University & Community Partnerships

Through research, teaching, and civic engagement, the Center for Diversity and Democracy at the University of Southern California seeks to answer the question of how the world's diverse cities can overcome ethnic and religious tensions that are often present and instead maintain democratic and just communities in which individuals feel a shared citizenship.  The center strives to accomplish this goal through developing a faculty and student body that is representative of the local community and by creating partnerships with local, national, and international anchor institutions that are int Read more about Center for Diversity and Democracy, University of Southern California...

The University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee has been a national leader in the movement to increase universities' community engagement. Its Center for Urban Initiatives and Research (CUIR) provides research services and technical assistance to public and non-profit organizations in many areas, including strategic planning facilitation, survey research, and neighborhood analysis and mapping. Read more about Center for Urban Initiatives and Research...

The Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership began in 1996 as a way to engage Duke University and its people in a structured partnership with the surrounding community. To date, Duke has helped to raise more than $12 million to invest in its partner neighborhoods. Duke's work in this area includes support of affordable housing (including a $4 million investment in Self-Help, a community development lender), the operation of two community health centers, and an after-school program for at-risk students in local public schools. Read more about Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership...

University of Illinois at Chicago’s Great Cities Institute (GCI) is a research center committed to creating, disseminating and applying interdisciplinary knowledge to urban affairs. It implements dozens of teaching, research and service programs designed to improve the quality of life in metropolitan Chicago and other urban areas. Among its programs is its Neighborhoods Initiative, which works with local community groups on health, technology, leadership development, and other issues of mutual concern.  Through this initiative, GCI serves as the group responsible for providing project management, community engagement, and evaluation around Chicago’s Participatory Budgeting Project, an effort that has engaged over 13,000 residents in 12 different communities around deciding how to spend over $18 million in public dollars.

The Irwin W. Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning was founded to integrate the service concept into the University's curricula. DePaul's commitment to service is part of its Vincentian, Catholic, and Urban Mission: to foster through higher education a deep respect for the dignity of all persons, especially the materially, culturally, and spiritually deprived; and to instill in its students a dedication of service to others. Read more about Irwin W. Steans Center, DePaul University...

Rutgers Camden campus has a wide variety of community programs. One of these efforts is the LEAP Academy, a K-12 charter school initiated by the university that is designed to accommodate up to 700 students as well as develop model practices for implementation in surrounding public schools. Read more about Rutgers Camden, Civic Engagement...

Colorado State's Student Leadership, Involvement, and Community Engagement (SLiCE) office promotes leadership development, service-learning and volunteer opportunities. One of its programs is its Alternative Spring Break program, which places approximately 100 students a year in short-term intern positions with non-profit community groups from across the country. Read more about Student Leadership, Involvement, and Community Engagement (SLiCE) ...

The Cornell-Ithaca Partnership Computer Project aims to address the "digital divide" by providing under-served youth with opportunities to acquire computer skills and Internet access in their own neighborhood. Read more about The Cornell-Ithaca Partnership Computer Project...

The University of Georgia has a broad vision of its public service mission. Current areas of concentration include anti-poverty initiatives, working with Georgia's Latino communities, economic development, and service learning. Read more about University of Georgia, "Public Service and Outreach"...