{"667990":{"#nid":"667990","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Building Community in Unexpected Ways","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEarlier this year, Sarah Kegley, international TA program manager in Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), rescued a baby squirrel from an Atlanta street and brought it to a local squirrel rehabilitator. What happened next speaks to the sometimes surprising breadth of Tech students\u2019 commitment to problem-solving, collaboration, and community engagement. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKegley approached a CTL colleague, design assistant Lizzie Turac, ARCH 2023, remembering that Turac had an interest in woodworking and welding. Kegley told her she had a friend who built squirrel homes every year with her husband, \u201cfor the baby squirrels she nursed until they recovered.\u201d Now, though, the rehabilitator\u2019s husband had dementia and could no longer build the homes, even with the plans laid out in front of him. Kegley asked Turac if she could step in and lend her woodworking expertise.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETurac was also a student assistant in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ipat\/cep\u0022\u003ECognitive Empowerment Program\u003C\/a\u003E within the SimTigrate Design Lab. \u201cAs part of my role, I work with those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment on their way to developing dementia, so I felt especially connected to her story, and immediately wanted to help,\u201d she said. \u201cI knew I could help her build houses, but I realized that if I reached out to my peers, I could gather a group of volunteers.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAs vice president of undergraduates for the student organization ECO at Georgia Tech, Turac had a receptive audience. Established in 2020, ECO works to bring awareness of responsible material choices to net-zero studio practices that promote environmental wellness within the design community in the School of Architecture and beyond. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShe asked ECO President \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003EEmily Mosbaugh\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;for permission to advertise and organize a squirrel box-building event through the club. \u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEveryone who heard the cause felt connected and wanted to help,\u201d Turac said. \u003Cspan\u003EThey found 12 student volunteers, coordinated with the squirrel rehabilitator \u2014 who drove to the Tech campus with blueprints, a supply of wood, and a few baby squirrels \u2014 and spent the day in the \u003C\/span\u003ECollege of Design\u2019s woodworking space. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt really was amazing how, by advertising a call to action through our club, we were able to find so many students willing to sacrifice their Sunday to help this cause,\u201d Turac said. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe group plans to build more squirrel homes this summer, inspired by the work and the story behind it. For Turac, it\u2019s been meaningful on many levels. \u201cI am a very people-motivated person, and I\u2019m always happy to unite people to work together,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s the community of like-minded creative people that made this interaction so special.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Tech students lend their talents to helping a local animal rehabilitator. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETech students lend their talents to helping a local animal rehabilitator. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Tech students lend their talents to helping a local animal rehabilitator. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2023-06-05 19:58:51","changed_gmt":"2023-06-28 14:13:00","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-06-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-06-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670923":{"id":"670923","type":"image","title":"The team working in the College of Design\u2019s woodworking space during the squirrel box-building event. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022.\u00a0","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe team working in the College of Design\u2019s woodworking space during the squirrel box-building event. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1685996000","gmt_created":"2023-06-05 20:13:20","changed":"1687895183","gmt_changed":"2023-06-27 19:46:23","alt":"The team working in the College of Design\u2019s woodworking space during the squirrel box-building event. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022.\u00a0","file":{"fid":"253889","name":"Squirrel box2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/Squirrel%20box2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/Squirrel%20box2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4052076,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/06\/05\/Squirrel%20box2.jpg?itok=p0iAGsMa"}},"670924":{"id":"670924","type":"image","title":"The baby squirrel rescued by Sarah Kegley. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe baby squirrel rescued by Sarah Kegley. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1685996194","gmt_created":"2023-06-05 20:16:34","changed":"1687895029","gmt_changed":"2023-06-27 19:43:49","alt":"The baby squirrel rescued by Sarah Kegley. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022. ","file":{"fid":"253890","name":"baby squirrel.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/baby%20squirrel.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/baby%20squirrel.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3519357,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/06\/05\/baby%20squirrel.jpg?itok=7CZD3eC5"}},"670925":{"id":"670925","type":"image","title":" Lizzie Turac. Submitted photo. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Lizzie Turac.\u0026nbsp;Submitted photo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1685996297","gmt_created":"2023-06-05 20:18:17","changed":"1685996297","gmt_changed":"2023-06-05 20:18:17","alt":" Lizzie Turac","file":{"fid":"253891","name":"Turac photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/Turac%20photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/Turac%20photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":162892,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/06\/05\/Turac%20photo.jpg?itok=ppgLobyk"}},"670927":{"id":"670927","type":"image","title":"The team working in the College of Design\u2019s woodworking space during the squirrel box-building event. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe team working in the College of Design\u2019s woodworking space during the squirrel box-building event. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1685996451","gmt_created":"2023-06-05 20:20:51","changed":"1685996451","gmt_changed":"2023-06-05 20:20:51","alt":"The team working in the College of Design\u2019s woodworking space during the squirrel box-building event. Photo credit: Thomas Bordeaux, ARCH 2022. ","file":{"fid":"253893","name":"squirrel box1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/squirrel%20box1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/06\/05\/squirrel%20box1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6733354,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/06\/05\/squirrel%20box1.jpg?itok=pW_HKfb9"}}},"media_ids":["670923","670924","670925","670927"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:stacy.braukman@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EStacy Braukman\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;-\u0026nbsp;Senior\u0026nbsp;Writer and\u0026nbsp;Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["stacy.braukman@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}