September 30, 2022 | CULTURE | By Alexandra Akinchina | Photo from The Catalyst Archives
The Week of Action at Colorado College is happening Oct. 2 – Oct. 8. I sat down with Niki Sosa Gallegos, the Community Partnerships Coordinator for the Collaborative for Community Engagement at Colorado College, to discuss the Week of Action and the CCE.
Akinchina: What is the Collaborative for Community Engagement?
Sosa: The Collaborative for Community Engagement is the hub on campus for connecting to community engaged work. From volunteerism to civic leadership development, to applied research and course work, we provide opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to connect to local impact.
Akinchina: Where is the Collaborative for Community Engagement house located on campus?
Sosa: We are located on East Campus on the end of Yampa Field. The Office of Sustainability, Advising Hub, and Outdoor Education are some of our neighbors. Join us in our space this year for a Changemaker Workshop or pop in to get to know us and learn how you can connect to the local community!
Akinchina: What is the Week of Action?
Sosa: The Week of Action is a campus-wide initiative organized by the CCE to inspire CC students, staff, and faculty to “take action” in local impact. It is a week of activities that aim to mobilize our campus community to engage with the Colorado Springs community and encourage ongoing engagement throughout the year. We have opportunities taking place throughout the week open to the entire campus community as well as some activities geared specifically towards students and some for staff and faculty.
Akinchina: What are some events that are planned for the Week of Action?
Sosa: We are partnering with the local watershed to clean up Monument Valley Creek right behind Colorado College. Folks can plug into local art and environmental projects with Concrete Couch, learn about the history of Colorado Springs by joining a tour to the Pioneers Museum and contribute to a weeklong food drive. These are just a few of the activities planned for the Week of Action.
Akinchina: Who are the Colorado College co-collaborators this year?
Sosa: The Office of Sustainability with the annual Creek Week Cleanup, Campus Activities and Alumni and Family Relations with the weeklong Food Drive, Bemis and the Fine Arts Center with a sugar skull activity in preparation for the FAC’s Dia de Los Muertos, and the CC Farm to do some planting. We are incredibly grateful for these campus partners and their collaborations to expand the reach and impact of the Week of Action and we hope to grow our campus collaborators in the coming years!
Akinchina: What have past ‘Weeks of Action’ at CC looked like?
Sosa: The Week of Action originally began as a “CC Day of Service” coordinated through the President’s Office and in partnership with Fountain Creek Watershed to host a cleanup during Creek Week. This event brought our campus community together to impact the health of our local watershed. When the CC Day of Service transitioned to the CCE we envisioned expanding opportunities for impact through a weeklong initiative with diverse opportunities and community partners to not only engage our students but staff and faculty as well.
We have since worked to increase campus and community partnerships to collaborate on activities. During COVID, we coordinated a Week of Action in the Spring semester that blended remote engagement opportunities with several learning opportunities to inspire informed action as we moved towards returning to in person work. Last year, we paused the Week of Action as we focused on onboarding new staff and adjusting to returning to in-person full time. We are excited this fall to bring back the Week of Action with on and off campus opportunities!
Akinchina: Where can people see a list of these events?
Sosa: On the Week of Action webpage! All activities are listed with links to register.
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/cce/our-work/campus-collaborations/week-of-action.html
Akinchina: How can people get involved / sign-up?
Sosa: Registration links and contact info are available on our website for each activity.
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/cce/our-work/campus-collaborations/week-of-action.html
Akinchina: Who can people contact to answer questions about the Week of Action?
Sosa: “Folks can reach out to the CCE’s Student Engagement Coordinator, Sarah Elsey (selsey@coloradocollege.edu) or reach out to our general CCE email address (cce@coloradocollege.edu).”