The Possibilities! From Institutionalized to Grass Roots Community Engagement

Margaret Miller Colorado State University Donna Emmanuel University of North Texas James M. Day The College of New Jersey

GETTING STARTED THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MARGARET MILLER, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY Margaret.J.Miller@colostate.edu

LEAP INSTITUTE FOR THE ARTS

!  It takes a plan

!  It takes leadership

!  It takes a community partner (or two)

!  Arts Incubator of the Rockies ! www.airartsincubator.org

!  It takes time!

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW

!  A minor and Masters program in Arts Leadership established

!  Student participation (internships, ownership of their careers)

!  Challenges: !  faculty time/area resources !  incorporating more service learning

BRAINY Bringing Arts Integration to Youth

!  A partnership with Music, Theatre, Dance, Art and area Title 1 schools

!  Five years strong, looking to grow

!  Using exhibits currently in Art Museum

RESOURCES

!  Community engagement office on campus

!  Local arts council

!  State arts council

!  Alumni

EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DONNA EMMANUEL, University of North Texas

The need for a framework

!   Emphasis on building/growing relationships and processes built on reciprocity

!   Visits from Jack Ricchiuto - Summit on Community Engagement –

! http://jackricchiuto.com

!   Two examples, one from music education and one from the University

Division of Music Education !   Realizing a need to revise our

undergraduate curriculum !   Rather than faculty deciding what is best to

do, we are creating an advisory group made up of our alumni

!   Across areas of band, choir, orchestra, elementary

!   From one year to 7 years of experience !   From rural, suburban, and urban districts

UNT’s Council on Community Engagement

!   Council, made up of University personnel, invited community members to be in on an advisory board !   Members of advisory board

from a variety of community perspectives

!   Brainstorming session led by Jack Ricchiuto

!   Multiple projects emerged, but one has met with great success

Mentor Denton !   Need – 10,000 students in Denton’s

school district identified as “at-risk”

!   Brainstormed with community members

!   Worked with Communities in Schools to use their process

!   Put out a call on social media

!   2 weeks, 400 mentors

!   5 months, 800 mentors

! http://www.mentordenton.org

! https://www.facebook.com/MentorDenton

Mentor Denton video

FOSTERING COLLABORATION JAMES M. DAY The College of New Jersey

Community Fora in Trenton, NJ

!   Foster well informed collaborations that creatively address the most pressing needs and issues of a community

Community Fora

!   Creative Trenton !   January 2014

!   Raised issues

!   Outlined actions

!   Networked local stake holders

!   Shared resources

Community Fora

Understand community needs before conceiving projects

Community Fora

Connect resources to issues

Community Fora

Collaborate on solutions

From Grassroots to Institutionalized

!   Students share project ideas with Christian Martin, executive director of the Trenton Downtown Association and TCNJ Professor Chris Ault inside the community-focused design studio set up by TCNJ in space provided by TDA.

Community Fora !   Organized by local non-profits and cooperatives

!   Invited local institutions to participate, including higher education, city council and school board

Division of Music Education !   Realizing a need to revise our

undergraduate curriculum !   Rather than faculty deciding what is best to

do, we are creating an advisory group made up of our alumni

!   Across areas of band, choir, orchestra, elementary

!   From one year to 7 years of experience !   From rural, suburban, and urban districts

Contact

!   Margaret Miller: Margaret.J.Miller@colostate.edu Colorado State University

!   Donna Emmanuel: Donna.Emmanuel@unt.edu University of North Texas

!   James M. Day: day@tcnj.edu The College of New Jersey