University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service associate professor Christina Standerfer will retire at the end of the 2018-19 academic year. Standerfer, who joined the Clinton School in 2007, has also served as Faculty Director of the Office of Community Engagement since 2016.
“I have had the privilege of working with inspiring students and colleagues here at the Clinton School for thirteen years,” Standerfer said. “Our shared discussions and actions that led to better and more just social worlds have been highlights of my career in higher education. I am grateful, humbled, and ready for the next chapter of my life.”
Standerfer served as a 2012-13 Fulbright Lecturing Scholar at University Marin Barleti in Tirana, Albania. During her time in Albania, she worked with U.N. Women and the U.S. Embassy delivering workshops and reports on public speaking, policy debate, conflict transformation, and effective advocacy. Subsequently, she served as a Fulbright Scholar peer reviewer for applicants seeking placement in Eastern European countries. She is currently a Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador.
“Christy has played significant Clinton School roles both in and out of the classroom,” Dean James L. “Skip” Rutherford III said. She’s an excellent professor, a mentor for many students past and present and has been actively involved in numerous civic engagement initiatives.”
In her role with the Office of Community Engagement, Standerfer has overseen more than 100 field service projects, including nearly 80 international projects.
“Christy is the epitome of a public servant,” Associate Dean Susan Hoffpauir said. “She has dedicated her career to advancing the public good through social justice and has given her time and shared her talents unselfishly. She has been a role model and a mentor to hundreds of students, many of whom credit her with their passion for service. She’s also a tireless colleague who’s always willing to step up and do what needs to be done. I will miss her immensely.”
Standerfer has over 20 years of experience developing and presenting workshops, research, and reports on volunteer recruitment, community capacity building, networking, and effective communication skills. She has collaborated with over 30 nonprofit and governmental organizations designing workshops and community meetings; facilitated more than 20 community meetings on issues of homeless populations, racial and ethnic tensions, immigration, and building healthy communities; and produced and delivered more than 20 written reports to nonprofit and governmental agencies related to need assessments, evaluations, and recommendations.
In addition, she has published articles on nonprofit accountability, the changing nature of civil society, and the importance of understanding the role of public discourse in facilitating social justice.
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