CSU – Pueblo President’s Leadership Program announce community projects

Pueblo- President’s Leadership Program (PLP) Scholars at Colorado State University – Pueblo will establish a campus-based community service center and produce a video for children on hospital procedures as part of their community outreach projects this fall. The President’s Leadership Program is a four-year academic leadership program that develops and trains emerging leaders while allowing students to earn a minor in leadership studies.

The PLP Senior class will produce a video for St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center (SMC) entitled What to Expect . . . . A Kid's Guide to the ER. The video will help inform local, elementary-age youth about what happens when they are seriously hurt or sick and have to be taken to a hospital emergency room.

According to PLP Director Shelly Moreschini, the students hope to educate children about equipment and procedures so they will be less fearful when or if they have to go through such an experience. St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center has special rooms in their newly-remodeled emergency services area that have been designed especially for children. These rooms are featured in the video, along with SMC staff and local children serving as actors and the narrator. The video also features original music by Chas Bailey, a PLP senior music major.

"At St. Mary-Corwin, we don't want to see children in the emergency room. That is why we place a lot of focus on prevention," said Wendi Dammann, director of marketing and public relations, "but if they should have to come in, we want it to be the best possible experience for them and their families. The more we can do to help them understand what is going on, the better."

The premier of the video will take place during the month of November at several different locations. On Sat., Nov. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., children and their parents will be able to view the video in the Infozone Theatre at the main branch of the Rawlings Public Library. On Saturday, Nov. 25, children and parents can view the video from noon to 2 p.m. in the theatre outside the PAWs Children's Museum at the Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center. Segments of the video will also be available on the St. Mary-Corwin website at www.stmarycorwin.org. Copies of the video will be available to local elementary schools and other youth organizations who request them through the SMC Marketing Department. It will be shown in special presentations to members of the Boys' & Girls' Club during the Thanksgiving holiday break from school.

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The PLP Junior class will establish a Community Service Center on campus, which will serve as a clearinghouse for volunteer and community service activities, offering numerous avenues for CSU-Pueblo students and staff to become involved in the Pueblo community and surrounding region.

The President’s Leadership Program places a heavy emphasis on community service and civic engagement to help the scholars develop social awareness, civic responsibility, and interconnectedness. Since its establishment in 2000, PLP has been a source of volunteers for many campus and community service projects. The University regularly receives calls from non-profit agencies requesting volunteers for special events and services. Those requests currently are handled on a case-by-case basis as no centralized office exists.

“Many students are required to do community service as part of their curriculum or scholarships,” Moreschini said. “The center will ease their search for a place at which they can make a difference.”

The center will provide detailed information about service projects, volunteer positions and local non-profits, initially through a web site, and later through a physical office on campus. The web site will feature volunteer listings submitted by partner non-profit agencies as well as an alphabetical list of agencies. The center initially will be based out of the PLP Office on the second floor of the University Library Wing and manned by PLP student volunteers beginning later this fall. It will serve as an initial gateway office offering assistance, advice, and placement for individuals and groups interested in volunteer community service activities in Pueblo. PLP then aims to submit grants and find additional resources to hire a part-time volunteer center coordinator to manage and maintain the web site and serve as a liaison between the non-profit organizations and the campus.

According to PLP faculty member Dr. Jeff Stuyt, who teaches the Junior class this Fall, the students aim to cooperate with the Pueblo-based 2-1-1 organization and United Way in order to avoid duplication of effort.

“Together, we will hatch this egg that was a long time coming and make it convenient for the college student to connect right here on campus to the community organization where his or her talents are most useful,” he said.

The Community Service Center also will sponsor a Volunteer Fair annually at which local non-profit organizations can set up displays and inform staff and students about their programs.

“We aspire to have CSU-Pueblo known as having one of the state’s most outstanding civic engagement programs,” said PLP Scholar Jessica Dillow.



Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.