Service Learning Proposal

Contact Information
Stories from Objects and Activists: Service Learning Proposal
University Archives and Feminist Agenda Radio
Schuyler Kerby
6 October 2010

Community Partner Profile
University Archives at the UCF Library, svarry@mail.ucf.edu
The Archives are a part of Special Collections at the UCF Library. The goal of the Archives is to select and preserve materials from UCF. Records they keep include “publications, records, photographs and other materials” (Library). The purpose of collecting these objects is to make them accessible to everyone, because they have “enduring historical and administrative value” (Library). Because the end goal of the Archives is to store material from every program and department at UCF, they need help making connections with the programs and departments, and they need help collecting the records.
http://library.ucf.edu/SpecialCollections/Archives/Archives.asp

Community Partner Profile
The Feminist Agenda Radio on www.knightcast.org, dgelin@knights.ucf.edu
The Feminist Agenda Radio is an internet radio program that broadcasts weekly. Its original purpose was to be the radio show for the Feminist Agenda, an umbrella organization for the feminist organizations at UCF which has since dissolved. Now, it is a talk/music radio program that focuses on “discusses feminism and discusses topics dealing with inequality, women, gay rights, masculinities, etc” (The Feminist Agenda Radio). It also interviews activists involved with student organizations on campus. The main host of the program, Dominique Gelin, is currently busy with another organization, but she wants to keep the radio show going this semester.

The proposal:
The problem with both of these organizations is the same: they both need people. University Archives needs someone to establish connections with the programs on campus, and the Feminist Agenda Radio needs someone to organize and plan shows for the semester.
The purpose of this project is to analyze how objects and people tell stories. I will be working with University Archives to make connections with and gather the materials of the Women's Studies department at UCF. These materials will then be preserved inside the Archives for anyone to access. This will create a specific place for people to go to view the history of this project. I will also be tasked with creating descriptions of the materials; I will have to tell a story of the history of the department with the records that are collected.
Because I might not be able to fulfill the requirement of fifteen service hours with the Archives, I will also be using the Feminist Agenda Radio to explore how people tell stories. I will be organizing and planning shows for them this semester. I will be focusing on getting student activists on the show so that they can tell their stories about their work to a broad audience.

• Rationale for Women’s Studies: This project will help the Women’s Studies department at UCF by allowing its records to be stored forever within the University Archives. These materials, once enough of them have been accrued, will be catalogued and be available to anyone seeking them. It will provide a way to gain the history of the department. The other half of this project, the Feminist Agenda Radio, will allow activists on campus to provide their own histories. The show will allow them to articulate their experiences and participate in a kind of consciousness-raising, for themselves and the listeners.
I have already met with Sandra Varry, the senior archivist at the University Archives. She gave me a brief description of what the archives does and what she would want me to do. I will be meeting with her and Dr. Santana of the Women's Studies department in order to make the connection with the archives. In this meeting we will finalize the list of materials wanted by the archives.
In order to operate the Feminist Agenda Radio, I will have to attend a training seminar. From there, I will be planning the weekly shows. I will try to focus each show around a specific topic, and to include student activists discussing this topic. In addition to discussing the featured topic, I will be asking the guest(s) about their experience with activism, to hear their story.

Timeline:
9/30 – Knightcast Training
10/4 – Feminist Agenda Radio’s Welcome Back Show with Heather Graves of YWLP
10/7 – Meeting with Sandra Varry and Dr. Maria Santana (cancelled)
10/11 – Feminist Agenda Radio with Cristina Calandruccio of VOX
10/11 – Rescheduled meeting with Sandra Varry and Dr. Maria Santana (Most dates will be finalized in this meeting)
TBA – Submission of Women’s Studies records
FAR shows will be planned on a week-to-week basis, because student activists are busy, and I want them to have leeway in the schedule.

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