Establishing a Forensic Training Clinic

The collaboration described in this chapter differs somewhat from that in other chapters. A university in Texas—Sam Houston State University—established a forensic training clinic staffed by doctoral trainees in clinical psychology and supervised by faculty members. This clinic offered services to courts in the region, primarily involving the evaluation of individuals involved in the criminal justice system on issues such as competence to stand trial, sentencing for individuals committing sexual offenses, mental state at the time of the offense, and others. This yielded valuable specialized training opportunities for graduate students, strong evaluations at a reasonable rate for courts, and an opportunity to generate funding for the university and the training program. The “collaboration,” therefore, was between the university and the court system rather than a state department of mental health; however many of the developmental and operational considerations were comparable to those described in other chapters.

Honors Projects: Sam Houston State University Students | Business Communication

The following three pieces are part of Honors projects completed in a Business Communication class at Sam Houston State University. The students in this class completed an ACE project (Academic and Community Engagement) where they worked for a client in the community. This project asked the students to research ways that they could promote new programs being offered at the Boys and Girls Club of Walker County. These Honors students were then asked to write a reflection piece that explored the impact this project (and other ACE projects) had on their community partners, and also on them. As I read the reflections, I was struck by the kindness and dedication that my students put into these projects. I am proud to present these students’ work here.

Rising to the Challenge of Our Rival: Promoting Rivalry at Sam Houston State University Through Campus Recreation

Rivalries are a powerful promotional tool that can help drive identification with a brand, attendance at sports events, and subsequent consumer spending. While rivalries often benefit the participating athletic departments directly, there are other peripheral benefits that institutions can take advantage of. For instance, campus recreation departments can use the rivalry to help boost participation and provide additional psychic income benefits. This case focuses on two NCAA Football Championship Subdivision rivals and the ways in which the branding of their annual football contest, the Battle of the Piney Woods, can be best leveraged by other programs in the university, namely campus recreation. A sample scenario of a relatively new recreational sports employee is provided along with promotional elements and background for the universities and the Battle of the Piney Woods event. The reader is challenged to devise strategies that can best tie the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry to the promotion of recreational sports offerings. The goal of such an exercise is to have one examine how large inter-institutional rivalries can also benefit other sport organizations that are within the university but are not necessarily just in the athletic department.

Collaborating to Create Healthier Communities

The Montgomery County United Way and Sam Houston State University explored existing public health and community-based issues and associated assets and gaps within Montgomery County, Texas, through the integration of quantitative geospatial data, demographic information, and the application of geographical information systems. The intent of the initial results was to use maps to visually compare the magnitude of significant emerging health issues in Montgomery County with other counties across Texas in an effort to better educate and increase the awareness of the general public within Montgomery County. The second objective was to present an example of the visual effect and impact of the overall spatial analysis and mapping process with a focus on a specific community issue that could likely be addressed and potentially solved in a relatively short amount of time. This second and more spatially detailed aspect of the evaluation resulted in the creation of an asset map that presented high concentrations or densities of payday loan services in Montgomery County. Recognizing the potential risks of payday loans, Montgomery County United Way presented the asset maps to the effected community leaders. Upon review, leaders discovered there were dense clusters of payday loan sites in areas with high rates of poverty. Prior to the creation of this aggregated payday loan business location map, an individual in a community typically only saw one, or two at the most, payday loan business during a daily commute. Within a very short period and through a grassroots effort to improve community well-being, there were significant formal and positive changes made by the community.

Book Review: Before the Line. Vol I, II, and III

This three volume set written and compiled by Dr. Jim Tiller of Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, Texas) represents a significant body of work concerning the history of East Texas-Northwest Louisiana between 1803-1842. His study area includes what is now Caddo Parish in Louisiana and Harrison and Panola counties in Texas. Tiller's interest in the history of the Caddo Indian in this area is also shown by a series of articles he has written about them in recent years.