VAAP leads UVM service learning for 30 students
UVM Course Empowers Students to Address Vermont’s Immigration Challenges
VAAP is thrilled to announce a deepened partnership with the University of Vermont (UVM) through an innovative Spring 2025 course, Working with Refugees, taught by VAAP’s Director Jill Martin Diaz. This course leverages the strengths of about 30 Bachelor of Social Work students working 8–10 hours weekly on collaborative, real-world projects that address pressing issues faced by Vermont's refugee, asylum seeking, and immigrant communities. Download the syllabus here.
The curriculum is anchored in small group projects, which make up 50% of the students' grades. These projects integrate theoretical knowledge with hands-on applications to prepare students for impactful social service roles. Students can choose from diverse opportunities, including:
Data Mapping: Using data analytics to enhance VAAP’s services and advocacy.
Access to Justice & Technology: Testing AI tools to improve asylum application processes.
Know Your Rights Campaigns: Creating accessible legal education for immigrant communities.
Each project emphasizes ethical practice, diversity, and human rights, aligning with the Vermont Rules of Professional Conduct and the Council on Social Work Education’s core competencies.
For VAAP, Jill’s appointment as a UVM Part-Time Lecturer reduces the salary burden of the Director's role while increasing VAAP’s organizational capacity to serve Vermont’s immigrant communities. For students, it’s a chance to contribute meaningfully to a mission-driven nonprofit while building critical skills in data analysis, legal advocacy, and public education.
We’re grateful to our predecessor Amila Merdzanovic, former USCRI-VT Director, whose shoes as former course instructors will be impossible to fill and we wish well in her new role in Massachusetts!
We’re proud to be shaping the next generation of social justice advocates and grateful for UVM’s commitment to creating a brighter future for Vermont’s immigrant communities. Stay tuned for updates on the students' work and its impact on VAAP’s mission!
