FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis is strengthening its commitment to faculty, staff, students and the Indianapolis community through the creation of a comprehensive Office of Community Engagement.
The new office, which builds on IUPUI’s international reputation for engagement, will coordinate meaningful connections between internal campus resources — faculty, staff and students — and external partners such as businesses, nonprofits, schools, health care providers and neighborhood organizations.
Through the integration of the Office of External Affairs, the Community Learning Network, the Center for Service and Learning and the Solution Center, the Office of Community Engagement will be charged with identifying engagement focus areas that address high-priority, community-identified needs. The new office will have initiatives focused on family, school and neighborhood engagement; professional development and corporate training; and building a culture of engagement among students, faculty, staff and alumni.
“This new office will build upon our strong foundation of 45 years of civic, community and economic engagement through research, partnership, programs and service learning opportunities,” said IUPUI Vice Chancellor for Community Engagement Amy Warner. “Community engagement is an integral part of the IUPUI campus, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to working with the community to address immediate needs, anticipate challenges of the future and yield concrete, meaningful results.”
IUPUI has received numerous awards and recognitions for engagement, including being one of the first institutions to receive the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll and the prestigious Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, for which IUPUI received reclassification in 2015.
“The Office of Community Engagement is a key recommendation in IUPUI’s strategic plan and is directly aligned with institutional priorities outlined in IU’s bicentennial strategic plan,” said IUPUI Executive Vice Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar. “In collaboration with academic and administrative units at IUPUI, this office will help the campus continue to foster a culture of responsible and informed engagement that will enhance faculty, staff and student growth and the common good.”
The Office of Community Engagement will be fully integrated by July 1. For more information, visit engage.iupui.edu, call 317-274-7400 or email engage@iupui.edu. Important community engagement news and exciting updates will also be shared via Twitter @engageiupui.