As part of the university’s successful Carnegie Community Engagement Classification application process, the Office of Research and Engagement has compiled a list of fifty of UT’s best community-campus partnerships. The university will be celebrating its status as an engaged institution throughout the year by featuring these individual examples in articles that highlight their unique contribution to the community.
Smart Communities Initiative
The Smart Communities Initiative is founded upon the idea that universities and communities should work together to improve the health and vitality of their areas. Through interdisciplinary research and scholarship, community dialogue, human capacity, reflection, and innovation, SCI community and university partners collaborate toward smarter, more vibrant communities. The program works with a different community partner each year, taking on projects related to that community’s needs and priorities. The SCI just completed its pilot year with the City of Cleveland, Tenn., in which it engaged over 400 students and thirteen faculty from across campus in projects connected to the City’s strategic plan.
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