The University of Denver Grand Challenges program is an institution-wide initiative through the Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship & Learning. The project combines community-engaged learning, faculty development, and co-curricular programs to address local civic issues for the public good.
The AVDF-funded program creates transformative learning opportunities for university students and faculty. Participants use critical thinking, teamwork, and civic engagement skills to find meaningful solutions to urgent community needs including crime and safety, urban sustainability, migration, and housing and food insecurity.
University students and faculty begin the process by facilitating collaborative conversations with community members. These conversations allow the members of the partnership to settle on shared expectations and goals for their project. Once goals are clearly identified, community members and university partners work together to gather resources and work toward their shared goal. The collaborations have resulted in several successful outcomes. The university assisted in a neighborhood storytelling campaign that helps city planners and engineers improve the local economy. The university has also offered guidance to a local non-profit organization seeking to find safe parking areas for individuals experiencing homelessness who are living out of their cars.
To learn more about the University of Denver Grand Challenges program and its impact on the community, click here.
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