Will Andresen recently completed UW System’s 2011-2012 Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars Program. A community resource development educator in Iron County, he is the only UW-Extension participant in that period. His yearlong teaching and learning project included a survey of 299 graduates of 12 UW-Extension leadership programs to help answer his research question: What motivates volunteers to apply learning to affect change in their community organizations?
“Most volunteers are motivated to serve the needs of others, but volunteers who affect the most change are also motivated to serve their own needs," Andresen said, sharing two implications that emerged from his research: "First, to recruit volunteers most likely to affect organizational change, it may be helpful to understand their motivations to volunteer. And second, to retain volunteers, it may be helpful to create environments where volunteers feel that their own needs are being addressed."
Like others in the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars Program, Andresen was expected to undertake a scholarship of teaching and learning project, attend several program seminars and events, record progress on an electronic poster and disseminate results in a professional forum.
Mark Nook, UW System senior vice president for academic and student affairs, congratulated Andresen, writing, "Your dedication to exploring creative ways of implementing the scholarship of teaching and learning is worthy of the highest praise, and I am pleased to be able to tell you how much I appreciate your contribution to the intellectual life of the UW System."
Find details on Andresen's research at: http://www.uwex.edu/academic-affairs/andresen2.html
For the 2013-14 program, each UW institution may name two participants and submit nominations to UW System by Nov. 16, 2012. UW-Extension staff interested should contact their dean for details.
Contact:
Meg Gores
(608) 262-4563
meg.gores@ces.uwex.edu