE is truly unique! 

Please know that I will forever be grateful for ABLE members who have given me encouragement, ideas, and joy the past 6 years.  Thank you for everything and best wishes to all of you!  Feel free to keep in touch and feel free to send questions my way about service learning and other ways to incorporate service, advocacy, and social justice issues into the world of science – this is what my job now entails.  I am so excited about this new venture…

With Joy, Sadness, Appreciation and Blessings,
Kelly Bohrer