| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 59.70 |
| Liaison | Tracey Coronado |
| Submission Date | April 5, 2021 |
Missouri State University
EN-10: Community Partnerships
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Doug
Neidigh Sustainability Coordinator Environmental Management |
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has awarded a five-year grant for up to $1.3 million to address poverty in northwest Springfield to a partnership led by Missouri State University, the Drew Lewis Foundation and Drury University.
The goal of The Northwest Project was to pilot strategies over a five-year period to help families overcome the challenges that have kept them living in poverty and sustain their long-term success in emerging from those circumstances. The CFO selected northwest Springfield for this project because much of the area exceeds the city’s overall 25.6 percent poverty rate. In addition, the privately funded Northwest Project is occurring in concert with the City of Springfield’s focus on improving public safety, infrastructure and chronic nuisance properties in this geographic area.
The MSU/Drew Lewis/Drury partnership was selected for its vision of using a model that couples family support with neighborhood development and sustainability. This community-driven development model works to bridge the gaps between people and resources through both case management services and a teamwork approach where program participants support each other.
The Northwest Project was initially be based at The Fairbanks, a newly opened community center in the Grant Beach neighborhood renovated by the Drew Lewis Foundation. Amy Blansit, director of the Drew Lewis Foundation and an MSU faculty member, serves as project manager. MSU is the overall fiscal agent and project administrator along with providing professional and student support through its programs in social work, kinesiology, education and others.
The MSU/Drew Lewis/Drury partnership also includes a number of community agencies that provide resources related to these pivotal assets. These partners are: Ozarks Technical Community College, MU Extension, the City of Springfield, Consumer Credit Counseling, Springfield Community Gardens, Springfield Public Schools, Life360 Family Services, Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, Great Circle-Parenting Life Skills Center, Hand in Hand Multicultural Center, Care to Learn, Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, Ozarks Regional YMCA and Schweitzer United Methodist Church Jobs for Life Program.
More information can be found here: http://drewlewis.org/
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
In 2020, MSU signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bluefields Peoples Community Association to provide sustainable community development services to the community. MSU will support the community by providing faculty, staff, and student resources to research and implement strategies for the community.
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
The Conservation Corp program is provided though the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks. MSU students and graduates participate in the Conservation Corp. MSU staff and faculty advise and promote the program and incorporate the program into academic programs. Projects include habitat restoration, trail management, and vegetation management in the greater Springfield community.
https://watershedcommittee.org/watershed-conservation-corps/
A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.