ENWR 1520

Really enjoyed this class. It was a lot of work, but I was proud of my final essays. She is not always an easy grader, so put in the effort and ask for help!

The absolute best ENWR offered at UVA! I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning about social justice issues such as food insecurity, particularly in the context of the Charlottesville community. The course readings are thought-provoking and not overly time-consuming. In terms of writing: there are 3 total papers of 3-5 pages in length each, and grades are received on the final paper only after you are given a chance to incorporate feedback from Prof. Stephenson. Prof. Stephenson is very empathetic and caring, and her smooth transition to virtual instruction during the spring 2020 semester went very well given the unexpected circumstances (covid-19).

If you need to take an ENWR, take it with Dr. Stephenson and this course specifically. She is one of the nicest professors and tries to get student feedback on the course through the semester to make it better. Though grading is a bit tougher, I recommend going to the writing center and to her office hours because they really help. This was probably my favorite class this semester and if you have the chance, take it. #tCFfall20

I highly recommend this class!! I took the housing insecurity section. This class was very manageable in terms of workload and discussed a very meaningful topic. I learned a lot about housing insecurity across the U.S. and in Charlottesville specifically. Dr. Stephenson is very kind and always made sure we were in a good place, even adjusting the amount of work when it seemed too overwhelming. She can be somewhat of a tough grader on essays, so make sure to pay attention to her comments on the drafts. Overall, this was a great class, especially to make the ENWR requirement more meaningful. #tCF2020

Writing about Food Equity opened my eyes to realities of food insecurity in Charlottesville and how it affects such a large percentage of people. A key component of this course is a requirement to commit to 12 hours of community service (which you get class credit for). Due to the pandemic, we were allowed to choose any opportunity that we wanted (either virtual or in-person) but in normal years a partnership is formed between this class and the PCVV community garden in Charlottesville.
Dr. Stephenson is amazing, she was receptive to feedback all throughout the course- she even cut back on work from her syllabus to account for rising stress levels. She was a great resource and made herself available for students to come and ask for help. Her feedback was extremely helpful on our writing projects, and I could see improvement in my writing over the progression of the course. She consistently demonstrated how food insecurity is a not burden born equally among races, and we explored how UVA's history of enslaved labor impacts modern day Charlottesville.
#tCF2020

I absolutely loved this course. Dr. Stephenson was an amazing professor and you can tell she is really passionate about her subject. Through this course we had various opportunities for community engagement, especially with the Haven in Charlottesville. The main portion of our grade came from three papers, all relating to the topic of housing insecurity. The papers weren't overwhelming, Dr. Stephenson was very flexible with due dates and gave us plenty of time to submit our drafts. You create a first draft which gets peer reviewed and then you submit it. Dr. Stephenson leaves detailed comments on ways you can improve your paper for the final draft which is the only draft that gets graded. If you attend her office hours with your work she is also willing to give helpful feedback which I found really helped my grade on the paper. Overall, the volunteering component is a great opportunity to get involved in the community, Dr. Stephenson is a great professor, and the class is definitely manageable in terms of workload and difficulty. If you put in the time to complete all assignments and follow her suggestions, it is definitely possible to get an A.

Dr. Stephenson is a GEM, as she truly creates such a welcoming space for all students to speak their minds. Writing about Housing Equity opened my eyes and showed me the horrid disparities within the housing market, especially towards the BIPOC community. Volunteering at the Haven was emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging, but it was so worth it! I would volunteer with my best friend, and we got to know the guests on personal levels that enhanced our education in a way that a classroom could not. There were only three main writing projects, a few discussion posts, and minor readings, so in terms of the workload, it is one of the lightest classes I've taken at UVA. I highly recommend the ENWR 1520 because especially as a first year, you want to grow your network and experience outside of the classroom ASAP. Connections at UVA are so beneficial, and this class was my first big step to growing my network. ##tCFspring2022

Good class, overall! I chose the community service ENWR and got placed in this class. Honestly, I don't remember a lot, but the essays weren't too hard or long (a lot of reflecting). We had to volunteer at a choice of food related community service. I chose the PVCC community garden, which I loved! It was nice to get out of the UVA bubble and got close with the other students that volunteered there. You need 20? hours of community service (each shift at PVCC was 2 hours), but in the end, we could makeup for hours by watching documentaries. The people at the PVCC garden are so nice (shoutout David), and you write a journal about your last shift each week sometimes in class, sometimes outside of class. Professor Stephenson reads the journals and grades you on if you have them all. The final project is subjective to where you're volunteering, but it's not super hard especially because you work in groups! and she gives feedback throughout the process because you submit certain steps. Overall, enjoyed this class and made some good friends! Just go to class, do assignments, and try to participate when you can :)