April 29, 2014 – The Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah is proud to announce Kelly MacArthur and Juan Carlos Claudio as the 2014-15 Professors off Campus. This annual program awards funds to faculty to create meaningful public service projects in partnership with community organizations.

“These projects will make differences in the lives of participants thanks to the expertise of MacArthur and Claudio,” says Bob Goldberg, professor of history and director of the Tanner Humanities Center. “Their dedication to improving our community through unique educational endeavors speaks to the wealth of possibilities for collaboration between our faculty and local citizens.”

An associate professor of mathematics, MacArthur’s project, “Mathematics in Prison,” will work to reduce recidivism through education by teaching math in the Utah State Prison. In collaboration with South Park Academy, she will lead weekly classes for inmates that focus on improving mathematical and critical thinking skills. Through these lessons, students will expand their educational horizons and improve their chances of attending college after release.

An assistant professor in the Department of Modern Dance, Claudio’s project is titled “Bridging Cultures to Form a Nation: Dancing through Differences in a Community of Democratic Thinking.”  Partnering with Bryant Middle School in the Salt Lake City school district, Claudio will use dance as a medium to enhance personal and social responsibility while expanding students’ knowledge of different cultures. By exploring dance as a means of empowerment, discovery and community building, he looks to reduce the school’s truancy rate and improve grades.

The Professors off Campus program bridges the U and the community by encouraging scholars to develop research and service projects in schools, churches, government offices and public interest groups. These projects benefit groups and individuals throughout the community, foster an appreciation of service work by academics and create relationships and connections based on tolerance and understanding.

Past Professors off Campus include Emily Chiang, associate professor, S.J. Quinney College of Law; Susie Porter associate professor, Department of History; Chris Lippard associate professor, Film and Media Arts Department; and V. Kim Martinez associate professor, Department of Art and Art History. For more information on the Professors Off Campus program, contact the Tanner Humanities Center at 801.581.7989 or click here.