This article presents steps taken by Penn State's Interinstitutional Consortium for Indigenous Knowledge (ICIK) to engage communities and transform the academy. ICIK provides opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to network with others who share a vision of the academy as a place where multiple ways of knowing are valued and respected.…

THE FORD FOUNDATION PROJECT IN PHILADELPHIA (THE GREAT CITIES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM) IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT CHANGES CAN BE MADE IN THE ASPIRATION, ACHIEVEMENT, AND ADJUSTMENT PATTERNS WHICH YOUTH TEND TO FOLLOW UNDER CONDITIONS OF CULTURAL DEPRIVATION. ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES PREVAILING IN THE HOME AND COMMUNITY DIRECTLY AFFECT THE…

The American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Plus 50 Initiative is a three-year initiative launched in June 2008 and funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies. It was created to support a pilot group of two-year institutions to develop or expand campus programs that engage plus 50 learners. The initiative focuses on three types of…

In spring 2006, the Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) conducted a study to measure the economic impact of the five colleges located in Berks County: Alvernia College, Albright College, Kutztown University, Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus (Penn State Berks) and Reading Area Community College (RACC). Although many higher…

Like many other U.S. cities, Philadelphia experienced a prolonged period of deindustrialization and job loss during the second half of the 20th century. As in other northern cities, the process of suburbanization went hand in hand with white flight, increased racial segregation of the city and its schools, and increasingly inadequate funding of…

This article describes how The Children's Home of Pittsburgh provides unique, specialized services for infants, children, and their families and seeks to improve not only the range of services available to these special patients, but also the way in which those services are provided. Their innovative healthcare programs have been developed in…

In this article, we present a novel way to integrate psychological theories and research methods in an applied social psychology course as a means to foster engagement in a university-community partnership. We taught an advanced course on the application of social psychological theories and research methods to junior and senior undergraduates. Our…

Benjamin Franklin founded the University of Pennsylvania as a secular institution with the pragmatic aim of instilling in its students the inclination and ability to serve humankind in both the civic and mercantile realms. On this, the three hundredth anniversary of his birth (1706-2006), Franklin's ideal of a democratic, engaged university has…

Collaborating to define clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations can help a college and its partners avoid misunderstandings and "turf" problems. In this article, the authors describe vital partnerships between community colleges and economic development organizations to foster economic growth. The authors also share some lessons…

Three universities are fostering leaders committed to (1) defining models of scholarship, (2) building a network of leaders that can learn from each other, and (3) creating an outreach culture. This three-way university partnership has established an annual conference and an online learning community to support a network of leaders. How have the…

This student workbook is for 8- to 11-year-olds participating in the Pennsylvania 4-H "Getting To Know Your Community" program which is designed to involve youth in improving the quality of community life, learning about the role and functions of local government, understanding public issues, becoming involved in the process of community…

This student guide is for 15- to 17-year-olds participating in the Pennsylvania 4-H "Your Community, Help Develop It" project which is designed to involve youth in improving the quality of community life, learning about the role and functions of local government, understanding public issues, becoming involved in the process of community…

This second in a series of six packages of instructional materials developed by the Pre-Retirement Rehearsal Project contains a student's pre-retirement booklet specifically intended for adults with limited reading ability and teacher's guide, which consider these topics: the variety of options for living arrangements, retirement location, and…

A COLLECTION OF THE MAY 1961 NEWSLETTERS PUBLISHED BY THE FOUR SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE GREAT CITIES IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN PHILADELPHIA DURING THE 1960-61 SCHOOL YEAR ARE PROVIDED. THE SCHOOLS ARE DUNBAR, HARRISON, AND LUDLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND WANAMAKER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WITH THEIR "HIGH…

AS PART OF THE GREAT CITIES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, HIGH ROADS PROJECT IN THE DUNBAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS DESIGNED TO MOTIVATE PUPILS, PARENTS, AND TEACHERS TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL IN THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES THROUGH EFFECTIVELY MOBILIZING AND UTILIZING THE TOTAL RESOURCES OF THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. PLANS WERE DEVELOPED BY THE SCHOOL…