Vision and Mission

When higher education, students in particular, and community groups work together to address critical areas of public need, lives begin to change. Together, they can build true partnerships based on mutual respect and an appreciation for the unique vantage points and talents each partner brings to the table.

By working together, campus and community partners strengthen families and communities, become better citizens, and enrich higher education through mutual teaching and learning. By sharing resources and ideas, colleges and universities and the communities they call home are finding new solutions to old problems.

The Award aims to increase the number and the effectiveness of campus-community partnerships and promote university citizenship by:

• Providing recognition for outstanding campus-community partnerships.

• Encouraging cooperation among education, community, government, and business leaders on critical social and economic issues.

• Providing a model for recognizing and mobilizing campus-community partnerships for others.

The student grant program is designed to, encourage, motivate and promote innovative solutions for community problems in which students are able to apply the knowledge they have gained from their academic discipline and become social entrepreneurs.