Cornell faculty members Raymond Craib and Ralph Christy are 2007 winners of $5,000 Kaplan Family Distinguished Faculty Fellow in Service-Learning Awards. They are being recognized for their projects that actively involve Cornell students in research, teaching and outreach efforts addressing community-identified policy issues.

The awards, given by Cornell's Public Service Center, enable recipients to further develop an ongoing community-based learning/research project, initiate a new effort or to seek institutionalization of a service-learning course.

Craib, associate professor of history, was honored for his work with Farmworkers, a service-learning course that draws upon the expertise of faculty around campus to offer students insights into the world of migrant labor, with an increasing focus on migrant farm workers from Mexico and Guatemala working in upstate New York.

Christy, professor of applied economics and management (AEM), was recognized for the Emerging Markets Field Course, offered by the Emerging Markets Program in AEM. An integral element in the department's training in entrepreneurship, international business and economic development, the course involves assigning a small team of students to offer small business development services to a specific company in an emerging market. The students provide much-needed technical assistance and analytical support to underserved businesses and rural communities, while gaining practical business experience in emerging markets.

The fellowships are part of the Kaplan Family Endowment for Public Service. Barbara Kaplan '59, her husband, Leslie Kaplan, son Douglas Kaplan '88 and daughter Emily Kaplan '91 established the Kaplan Family Endowment for Public Service at the Cornell Public Service Center in 2001.