Sociology's Kevin M. Fitzpatrick Receives Alma Mater's Distinguished Alumni Service Award

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Kevin M. Fitzpatrick, University Professor in sociology and criminology and the Endowed Jones Chair in Community at the University of Arkansas, has received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from his alma mater, Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

The award was presented to him at Susquehanna University's Homecoming Alumni Awards Luncheon on Oct. 24. Fitzpatrick received his B.A. in sociology from Susquehanna University in 1978.

Each year, Susquehanna University awards distinguished awards in five categories; and service to the larger community is one of those. This award is given each year to alumni who "demonstrate exceptional involvement in their communities. Candidates should be unwavering in their dedication to making a difference through duration, scope and versatility in service."

Fitzpatrick said receiving the award is very meaningful for him.

"I am both honored and humbled to receive this honor from my alma mater," he said. "Susquehanna University created a learning environment for me that fostered both a deep appreciation of the complicated social fabric of society, along with the importance of giving back to our community that supports and nurtures our outreach work."

Since coming to the University of Arkansas in 2005, Fitzpatrick has been deeply involved in the Northwest Arkansas community as a researcher, advocate, community spokesperson, and non-profit partner.

"While Dr. Fitzpatrick's research and community work intersect at a number of different levels and interests and he have made a great difference in our community, his work in and for the homeless community in the region has been particularly remarkable and significant," said Shauna Morimoto, chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology.

Fitzpatrick served on the board of 7Hills Homeless Center from 2007-16, while developing and implementing the Northwest Arkansas area's first homeless point-in-time census in 2007 and then managing that as a community service over the next 10 years.

To help address the immediate and often acute medical needs of the homeless and low-income population in the region, Fitzpatrick also designed and implemented the HOPE outreach event that took place every year from 2008-2015.

The event brought together health care providers from around the region to do health screening and follow-up care with a high-risk population. Dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, University of Arkansas nursing personnel and students, internists, dermatologists, pharmacists, and other service providers came together for a day of service and outreach to address the complicated health needs of hundreds of participants every year.

In 2017, Fitzpatrick received the Community Service Partner award from the Salvation Army of Northwest Arkansas, where he has served on the Advisory Board since 2018. Fitzpatrick also received the John E. King Award for outstanding service in 2018 from the University of Arkansas's Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, which highlighted his involvement in addressing the complicated needs of homeless and low-income persons through projects including a mobile dental unit, school district partnerships, and a low-barrier bridge housing community for chronic, unsheltered homeless persons.

The New Beginnings Bridge Housing Community project, which Fitzpatrick helped develop, represents a culmination of years of work from him and others dedicated to giving voice to a marginalized, underserved subgroup of homeless persons in Northwest Arkansas.

New Beginnings is currently serving 23 persons living in tiny-home sleeping units in a multi-faceted service system that has far-reaching partnerships with community providers for health, mental health, legal assistance, housing assistance, job training and more.

Aaron Marshall, New Beginnings' board of directors president, said he's greatly enjoyed working closely beside Fitzpatrick over the last several years in the development and implementation of this project.

"Dr. Fitzpatrick, with his years of research and experience in addressing the complicated needs of homeless persons, has provided a wealth of understanding of the issues to the community and New Beginnings," Marshall said.

"His vision and determination has been instrumental to the development and implementation of the housing project and we are excited for the future of this project, its residents, and the larger service community addressing the affordable and accessible housing needs of the homeless and low-income residents of Northwest Arkansas," Marshall added.

Morimoto said that in addition to his community service, Fitzpatrick has an impressive record of writing and publishing in peer-reviewed journals over the last 35 years in the academy.

He is the editor or author of six books, over 100 book chapters and articles, and countless technical research reports, community factsheets and Infographics that are specifically designed for the community in providing them the latest information and insight on several social issues impacting the health and well-being of the Northwest Arkansas region.

"Dr. Fitzpatrick's tremendous positive impact on our community, for the field of sociology and in the classroom cannot be understated," Morimoto said. "We are incredibly proud of him and all he's done and can't wait to see what he'll create next."