Academic Institutions Form Partnerships To Tackle Community Problems
University-Community Partnerships: Current Practices Volume II, a new report published by HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research, recognizes the community-oriented initiatives of 225 universities, colleges, and community colleges and their local partners from the public and private sector. As a sign of the growing initiative that institutions of higher learning are taking to make a difference in their communities, this volume of Current Practices contains 76 more projects than the 1995 compilation.
Salve Regina University has joined two Newport, Rhode Island, elementary schools, the NYNEX Foundation, and Ocean State Charities Trust to establish Project Literacy Interaction for Newport Kids, an effort to improve the content and delivery of basic literacy and writing curriculum. Elementary school students are matched with undergraduate writing mentors from the university, who help them develop their writing and thinking skills.
At the Center for Urban Business at the University of Illinois at Chicago, emerging entrepreneurs can access computer networks, view business videos, attend monthly business forums, identify partnership and mentoring opportunities, and receive technical assistance.
Tennessee Technological University works with the Upper Cumberland Community Health Agency and a teen council to provide pregnancy prevention education to community teens. The program's activities, many of which are designed by the teen council, include a public awareness campaign, a support group for pregnant and at-risk teens and their parents, a countywide teen health fair, and an abstinence program.
The Colorado Center for Community Development at the University of Colorado at Denver administers several programs to assist rural and urban communities with community development. Center staff have worked with communities to develop a one-stop employment center, perform market analyses, and publish how-to manuals.
Through Arizona State University's (ASU's) Urban Teacher Corps Partnership Program, instructional aides earn teaching degrees in bilingual education, English as a second language, and other specialty areas where there is a shortage of teachers. The partners -- which include ASU, Rio Salado Community College, and eight elementary school districts -- provide mentoring, financial aid, and special scheduling and release time for aides to attend classes and workshops.
These partnerships exemplify the commitment of these academic institutions to the great potential of community engagement. University-Community Partnerships: Current Practices Volume II is now available from HUD USER for $5.
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