Sustaining Communities: A Collaborative Approach to Community Engagement

In this article, the author talks about incorporating what those in academia do best--scholarship and teaching--and what government bureaucrats do best in administering housing and community revitalization programs into a strong and sustainable system of community engagement and outreach. He frames the discussion by focusing on some examples of outreach and engagement programs that he is familiar with from his work as secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The author contends that successful outcomes can be achieved by believing in a vision that requires cultivating a dedicated collaborative engagement between communities and institutions of higher learning. Universities will also benefit from this vision, which can lead to financial growth, community support, and real-life, real-time learning opportunities for students, faculty, and researchers. [ERIC]