The CE Initiative extends annual mini-grants to faculty in order to support, motivate and help produce community-engaged research and teaching activities. Applications are evaluated by a committee along several dimensions, including but not limited to: the project’s potential direct impact on its community stakeholder, along with its focus on diversity, inclusivity and equity; the project’s innovativeness; its potential to succeed; and the continuation of its impact in future years.
These grants are supported by the Lam-Larsen Fund for Global Innovation, established through a generous gift from alum Chris Larsen (B.S., ’84), his wife Lyna Lam, and the Rippleworks Foundation.
Read about this year's mini-grants recipients:
2022 Mini-Grants Recipients
Camille Antinori, Ph.D.
Economics Lecturer Faculty Camille Antinori project involves funding a student/faculty study of the economic impact of the local fishing industry on the Berkeley economy (student/faculty joint research to be submitted for publication).
Anoshua Chaudhuri, Ph.D.
Economics Professor Anoshua Chaudhuri's project involves funding a study of the economic impact of Covid-19 on small businesses in SF (student/faculty joint research to be submitted for publication (She presented her research results at the SF Small Business Commission Meeting and received further interest in collaboration with them. Visit the San Francisco city government website for more information).
Min Chen, Ph.D.
Accounting Professors Min Chen, Bing Luo, and Rufei Ruan's project involves providing additional support to the Accounting Department's and the Beta Alpha PSI (BAP) SF State Chapter student organization's already successful Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program (offering free tax preparation to qualified people) so that they can serve more community members.
John Logan, Ph.D.
Labor and Employment Studies Program Director and Professor John Logan's project involves funding internships in Labor Studies within local labor organizations that often result in job placements.
Bing Luo, Ph.D.
Accounting Professors Min Chen, Bing Luo, and Rufei Ruan's project involves providing additional support to the Accounting Department's and the Beta Alpha PSI (BAP) SF State Chapter student organization's already successful Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program (offering free tax preparation to qualified people) so that they can serve more community members.
Merilee McDougal, MBA
Marketing Lecturer Faculty Merilee McDougal's project involves development and production of marketing communications materials for a local nonprofit – Urban Angels S. Students are invited to engage in a distribution of essentials to our SF neighbors in need (Urban-Angels’ mission). Afterwards, they develop marketing communication materials to increase awareness and affinity for the nonprofit – leveraging a variety of means of persuasion. Afterwards, they reflect on the impact of the nonprofit’s work and the effectiveness of the communications they developed.
Merilee McDougal, MBA
Marketing Lecturer Faculty Merilee McDougal's project involves providing honoraria for New Product Development competition judges (who originate from the local business community).
Julia Miyaoka, Ph.D.
Decision Sciences Professor Julia Miyaoka's project involves working with the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District to bring 50+ students and faculty to campus and introduce them to the LFCoB, academic concentrations of possible interest, and campus/university life as a whole. Students come from minority/underserved populations in the South Bay Area.
Rufei Ruan, Ph.D.
Accounting Professors Min Chen, Bing Luo, and Rufei Ruan's project involves providing additional support to the Accounting Department's and the Beta Alpha PSI (BAP) SF State Chapter student organization's already successful Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program (offering free tax preparation to qualified people) so that they can serve more community members.
Ryan Smith, Ph.D.
Hospitality and Tourism Management Professor and Department Chair Ryan Smith's project involves a sponsored field trip to Wine Country for HTM students (as part of the course HTM 400). This GE course is also a vehicle for building student interest in the business major with a concentration in HTM.
Dana Herbert Walker, Ph.D.
Management Professor Dayna Herbert Walker's project involves finding MGMT 670 community consulting projects in the local community. Students engage in real-world, impactful consulting projects for local firms and non-profits.
Lihua Wang, Ph.D.
IInternational Business Professor Lihua Wang's project involves funding student memberships in Global Saké, an international organization promoting small firm import/export activities.
Nini Yang, Ph.D.
International Business Professor Nini Yang's project involves funding student memberships and participation in events of Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), an active women’s organization promoting women’s increased participation in international trade activities.