March is National Reading Month, a whole month designated to encouraging Americans – and by extension Wacoans – to read! The Act Locally Waco blog is beating the drum for National Reading Month by hosting a blog series throughout the month of March, called “Books Matter.” Every day throughout March we will be sharing a post about a Waco resident and a book that matters to him/her. Thank you to students from the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media and professor Amber Adamson for help with this fun project. To read all the blog posts so far, click here.
By Megan Messer
For some people, reading books is a way to escape reality. For others, it’s a way of life. Amy Sassatelli, library assistant for Waco-McLennan County Library, reads about 100 books each year. Her favorite is a nonfiction book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
“It’s one of my main books. When people want recommendations I recommend this one. It’s one most people come back to me and say, ‘That was such a good book,’” Sassatelli said. “I like it because it’s more than it sounds. It sounds like the power of habits and you would think it would be just that, but it’s about so much more than just habits.”
Sassatelli said Duhigg’s book, which made the New York Times bestseller list in 2012, helps readers understand how their habits affect their work life and personal life.

“Humans are weird and complex creatures, and this book explains how we tend to make things more complicated in our minds than they really need to be,” Sassatelli said. “For example, making our beds. If you don’t do anything else, make your bed when you get out of it in the morning, and incrementally all of the little everyday things will sprout from there.”
The book touches on a variety of tasks people do in everyday life, and how different habits form out of the smaller things people do every day, even if they aren’t thinking about it.
“It kind of explains why your brain does certain things and why it makes those connections. It makes one tiny thing affect your life in so many different ways,” Sassatelli said. “So, learning small changes that you can make to make your life better, why would you not do that?”
Even though she said she does not normally re-read books, Sassatelli has returned to The Power of Habit many times to give advice to her husband, sister-in-law and colleagues at work.
“I read a lot, so I definitely put thought into this book as one of my favorites,” Sassatelli said. “I think the good thing about this book is it makes you think that even if you better yourself in a small way, your brain still expects a reward of some type. If you read this book, you’ll pick up on things like that that will really surprise you.”
March is National Reading Month, a whole month designated to encouraging Americans – and by extension Wacoans – to read! The Act Locally Waco blog is beating the drum for National Reading Month by hosting a blog series throughout the month of March, called “Books Matter.” Every day throughout March we will be sharing a post about a Waco resident and a book that matters to him/her. Thank you to students from the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media and professor Amber Adamson for help with this fun project. To read all the blog posts so far, click here.
By Lucy Ruscitto
Allison Frenzel, co-owner of the Fabled Book Shop & Cafe says books are “the best way to experience a life you might never experience… allow[ing] the imagination to hope outside its boundaries of regular life.”

The next novel Frenzel believes that Wacoans should dedicate their time to is The Which Way Tree. Frenzel said she listened to Elizabeth Crook’s novel on audio and became “enraptured in the magic of it.”
“It’s a Western. I love a strong woman and adventure,” Frenzel said. “I recommend this book to all Wacoans because it’s a story that has a little bit of magic. As a piece of art, it was so beautiful.”
Frenzel’s understanding of the importance of literacy contributed to her drive to open a book store with Kimberly Batson.
“This is a town full of readers,” Frenzel said. “What if we had this place that could be a hub?”
Frenzel said when researching what the store’s name should be, she and Batson, co-owner of both Fabled and Common Grounds, intentionally deliberated.
“We love the aspect Texas is known for, which is the tall-tale,” Frenzel said. “[Fabled] celebrates the nostalgia of fairytales and magic.”
Frenzel said the opening of the shop was “ironic” for her, as her son was diagnosed with dyslexia as the launch occurred. At first, she said she struggled knowing he would battle with something that often came naturally to other children his age.
“It really is a disability,” Frenzel said. “But then, we realized there’s so many strengths people with dyslexia have.”
Frenzel said that this was her motivation for opening Fabled.
“We better have really good books… that he feels are worth muscling through. Because of it, he loves to read. He just knows it’s hard work,” Frenzel said.
Frenzel acknowledges the diverse Waco community in their book inventory with the “shelf that celebrates brains that are different,” meant for children just like her son and others who feel excluded from reading.
“I want kids to come in and see books [and] say, ‘Hey! That person on the cover looks like me!’” she said. “Reading is for everybody.”
March is National Reading Month, a whole month designated to encouraging Americans – and by extension Wacoans – to read! The Act Locally Waco blog is beating the drum for National Reading Month by hosting a blog series throughout the month of March, called “Books Matter.” Every day throughout March we will be sharing a post about a Waco resident and a book that matters to him/her. Thank you to students from the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media and professor Amber Adamson for help with this fun project. To read all the blog posts so far, click here.
By Kate Nelson
Alan Bond, Baylor University’s Student Government External Vice President, explained how the autobiographical Holocaust book, Night by Elie Wiesel, had an impact on his worldview and his perspective on leadership.
Night describes Wiesel’s experience in the Holocaust, where he was interned in the concentration camp Auschwitz from 1944 to 1945.
“Seeing it in the perspective of the Jewish man, Elie Wiesel, I was able to see first hand, from a first person point of view, what the people went through, all the hardships. I could just see what people are pushed to and who follows who,” Bond said.
Bond was not only shocked at the crimes committed during the Holocaust, but also how truly influential a leader can be.

“It shows me a lot about leadership. With Hitler, everything he did for people who followed him is crazy to me. How can someone follow someone like him and do these terrible acts?” Bond asked.
Bond also gained understanding about the effect leaders can have over people, despite how bad that leader may be.
“Reading a book like that is shock treatment. It brings you into the harshness of society and the things that can happen to you, and the people around you, and how leaders can influence a great many people, for the better or for the worse,” Bond said.
While Night had a clear impact on Bond and his worldview, he went on to explain why literacy is important in a broader context.
“Books matter especially in a university setting. You’ll learn about not only the society you are in, the history about yourself, the history about the world, but it’s also more contemplative … you learn a lot more about yourself,” Bond said.
Bond’s comments on Night show the importance of literacy in developing an understanding of the world, its history and the role people play in it.
Press Release — March is National Reading Month, a whole month designated to encouraging Americans – and by extension Wacoans – to read!
The Act Locally Waco blog and on-line newsletter are beating the drum for National Reading Month by hosting a blog series throughout the month of March, called “Books Matter.” The purpose of the blog series is to spark the urge to read by sharing stories about books that matter to Waco residents. “We hope to share a story a day every day throughout National Reading Month,” says Act Locally Waco founder and blog editor, Ashley Bean Thornton. “I can’t tell you how much I love this project! I have edited 23 of the posts so far, and every single one of them is a beautiful tribute to reading.”

Thornton worked with Amber Adamson from the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media to create the blog series. Journalism students from Professor Adamson’s classes interviewed a wide variety of Wacoans about books that have mattered to them. “The students did a fantastic job,” says Thornton. “Some of the posts are quite moving.”
The list of interviewees ranges from Mayor Kyle Deaver, and County Commissioner Patricia Chisolm-Miller, to WISD Teacher of the Year Ashley Toscano, and legendary Baylor football coach, Grant Teaff, among many others. From children’s books to self-published books, each post explores the interviewee’s personal story of why books matter.
“It was an effective way to pull together a list of powerful books read by influential people in our community,” Professor Amber Adamson, who helped coordinate the series, says. “How cool is it to know what’s on the mayor’s bookshelf, or to know what our local nonprofit leaders read to inspire them?”
“To take people around the community and say, ‘This person loves this book and you might love it too’ puts a really nice personal connection to a specific title,” Community Services Supervisor at the Waco-McLennan County Library, Jessica Emmett, says. “For a lot of people, especially in a smaller town, it’s a great way for them to explore the world.”
The blog posts will start being released on March 1 and will continue until the end of the month. Visit ActLocallyWaco.org to read the posts, and visit Waco-McLennan County Library or Fabled Bookshop & Café to read the books.
By NiCosha Nelms
Letitia Monsey, interim coordinator of the Support and Empowerment Program at McLennan Community College and associate director of the Completion Center, answered some questions about the program and the purpose it serves for students.
The interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
Tell us about the Support and Empowerment Program.
This program began in 1979 as a community service of the Junior League of Waco, Inc. The focus was on serving single parent and displaced homemaker students at MCC. As of Fall 2019, the program has expanded to serve a broader population of students in need. Our purpose is to provide them with social, academic, and financial support so that they can do well as a student.
The idea is to support the student holistically, not just as a student but as a person, so that they may be successful in their family life or any relationships they may have. We want them to grow as a person outside of their academic experience.
What are the services and the resources the program offers?
We provide them with a success coach, workshops every semester that are offered on a variety of topics, funds for childcare or transportation, crisis intervention, financial benefit, and much more.
How can students participate?
The application is posted each semester on our website, and it’s due a month before the enrolling semester starts. Students have to apply, and we thoroughly review if the applicants are under one of nine different populations. They have to be in a workforce degree plan, be enrolled in at least nine hours of credit towards that degree plan (six hours face-to-face or on campus) and have maintained 2.0 cumulative GPA.
What are some of the responses you have received from the program?
Our students are drawn to the program because of the financial benefit, but they sing the praises of the program because of the support they received from their coaches. They find peers to connect with that share similar goals and help them to see they are not alone and are fighting the same battles they are fighting.
Tell us one thing you would want your students to take from this whole experience.
I would hope, the ability to ask for help. I believe everyone has a hard time giving that advice instead of taking it. I think that is the trick to being a successful college student, is learning to ask for help. I assume most of the students in the program have essentially done everything alone or without any type of help, so they pride themselves in that independence. There is always somebody who has been where you have been, and if you learn to confide in someone, they can help you get plugged into the right resources.
Visit www.mclennan.edu/support-and-empowerment or call the Completion Center at 254-299-8226 for more information about the program and services.

NiCosha Nelms is a Marketing and Communications Intern at McLennan Community College. She is a senior at Baylor University studying Journalism, Public Relations and New Media with a minor in Business. She hopes to work in sports or entertainment. She is from Teague, Texas and likes creating YouTube videos.
he Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.
Press release – Dr. George Jurek, a retired dentist who spent years practicing in Waco before serving with the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Department of MH-MR, understands the importance of making a connection when you are in need. During his work with the TDMHMR office, Dr. Jurek oversaw eight hospitals and thirteen schools for people with developmental disabilities. He has a long history of caring for those facing hardships and uncertain futures.
Caritas of Waco was suffering from an outdated phone system. Dr. Jurek recognized the critical importance of communication and made a gift to over the cost of a new system. Before the new system, callers typically encountered numerous difficulties including busy signals, dropped calls, voice mail that was unable to record messages and other nagging problems that interfered with communications. Such difficulties were not infrequent and created frustrations and inconveniences for everyone.
“Caritas is extremely appreciative of the gift Dr. Jurek has made to us for a new communications system,” said Buddy Edwards, Executive Director of Caritas. “Our existing system had been the source of concern to our clients, donors and the general public, and we are glad to have eliminated these problems. Dr. Jurek really ‘saved the day’ for us!” Edwards added.
Dr. Jurek has a strong concern for the work of Caritas and its mission of serving those living in poverty and difficult circumstances. He worked with senior staff at Caritas to identify the actions needed to rectify the telephone problem and agreed to provide the funds to make the “fix.”
Today, as a result of Dr. Jurek’s generous gift to Caritas, the organization’s phones work smoothly and professionally—lost calls are eliminated and messages are clearly communicated. Caritas operates much better as a whole because of his belief in the Caritas mission and his desire to be a difference-maker! Caritas thanks Dr. Jurek for his spirit of compassion and generosity that extends beyond his profession to other underserved individuals in our community.
Caritas of Waco is a non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization that serves McLennan County and the surrounding area by providing individuals and families with urgent support and long-term solutions to poverty.
For additional information about this story, please contact Ann Owen, Assistant Executive Director of Finance at Caritas at 254-753-4593, ext. 213 or aowen@caritas-waco.org.
By Teresa Porter
My friend slowly walked around the car, eyeing both it and me quizzically. I opened the hood and the charging port covers. He stopped and stared, looking confused. He looked up at me, a concerned look on his face. “Why?”
Curiosity finally got the best of me. After a decade of reading about electric cars, I finally bought one.
The purchase was almost impulsive. I chose the 2016 Nissan Leaf as my first-ever electric car for several reasons. There’s a dealership in town, they have a good reputation, and they’re really cheap. The previous owner, a leasee, drove her gently and took good care of her. I was looking for something newer, but wasn’t really thinking about electric. I looked at a couple of websites for a minute and there she was, third car on the page of unfiltered results. She sparked my interest, then sparked joy in my heart. I did fifteen minutes of research and signed the contract. A week later she was in my driveway and the keys were in my hand.

I fell head-over-heels in love with my Tokimeki the first time I drove her. Yes, I named my Leaf. Tokimeki is a Japanese noun that means “spark of joy”. (You may be more familiar with the verb form, Tokimeku, meaning “sparking joy”, as used by Marie Kondo.) My love for her grows stronger every day, and my road rage has nearly completely vanished. I do have an occasional bout of “range anxiety”, but it’s part of the learning curve.
I learned a lot in the first 90 days, and I’ve encountered a lot of people with misconceptions. I’d like to clear some of that up. Here are some of the most common comments I’ve heard and my responses:
They’re oversized golf carts. No. Golf carts don’t usually 0-60 in less than 10 seconds.
Electric cars use gasoline. No. Hybrids use gasoline, not electric cars.
They’re expensive to maintain. No. Regenerative braking saves wear on the braking system, there’s no oil filter or crankcase oil, there’s no exhaust system (no catalytic converter, no muffler, no pipes, etc). No spark plugs, etc. The maintenance manual for this car is so thin it’s practically a brochure.
There’s nowhere to recharge. Okay, you got me there. Mclennan county is seriously lacking in public EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) infrastructure, especially if you don’t own a Tesla. It’s a bit of a surprise, considering the push for tourism. Many local apartment complexes aren’t EV-ready, and workplace charging is non-existent. I know, the struggle is real, especially if you drive a lot like I do. If I were a normal person who only drove an average of 60 miles a week, I would only need to use my Level 1 charger overnight once a week. What if I lived in an apartment, and was unable to run a charging cord out my window? I would have to find time to go to one of the dealerships for a few hours every week or rely on the Level 3 charging station at the Bellmead Walmart.
You can’t go very far. Well… you’re right. I can’t go very far – I have a small battery and a lead foot. Technology has improved significantly in the past three years and the range of the newer models is at least triple what I’m capable of. The range is largely a guess by the computer and will increase or decrease depending on how fast you’re going, how heavy your foot is, and how many hills you’re climbing. In a way, it encourages safe driving habits. Hard acceleration, high speeds, and sudden braking significantly decrease your range. Gentle acceleration and slow deceleration uses less energy and provides more regenerative power back to the battery.
Your car is powered by coal. No. Well, maybe a little. I know that Oncor uses fossil fuels to power the distribution stations. I know that renewable sources and non-renewable sources travel through the same power lines. I know that even though I’ve chosen a “clean” provider, it still gets “dirty” on the way to my house. I also know there’s a lot more renewable energy on the grid than there used to be, and the trend will continue as consumers continue to increase their demand for cleaner energy.
Dealerships don’t stock them. Yeah, and they are very rarely advertised. I’ve talked to several salesmen at some of the local dealerships. Some of them swear they don’t sell, others admit they can’t keep them in stock. On a recent visit to a non-Nissan dealership, I told the salesman I wanted to trade one of my older gasoline cars for an electric car. He said, “You don’t want an electric car.” He couldn’t change my mind, and he wouldn’t change his. He talked his way out of the sale. Jeez. No wonder those internet sites are becoming more popular.
They’re too expensive. Nope. The newer models are becoming more competitively priced, and when you factor in the federal tax credit still available for some manufacturers, they’re cheaper. There’s also a good used market right now, with gently driven 2 or 3 year-old cars at very reasonable prices. Don’t just look at the price tag, take the time to do the math and calculate the actual cost of ownership. New EVs are eligible for the tax credit but used EVs are not. New EVs are also eligible for a $2,500 rebate through the TCEQ Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive program. (There are a limited number of rebates that will be awarded first-come, first serve.) You’re not buying gasoline anymore. No oil change is required at 3,000 miles. No tune-ups, no engine air filter, no belts, tensioners, idler pulleys. Your electric bill will go up a few dollars, some owners see an increase of as much as $35 in their monthly bill. I was spending an average of $80 a month on gasoline, now I spend less than $20 a month for charging and still drive the same number of miles.
EVs will kill the automotive industry. No. I’m sure 100 years ago when people were still driving horse-drawn buggies, a similar argument was made by carriage makers. The carriage makers that evolved with the advancing technology stayed in business while those that resisted went bankrupt.
I don’t like the new body styles. I prefer the classics. I agree. Conversions are very sexy. It’s not as cheap as buying a new Tesla, but it can be done. Companies such as EV West, Electrified Garage, and Moment Motors are just a couple of experts in the field. Check out Youtube for videos of ICE to EV conversions.

Teresa Porter is a lifelong gearhead with a go-fast fetish. She is the President of the newly-formed Heart of Texas Electric Auto Association. Membership is open to all EV enthusiasts and advocates (not just owners). Email hot.electautoassn@gmail.com or follow Twitter @hot_eaa or join our Facebook group for updates and information.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.
By Andie Chilson

The inaugural Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival took place from Feb. 6-8. The festival provided a forum for artists and directors who work at the intersection of faith, family and contemporary filmmaking. The mission statement of the festival, “dedicated to empowering the creative spirit, serving with heart and celebrating all” shone through in the winning films at the festival.
The festival showcased films rooted in family and faith while also giving a voice to a breadth of ideas and diversity of backgrounds. Among the winning films were Bending in the Wind (Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film (USA)), Nasser Goes to Space (Grand Jury Prize For Best Short Film (International)) and Be the Light (Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Film (USA/International)). The festival screened over 60 films at 11 different locations at Baylor University, local churches and the Waco Hippodrome Theatre.
The Grand Jury Prize for Best Student Film went to student-director Nicole Thompson for her film Blackbird.
“Blackbird is really important to me because it honors my grandmother,” Thompson said. “I wanted to make a film that showcases the everyday people … that also have a dream,” Thompson continued.
Filmmakers like Thompson were drawn to the festival for its unique emphasis on faith and family values. These values were reflected in the “Soul Sessions” that followed the screenings. The “Soul Sessions” gave audience members a chance to discuss the themes of faith and spirituality in the films. Topics discussed during these sessions included overcoming fear and doubt and the concept of eternal love.

Dr. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, the festival’s founder, said she was elated by the response from the filmmakers as well as Waco locals. (Side note: Act Locally Waco will be interviewing Dr. Lindsey-Warren on the Act Locally Waco podcast about the festival and her work in Waco – stay tuned!)

The festival also honored its “Champion Award” recipients. The Champion Award recognizes artists and organizations who exemplify innovative, against-the-grain thinking in the film, television, performing arts and entertainment industries. Recipients of the Champion Award included President of TFNB Bank, David Littlewood, celebrity chef and best-selling author, Gina Neely, film producer, radio host, author and model, Sam Sorbo and her husband, actor and director, Kevin Sorbo,
The second annual Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival will take place on Feb. 4-6, 2021. For more information, visit https://www.wacofamilyandfaithfilmfestival.com/. See you there!

Andie Chilson is a senior at Baylor University studying journalism and creative writing. She is originally from Houston, but Waco has quickly come to feel like a second home to her. Andie enjoys writing and digital content creation as a way to express her creativity and help people spread their message. In her free time, you can find her reading anything by Brené Brown, doing yoga or exploring downtown Waco. Andie is so excited to be working as part of the Act Locally Waco team this semester!
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.
Press release – McLennan Community College is proud to host best-selling author Stephen Harrigan for a wideranging conversation about the vast history of Texas.

Harrigan, the author of ten books of both fiction and nonfiction, will sign copies of his latest book, “Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas,” which will be available for purchase.
He will also answer audience questions after a public conversation event with Dr. Richard Driver, an associate professor of history of MCC.
The free event is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 26 at the Conference Center at MCC. It is hosted by the McLennan Honors College, a program for MCC students taking specialized course work, exposing themselves to new educational opportunities, and participating in individual mentoring. Students in the program must apply and undergo an interview process for acceptance.
MCC President Dr. Johnette McKown and Honors College Advisor Dr. John Spano will welcome guests and introduce the speaker. Free coffee and water will be available.
“Big Wonderful Thing” has brought rave reviews for Harrigan. In a review for The Wall Street Journal, Willard Spiegelman noted that the book is “brimming with sass, intelligence, trenchant analysis, literary acumen and juicy details. . . It is popular history at its best.” And Michael Schaub, in his review for NPR, wrote that “It’s hard to think of another writer with as much Lone Star credibility as Stephen Harrigan. . . Harrigan, essentially, is to Texas literature what Willie Nelson is to Texas music.”
He is a longtime writer for Texas Monthly, and his articles and essays have appeared in a wide range of other publications as well, including The Atlantic, Outside, The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, Conde Nast Traveler, Audubon, Travel Holiday, Life, American History, National Geographic and Slate. He was a finalist for the 2015 National Magazine Awards for his commentary on film and television for Texas Monthly. “Off Course”, a piece for Texas Monthly about a trek Harrigan made to the mountain summit where his father died in a plane crash before he was born, won the Edwin “Bud” Shrake Award from the Texas Institute of Letters in 2016 for best work of journalism.
Harrigan is also the author of “The Eye of the Mammoth,” a book of essays which includes an examination of mammoth remains in Waco.
Among the many movies Harrigan has written for television are HBO’s award-winning “The Last of His Tribe,” starring Jon Voight and Graham Greene, and “King of Texas,” a western retelling of Shakespeare’s King Lear for TNT, which starred Patrick Stewart, Marcia Gay Harden, and Roy Scheider. His most recent television production was “The Colt,” an adaptation of a short story by the Nobel-prize winning author Mikhail Sholokhov, which aired on The Hallmark Channel.
Event Details
What: Best-selling author Stephen Harrigan at McLennan Community College When: Thursday, March 26 at 7 p.m. Where: Conference Center at MCC. Inside the Community Services Center on campus, at 4601 N. 19th St. Waco, TX 76708
Tickets: Free tickets are available at: www.mcchonors.eventbrite.com. Tickets, which may be printed or downloaded on the Eventbrite app, must be presented at the door. Those without tickets will be admitted 5-10 minutes before the event starts.
Parking: Free parking is within walking distance of the event. Lots N, Q, P, and S are closest. Check out a campus map here.
This event is a gun-free zone, and MCC is a smoke-free, tobacco-free, and vape-free campus.
Media Contact: Lisa Elliott, Director of Marketing and Communications. 254-299-8640 lelliott@mclennan.edu
Press release – Prosper Waco is pleased to announce the hiring of Emily Hunt-Hinojosa as director of research and community impact. In this position, Hunt-Hinojosa will develop and expand a framework for assessing progress toward community goals and will benchmark progress in the Prosper Waco focus areas of education, health and financial security. Her duties will also include linking theory to practice across the community helping to create an overall culture of continuous quality improvement around the larger vision of flourishing that Prosper Waco seeks to promote.

“The story of Waco is increasingly complex. On one hand, there are so many wonderful things happening throughout our city. Strong institutions, increasing diversity, economic growth, development, and collective efforts to do good work are all indicators of progress and prospering,” said Hunt-Hinojosa. “However, too many community members continue to experience insurmountable obstacles to enjoying many of the good things Waco has to offer. I am thrilled to join the Prosper Waco team and look forward to telling Greater Waco’s story in a way that is honest about current social realities and hopeful about our progress toward being a community where all members can thrive.”
Hunt-Hinojosa was most recently employed as a research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture where she pursued academic research regarding the cultural conflicts arising from different perspectives on the purpose of civic education. During her Ph.D. program, she served as a research analyst at Baylor University’s Center for Community Research and Development. In this role, Hunt-Hinojosa conducted a variety of qualitative and quantitative research projects for Waco organizations helping institutions across McLennan County use data to do good better. Prior to graduate studies at Baylor, Hunt-Hinojosa directed a service learning program at Creighton University where she connected college student volunteers with non-profits around the metro Omaha region. Hunt-Hinojosa’s sociological perspective and her previous experience related to assessment and evaluation make her uniquely qualified for her new role at Prosper Waco.
Hunt-Hinojosa has a Ph.D. in sociology from Baylor University specializing in community analytics. She earned a M.A. in sociology from Baylor University and a M.A. in higher education and student development from Taylor University. She also has a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from Taylor University.
“A vital precursor to collective impact is collective understanding,” Hunt-Hinojosa explained. “As a sociologist, I see much of my new role as using data to highlight the pathways and connections between problems and solutions that are not always obvious. Beyond reporting numbers and statistics, I am excited to collaborate with Waco’s leaders to discern our context, celebrate our assets, and imagine our possibilities.”
Prosper Waco is a collective impact initiative focused on addressing issues facing the Greater Waco community in the areas of education, health and financial security. As a facilitator and convener, Prosper Waco encourages collaboration amongst existing nonprofits, city and county governments, business, foundations and churches to build on and increase the effectiveness of current efforts and develop new strategies to bring about measurable and sustainable positive change within the focus areas for the members of our community. For more information, please contact Allison@prosperwaco.org.