September 12, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University’s ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships hosts a Forum for Regional Leaders in Bowling Green on Thursday, Sept. 13, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Cupola Room of the Downing University Center. The event is the third in a series of five forums designed to solicit input on community and regional needs for WKU’s new Regional Stewardship Program.
The program is funded through a $200,000 award from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and the Kentucky General Assembly. It is the first Regional Stewardship program in the nation where state funding is dedicated to universities to facilitate the process of assessing regional needs and forming partnerships to meet the needs.
The Regional Forum schedule is as follows:
- Sept. 6, Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, 2840 W. Parrish Ave., Owensboro
- Sept. 10, WKU-Glasgow Regional Center, Room 131, Glasgow
- Sept. 13, WKU Downing University Center, Cupola Room (Fresh Food Company), Bowling Green
- Sept. 17, Campbellsville University, Winters Dining Hall, Campbellsville
- Sept. 20, WKU-Elizabethtown Regional Center, Room 303 AB, Elizabethtown
The data collected from the Forums will be presented to the WKU Regional Advisory Council later in the fall together with data from existing needs assessments conducted by organizations such as Community Action, Audubon Area Services and United Way. The Council will be tasked with identifying the top three to four priority areas for the WKU Regional Stewardship Program. Opportunities then will be created for faculty, students and staff at WKU to partner with members of the business, education, government, non-profit, and faith-based sectors to collaboratively address the needs.
The WKU ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships will assist with all phases of the Regional Stewardship Program. The new mission of the ALIVE Center is “to promote community development across Central Kentucky through campus and community partnerships.” The Center serves a 27-county region in the central portion of the Commonwealth.
WKU President Gary Ransdell stated. “WKU, through its expansion of the ALIVE Center and the creation of the WKU ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships, is committed to expanding its research and services to addressing larger regional challenges. ”The ALIVE Center Director, Katrina Phelps added, “The role of the ALIVE Center is to serve as a matchmaker, bringing together the university and community resources needed to address real needs and vitalize communities across our region.”
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For more information, contact Dr. Katrina Phelps, (270) 792-4417, or Leah Ashwill, (270) 782-0812.
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