Our staff spotlight this week is Dave Waterhouse. Dave is the Associate Director at the Ginsberg Center and has been working with us for the past fifteen years.
What is your professional background in?
Though I have professional experience in a number of fields, most of my work has been concentrated in education. I began my career at U-M as a program manager and advisor for our alternative breaks programs, in the Office of Community Service Learning (the precursor to the Ginsberg Center). While in that role, I earned my masters degree in the Social Foundations of Education, and became certified to teach. In 2000, I left U-M, and taught public school (mostly 8th graders) in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I rejoined the staff at Ginsberg in 2006, and have been serving in various leadership roles since.
What is your job function at the Ginsberg Center?
I serve as the Associate Director of the Ginsberg Center, a position I’ve held since 2013. In my role, I concentrate on Strategy, Operations, Partnerships, and Infrastructure. Strategy involves working primarily with the executive team to advance the work of the Ginsberg Center, as well as advance the University’s actions on community engagement; Operations include determining how the budget will be used to uphold the values and mission of the center, and how to deploy our staff to pursue this mission; Partnerships include the strategic partnerships that help the institution build a collective impact approach to civic engagement, while also pursuing partnerships that will advance the work of students and staff to build a stronger community; lastly, infrastructure includes determining best practices and working to connect, support, and align the University’s broader civic engagement work.
What is one of your favorite projects you have worked on at the Ginsberg Center?
Wow, there have been so many! Through the years, it has been extremely rewarding to see the contributions that students can make in their communities, and to see their learning process along the way; shifting how to think about community engagement and what one's role as a member in a community is essential for the students' learning process. As a young professional at the University, I was engaged with the alternative break programs. Now working as the associate director of the Ginsberg Center, which supports Michigan Active Citizens - Alternative Spring Break, I am able to see how current students are still actively working to create partnerships on a local and global scale. One of the benefits of working for a long time at Ginsberg has been seeing long term impacts of programs like this, in sustained partnerships and student growth.
What are your social change interests in your personal life?
Outside of work, I try to be a strong advocate for food justice and equitable access to outdoor activities and nature. For a long time, I have been involved in efforts to support opportunities for creative expression in communities where it often is not equitably available or well-supported, especially among youth.
What has helped you during the pandemic (object, cooking, food, TV, etc.)
I love to be outside, and to spend time hiking, camping, and canoeing. During quarantine, our family has been able to spend more time enjoying nature, both in the area and throughout the state. I also discovered a love for podcasts and can often be found listening while enjoying long walks in the neighborhood.