Associate Professor of Spanish and International Health Arelis Moore of the Department of Languages has been recognized by the Gulf South Summit for championing service learning at Clemson. She received the 2026 Outstanding Faculty Contributions to Service-Learning in Higher Education – Instruction Award at a ceremony in Houston this March.
Moore expressed that the award had deep meaning for her because it affirms her efforts to include students, as contributors to social change, in community-based organizations, including PASOs, the Hispanic Alliance, AHAM (Hispanic-American Women’s Association) and Clemson Rural Health.
“It reminds me that our work matters, not only to the communities we serve, but also to the broader academic community committed to addressing health disparities and advancing equity through community-engaged teaching and research,” she said.
“The Gulf South Summit for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement in Higher Education annually recognizes faculty, practitioners, and community organizations whose partnerships contribute substantially to their campuses and communities,” said Candice Salyers, co-chair of the awards committee and director of the E.G. Center for Women & Leadership at the University of Southern Mississippi. “Dr. Moore’s work as a faculty member is exemplary in pedagogical approach, in sustained efforts to support community partners, and in her commitment to mutual benefit for the students and community.”
Service learning to support community health
Moore’s efforts to provide service-learning opportunities to Clemson students are extensive.
Since 2022, Moore has been leading bilingual service-learning projects in her SPAN 4190 class, “Health and the Hispanic Community,” that partnered with PASOs, the Hispanic Alliance, LiveWell Greenville, Clemson Rural Health and AHAM. The projects have included student participation in community health fairs, educational fairs, lunch & learns with Latinx high school students, translation of health promotion materials, nutrition education and outreach events serving Latinx families in the Upstate.
She has also coordinated with an undergraduate research team to explore social determinants of Latinx post-secondary education enrolment and success. In addition, from 2015-2019 she led a Creative Inquiry study and study abroad project in the Dominican Republic focused on health education and collaborative needs and assets assessments to build healthier communities.
“Through experiences like SPAN 4190 and our Creative Inquiry initiatives, students develop culturally and linguistically responsive perspectives on health promotion and gain a deeper understanding of the social determinants of health,” she said. “At the same time, our community partners benefit from dedicated, bilingual volunteers who expand the reach of their programs, and community members engage with students who approach them with humility, respect, and a genuine commitment to health equity.”
Moore also expressed her appreciation to fellow Department of Languages faculty member Magdaléna Matušková for nominating her for the award.
“Dr. Moore has forged the enduring connections between students and the Hispanic committee that make the Language and International Health program both academically rigorous and socially valuable,” said Joe Mai, chair of the Department of Languages. “Our students’ respect for Dr. Moore goes far beyond the norm: her research, teaching, thoughtful example, and profound community impact have made her an extraordinary role model for them in the classroom and beyond. This is an extremely well-deserved recognition from her academic community.”
