Oklahoma State University
EN-10: Community Partnerships

The OSU / Stillwater Community Transit System provides public transit and paratransit services not only for the campus community but for the residents of the City of Stillwater at large and visitors. The only public transit service in town, or in the region for that matter, it also includes shuttle service to Tulsa. The program meets all three dimensions of sustainability: low-cost, socially equitable public transit with service input from both the campus and community; wellness through walking and busing, rather than use a motor vehicle; reduced need for parking on campus; lower noise pollution and carbon emissions (entire fleet runs on CNG). Website: https://parking.okstate.edu/transit-services

Through OSU Cooperative Extension Service (OCES) Solid Waste Management (SWM) Programs, staff works directly with county extension offices, school districts, tribal communities, non-profit organizations and individuals in rural, under-served, communities on issues such as illegal dumping, burn barrels, resource recovery, composting and littering. Emphasis is on protecting water quality decreasing pollution, and increasing the economic prosperity of small, economically-challenged towns by attracting businesses and employees that value quality of life benefits. OCES has received grant funding annually over the past three years from the USDA to conduct SWM outreach in communities identified in the grant proposal as having a low socio-economic status. Human health also improves as communities move toward waste management solutions that do not include utilizing burn barrels that produce dangerous emissions. At least one FTE is dedicated to staffing the work of this multi-faceted partnership, which includes collaboration with faculty and staff from various OSU colleges and departments as well as student assistance. Website: http://agecon.okstate.edu/waste/

The Unidos Program, housing in the College of Human Sciences, actively supports social and economic justice in the state. Designed for junior high school Latino students who are facing academic challenges, the program offers workshops and hands-on educational experiences for both students and their families to help them better identify and prepare for university education. The program is also notable for its inclusion of the Latino community in the planning and implementation phases. Research on the project shows strong evidence that participation both increases plans for higher education and reduces student risky behavior (e.g., drug use, absences). A fuller description of the program and STEM education can be found here (video): https://ostate.tv/media/SUNUPA+Oklahoma+4-H+Juntos/0_cqsz9a5c

OSU Food Studies Program: Today, food is a focus not only within OSU's agricultural college, but also within many other OSU divisions. Scholars in English, History, Sociology, Hotel and Restaurant Administration, and Gender Studies, to name just a few, see food as a dynamic area of interest. Many of these individuals are spread across campus and in specialized fields, and are thus unaware of their fellow food enthusiasts. This Food Studies program seeks to bring these individuals together to form and maintain ties with the local food system along with Stillwater farmers and food establishments, as well as food pantries like Our Daily Bread. Website; http://foodstudies.okstate.edu/

Also https://humansciences.okstate.edu/community-engagement/about-us/recognitions-and-memberships.html