Indiana State University
EN-13: Community Stakeholder Engagement

In 2008, the University implemented a strategic plan, Pathways to Success. Community partners were viable members of the plans’ committee members through engaging them in conversations and creating specific goals that had direct impact on the community through profit and non-profit entities. Outcomes from the 2008 Strategic Plan invited and created advisory boards for many of ISU’s departments. The opportunity for conversation and suggested implementation by community stakeholders captures the relationship ISU community can gain by engaging with the Wabash Valley.

The University has guided efforts, from our community stakeholders, through designated partnerships. Ryves Neighborhood Partnership, Downtown Terre Haute, Farrington Renaissance, and Rural Health Innovation Collaborative are targeted populations in the Wabash Valley that ISU and the community are working collaboratively on to offer resources and economic development. More specific descriptions of the partnerships can be found at http://www2.indstate.edu/publicservice/community/neighborhoods.aspx.

RYVES NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP The Ryves Neighborhood Partnership includes several non-profit agencies and organizations that serve the Ryves Neighborhood DOWNTOWN TERRE HAUTE Downtown Terre Haute (DTH) is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to preserving, creating and promoting a downtown neighborhood that is a vibrant hub for business, entertainment, government, arts and educational activity. FARRINGTON RENAISSANCE ISU and Farrington’s Grove Historical District have partnered to form Farrington Renaissance, a Community Development Corporation focused on revitalizing the Farrington’s Grove neighborhood. RURAL HEALTH INNOVATION COLLABORATIVE The Rural Health Innovation Collaborative (RHIC) is a partnership between local higher education institutions, health care providers, and the City of Terre Haute.

The Center for Community Engagement offers a mini-grant program for faculty to develop service-learning projects with a partner in the Ryves Neighborhood. ISU entered a formal partnership with DTH in 2005. DTH projects include business recruitment, support of the arts corridor, and promotion of downtown merchants and events, including the Downtown Block Party and First Fridays. Farrington Renaissance serves as a coordinating entity between ISU and the residents of the Farrington’s Grove Historical District for the purposes of research, education, and implementation of projects. One of RHIC’s five areas of focus is development of the neighborhood between Indiana State University and Union Hospital. RHIC’s plans include revitalization of the Locust and Lafayette Street corridors and housing/mixed use development.