Michigan State University and East Lansing: A Close Working Partnership

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By Diane Goddeeris and Lou Anna K. Simon

Mayor Goddeeris & President Simon

Few communities can match college towns for sheer vibrancy. Students contribute great energy to a place and, with a diverse group of exceptional faculty members and a rising international student population, there is an added cosmopolitan—even global dimension—to university communities such as East Lansing.

“Town–gown” tensions are always the other side of the coin, but they can be managed through close cooperation between a university and its home community. We’re proud of the working partnership we’ve formed to promote the development of citizen-scholars among the student body and integration of Michigan State University into local civic life.

Students attend Taste of East Lansing event.

At the strategic level, MSU and the City of East Lansing partner on planning and economic development activities, such as a planning exercise the university is funding focused on the corridor that forms our border. The greater objective is to examine what it will take to make this a world-class university community, which might help form the framework for the city’s upcoming comprehensive plan update.

Some of our most innovative partnerships involve creating jobs and retaining talent in the community—initiatives that helped us earn recognition as one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Best College Towns to Start a Business.”

The Technology Innovation Center (TIC).

East Lansing in 2008 developed the Technology Innovation Center (TIC), a downtown technology business start-up incubator, directly across from the MSU campus. Within six months, the TIC was occupied to capacity and has since served as a model for others around the country. Many businesses there stem from MSU research.

The university and city next cooperated to launch The Hatch, an adjacent student start-up business incubator. One enterprise it houses, TempoRun, is based on a mobile music/fitness application that in March won this year’s national Student Startup Madness business pitch competition at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas.

Students participate in East Lansing recycling program.

Michigan State reaffirmed its commitment to growing businesses locally by placing the MSU Innovation Center in the same commercial building housing the TIC and The Hatch. The Innovation Center is composed of MSU Technologies, the university’s technology transfer office; Business-CONNECT, its corporate and business liaison group; and Spartan Innovations, which supports faculty and student business start-ups with talent and financing. The TIC/Hatch/Spartan Innovations cluster helps bring MSU technology to the marketplace as rapidly as possible and puts university resources within closer reach of the business community.

In tough budget times, the university and city naturally look for ways to share resources to maintain high-quality services. Campus and city police do joint training, for example, and recently partnered to form an emergency Special Response Team. East Lansing operates our jointly owned wastewater treatment system and recently began providing water service to a portion of campus.

Students walk outside of the new Broad Art Museum.

What could become the most iconic symbol of campus and community integration opened just last November. Michigan State’s stunning Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum was intentionally sited at the campus/city boundary along busy Grand River Avenue and designed to welcome visitors from both the campus and the city. The city embraced the new museum, providing signage, promotion, and activities to supplement the museum’s programming.

Students patron at businesses in downtown East Lansing.

Now we’re both actively engaged to recruit new businesses to complement the museum and add cultural vibrancy to the community.

To mitigate the inevitable conflicts arising between students and permanent residents, the city and university formed the Community Relations Coalition (CRC) to engage students residing off campus and local residents in programs designed to promote mutual consideration.

The CRC, which sponsors activities such as neighborhood cleanups and community conversations, was honored with the East Lansing Crystal Award for outstanding voluntary service to the community in 2011.

Ice cream social event in East Lansing.

We work to get students and East Lansing residents on the same page—literally—right from the start of the school year with our One Book One Community reading program.

Students also are engaged with the community during Fall Welcome with special shopping promotions and opportunities to support local charities. Another MSU–city event worth note is the annual East Lansing Welcomes the World program, which is a great example of our community and international students coming together.

Community service is a value Michigan State strongly encourages. Registrations at the MSU Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, the nation’s oldest center of its kind, more than tripled in the last decade.

Signage helps link MSU and East Lansing.

Some 18,900 student registrations for volunteer service were recorded there in 2011–12. Students are volunteering at hospitals, youth organizations, and many nonprofits in Lansing and East Lansing. More than a thousand students were placed in area schools in the fall 2012 semester to work as tutors, classroom assistants, reading and recreation group supervisors, and more.

Michigan State’s 158-year heritage as the nation’s pioneer land-grant university means that community and stakeholder engagement—in East Lansing and indeed across Michigan—shares primacy with education and research imperatives.

East Lansing has grown up with the university, forming its own school district in 1900 and incorporating as a city in 1907. It now includes more than 25 neighborhoods with a number of active neighborhood associations and, with the university, produces popular summer art and folk festivals.

Diane Goddeeris is the Mayor of East Lansing and Lou Anna K. Simon is the President of Michigan State University.

Alma College and City of Alma Persevere Together Through Good Times, Challenging Times

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By Mayor Mel Nyman and President Jeff Abernathy

Mayor Nyman & President Abernathy

Since its founding in 1886, Alma College has stood as a vital community partner, dramatically affecting the lives of those living in mid-Michigan and beyond. The college’s founding was made possible by Ammi Wright, a lumberman, businessman and civic leader who gave 30 acres of land and more than $300,000 to found and sustain the institution in its early years — a sum equivalent to more than $6.2 million today.

More than 125 years later, Alma College continues to value its role in the mid-Michigan community. The campus hosts the annual Alma Highland Arts Festival, which brings thousands of visitors to mid-Michigan to celebrate their Scottish heritage.

An Alma College student volunteers in the community.

As part of its mission, the college also promotes a “culture of service” in which students meet local needs through participation with numerous community agencies and organizations.

One of the key questions in the college’s most recent planning effort was how it could leverage its presence to ensure that the college can thrive together with the community. The resulting plan, while establishing important educational goals, includes an emphasis on creating a sustainable campus and community. It states directly: “We will assist our city of Alma — where we aim to create a seamless environment between the downtown and the campus— as well as communities across Mid-Michigan in order to help our region thrive in the decades to come.”

There is much to be thankful in our small community of Alma. Business is growing in the downtown. Within view of town, the largest wind farm in Michigan has risen, with 167 monuments to the new economy. The efforts by community leaders in collaboration with Alma College professors and students to address environmental challenges caused by a chemical company that left the area decades ago continue to make meaningful progress.

Downtown Alma

All this good news is especially welcome in Alma, where we have had our share of challenges. The most recent economic downtown hit mid-Michigan hard, and in October 2010, a ruinous fire all but destroyed a prominent landmark at the center of our downtown, Alma’s former Opera House. In such a close-knit community, nearly every citizen felt the impact of these and other challenges.

And yet, the values and benefits of living in a college town still appeal to many. Recent developments are evidence that collaborative college-town partnerships are making a difference. Those developments include:

The downtown Alma College bookstore.

  • In 2011, the college purchased a vacant building and moved its bookstore off campus and across the street into a location that formerly represented a geographic divide between town and gown. The college also partnered with Stucchi’s — a successful ice cream store that was destroyed in the downtown Opera House fire — and brought it in under the same roof. The new business is thriving, a welcome addition to the downtown where students and community members come together.
  • Kurt Wassenaar, an investor with local roots committed to revitalizing the downtown Alma business district, bought the burned Opera House and determined to save it from demolition. Today, the building is undergoing major renovations that will restore its historic features while providing new retail opportunities on the ground floor and, in a leasing partnership with Alma College, student apartments on the second and third floors.

    Alma Fall Festival helps bring the city and college together.

  • Alma College has set an aggressive goal to place a large number of interns across mid-Michigan in an effort to help non-profits and governmental entities that lost so many resources in the recent downturn. Such work is hugely beneficial to Alma students even as it will help to sustain the communities across our region. Alma College students can learn how to leave positive footprints in Alma and wherever they go in the future.
  • Alma College’s Center for Responsible Leadership and the Gratiot Area Chamber of Commerce sponsor an annual Fall Festival in October in downtown Alma. The purpose of the event is to strengthen the connection between the college and community and to encourage community members, merchants and students to meet and interact in a positive and education atmosphere. Activities include merchant specials and giveaways, raffle drawings, face and pumpkin painting, kids activities and more.

Reaching out to the community is a part of Alma College’s mission to “prepare graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsively.” We remain committed to the exciting work of building and nurturing community partnerships that will be key to the college’s future as well as that of our town and region.

Mel Nyman is the Mayor of Alma and Jeff Abernathy is the President of Alma College.

Town-Gown Partnerships Focus of Prosperity Agenda Radio Show on News/Talk 760 WJR

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By Dan Gilmartin

David Lossing talks about Town-Gown partnerships.

Town-Gown partnerships and the important relationship between communities and their adjacent colleges and universities is the theme of this month’s Prosperity Agenda radio show on News/Talk 760 WJR.

The show airs 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2013, but you can listen anytime here.

During the show, we discuss how cooperation between city and high education institutions can lead to the economic vibrancy of the entire community.

Dan Gilmartin talks about Town-Gown.

Many experts agree that the key to restoring economic prosperity in Michigan is creating the kinds of communities where people want to live. One way to accomplish this is the completion of Town-Gown projects.

What does Town-Gown mean? Town-gown is the interaction of the inhabitants of a college or university town (Town) and the students and personnel of the college (Gown).

Universities and host towns have an incentive to cooperate, as the schools require city services and need city approval for long-range plans, while the university towns need remuneration for public services provided.

My co-host for the show is Marjory Raymer, community news editor for the Flint Journal and mlive.com.

Our guests are Chris LaGrand, deputy director of Housing for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority; Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Anthony Bosbous; and David Lossing, President of the Michigan Municipal League, Mayor of Linden, director of government relations for University of Michigan-Flint, and founder of the League’s Town Gown blog.

Marjory Raymer talks about Town-Gown Relationships.

For more on this topic, be sure to check out the Michigan Municipal League’s Town-Gown blog.

The Prosperity Agenda is a monthly radio show that challenges listeners to help make Michigan a better place to live, work and play by creating vibrant and prosperous local communities. It airs on News/Talk 760 WJR on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

Our March show is scheduled to air 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2013, however and you can listen to it anytime at the League’s website or by subscribing to the FREE iTunes podcast. Learn more about the placemaking concept here as well as on this blog.

Dan Gilmartin is CEO and executive director of the Michigan Municipal League and host of the monthly Prosperity Agenda Radio Show on News/Talk 760 WJR.

City of Battle Creek and Kellogg Community College Have Long Held Education in High Regard

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By Mayor Susan Baldwin and President Dr. Dennis Bona

Mayor Baldwin and Dr. Bona.

Battle Creek has an interesting and unconventional past. Our rich heritage includes former slave and abolitionist Sojourner Truth; Seventh-day Adventist visionary Ellen White; Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, who transformed health care in the nineteenth century; and cereal industry magnates C.W. Post and W.K. Kellogg. We have always held education in high regard, so it is no surprise that our city is home to Kellogg Community College.

Whether you are strolling on the brand new sidewalks and Wave Square of downtown Battle Creek or walking around the beautiful campus of Kellogg Community College just a mile north of downtown, it’s easy to get a sense that everyone is focused on the future.

A KCC student learns to weld.

Young professionals are hustling between office buildings or gathering to discuss their latest innovative ideas on new lighted benches downtown. On KCC’s campus, students are becoming future nurses, engineers, teachers, police officers and entrepreneurs.  Professors focus on new technology and educational methods.

The history and future of Battle Creek and KCC are intertwined with strong partnerships and shared goals. KCC partners with the City of Battle Creek and a range of employers, organizations, and educational institutions.

Just a few of the connections between the city and KCC include:

  • KCC has teamed with Battle Creek Unlimited, the city’s economic development arm, as well as Michigan Works and Goodwill Industries to develop the “Family Economic Stability” initiative with a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.  This important initiative brings together critical components to assist low-income families in Battle Creek with essential skills and employment opportunities.

    Historic signage in downtown Battle Creek.

  • KCC provides work-based learning experiences for students through the Battle Creek Police Department, Bronson Battle Creek, Kellogg Company, Denso Manufacturing and others.
  • KCC’s campus on North Avenue contains a portion of the city’s Linear Park Path and the College has an agreement with the Battle Creek Parks and Recreation Department to make athletic facilities available.  KCC’s international-sized soccer field, for example, is used for the city’s summer youth soccer leagues.
  • City and KCC officials regularly serve together on community boards and initiatives for the purpose of providing better economic opportunities for area residents.

    Downtown Battle Creek.

Highlights of KCC’s contribution to the Battle Creek community include:

  • The Regional Manufacturing Technology Center, where programs are designed for continuing education and certification or recertification for people in industrial skilled trades. The RMTC is an innovative, community-driven training facility located in Fort Custer Industrial Park. It is home to three KCC programs: Lifelong Learning, Workforce Solutions and Industrial Skilled Trades. Training programs are designed to meet the employee training needs of area business and industry as well the life-long learning needs of community members.
  • The Legacy Scholars Program, which provides educational, emotional, social and financial support and opportunities for Battle Creek Public and Lakeview School District students to graduate from high school and obtain a college degree. KCC plays a major role in the Legacy Scholars Program, which provides a scholarship to KCC for all Battle Creek and Lakeview graduates.

    KCC campus in the fall.

  • KCC’s Dental Hygiene Program, which operates a dental clinic on the North Avenue campus to provide low-cost dental hygiene treatment for the community. The program also goes off-site to provide oral health education and some limited mobile dental hygiene treatment.

All of these important programs are integral to our quality of life and part of what makes Battle Creek a great place to live. But we can also talk hard numbers.

  • Direct wages, salaries and benefits of KCC faculty and staff, plus routine college operations, increase incomes in the KCC service area by at least $21.9 million annually.
  • About 37 percent of KCC’s students come from outside the region to attend college in the KCC service area. The effects of these out-of-region students account for around $1.5 million in added regional income.

    KCC campus.

  • College-trained workers deepen Battle Creek’s human capital. This results in higher wages for students, greater returns for property owners, increased tax revenues and higher incomes due to economy-wide multiplier effects. Altogether, it is estimated that the productivity of KCC’s past and present students contributes $217.1 million to economic growth in the KCC service area.

The City of Battle Creek and Kellogg Community College long ago realized that, by working together, we both thrive and prosper.

A park in downtown Battle Creek.

Opportunities for life-long learning, workforce training and quality community programs through KCC help Battle Creek become more attractive to the young adults of the knowledge economy.

Our city efforts to address neighborhood improvements, entice new shopping and entertainment proprietors and re-build our downtown make our city more appealing to students looking for educational opportunities.  This is the spirit of the Battle Creek area, our relentless optimism. Together, we will build our bright future.

Susan Baldwin is the Mayor of the City of Battle Creek and Dr. Dennis Bona is the President of Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek.

Great Town Gown-type Program in Ypsilanti Highlighted in Ann Arbor.com Article

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Ann Arbor.com posted this very nice article about a unique homeownership program involving Eastern Michigan University and the Ypsilanti area community. Here’s the start of the story that explains how the program is being continued for another year:

Downtown Ypsilanti

The Live Ypsi loan program will be available to Eastern Michigan University employees again after it was re-funded for a second year.

The program has $45,000 available for its second round and officials said it may receive additional funding. The amount equates to about six loans worth $7,500 each.

The program — created by the Eastern Leaders Group, Washtenaw County and EMU — offers forgivable loans to full-time faculty and staff who purchase homes in Ypsilanti. EMU Director of Government Relations Leigh Greden began brainstorming about the program with Washtenaw County nearly two years ago.

Read the full article here.

Matt Bach is director of media relations for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at mbach@mml.org and (734) 669-6317.

Big Rapids, Ferris State University Joined at the Hip

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Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan

By Mayor Mark J. Warba and President David Eisler

Mayor Warba and President Eisler

On September 1, 1884 - over 128 years ago - Woodbridge Ferris opened the Big Rapids Industrial School on S. Michigan Avenue.

For an institution that started in rented rooms on the third floor of a business building in downtown Big Rapids, Ferris State University has grown into an educational enterprise. It now has 119 buildings on the 880-acre Big Rapids campus and also in downtown Grand Rapids, as well as partner sites at 17 community colleges around the state.

The university has an operating budget of over $270 million and it employs more than 1,400 full-time employees with an annual payroll of over $120 million. Ferris has an annual net economic impact of over $90 million, with two-thirds of the spending occurring in Mecosta County, where more than 65 percent of students attend classes on the main campus, and 88 percent of Ferris faculty and staff work in Big Rapids.

Big Rapids is the seat of government for Mecosta County, with a vibrant downtown and an industrial base that continues to thrive and transform itself while creating numerous employment opportunities. The Mecosta County Medical Center consistently ranks in the Top 100 hospitals in the United States in quality performance measures, and the Roben-Hood airport continues to grow and expand.

The university and the city recognize the continuing importance of communicating and cooperating with one another, and with their partners in the community. Examples include:

1. Monthly meetings during the academic year between representatives of the university, city and Mecosta County to discuss topics such as infrastructure improvements, training opportunities with members of public safety, utilities and recycling.

2. Quarterly town-gown meetings that bring together representatives from education, local government and the community, including the university president, superintendent of public schools and mayor.

Ferris State University campus

3. The “Big Event,” where Ferris State University students come together and give back to the community by performing household chores for area residents. The chores include washing windows, raking leaves, trimming bushes, small paint jobs, and more. Labor and supplies are provided completely free of charge, and last year tmore than 1,800 students volunteered at over 200 homes in the Big Rapids community.

4. The Festival of the Arts that is held throughout the month of February, where the university, in association with the Big Rapids community, brings together numerous individuals, volunteers, artists and event sponsors for a celebration of the arts, ranging from photography, to writing and music.

5. Members of the University’s administration participate in meetings with local manufacturers to say thank you for doing business in the Big Rapids community, and to look for ways to help the manufacturers, the university and the community grow.

6. Support for the United Way campaign in Mecosta and Osceola counties, helping to make the area’s United Way one of the very few in Michigan that continues to grow and meet its goal, albeit in a region that includes two of the poorest counties in the Lower Peninsula.

Big Rapids business district

7. Providing assistance in other ways as needed. For example, during a period of upcoming renovation for the public library, the university library will provide services for local residents.

The city and the university have also maintained a commitment to campus and community growth and improvement, with some of the highlights including:

A. In 2001, the Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education “FLITE” was completed, and in 2012, the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia opened in the lower level of the library.

B. In 2004, the Granger Center for Construction and HVACR opened, with various elements of its construction and its heating and cooling systems open to view in order to facilitate learning.

C. In 2007, the city had the number 1 project in the state as part of the Vibrant Small City Initiative Program, allowing it to invest nearly $3 million to improve its downtown, including streetscape, facade improvements, way-finding signage and cultural center enhancement.

D. In 2008, the city embarked on improvements to its wastewater treatment plant, which services the university and two surrounding townships, totaling more than $7 million.

Downtown Big Rapids

E. In 2012, the Michigan College of Optometry opened its state-of-the-art facility on the university campus. As the only College of Optometry in the state and one of just 20 in the country, the new building provides the resources the college needs to produce graduates to meet a growing need.

F. This year, the city will begin moving forward in making improvements to one of the two bridges that span the Muskegon River, increasing access to the industrial park, the riverwalk system, and local streets, at a cost of nearly $6 million.

At the Michigan Municipal League’s 2012 Convention, one of the core legislative principles that was adopted recognized how educational institutions play a central role in growing and supporting a knowledge-based economy. The legislative principal also recognized how local government must effectively collaborate with such key community stakeholders and participate as a partner in decisions that impact the community.

Big Rapids and Ferris State University are truly joined at the hip as we both realize our mutual success depends on cooperation. Together we both grow and prosper. As such, we fully support the League’s emphasis on effective town-gown initiatives. This is something we both have recognized and appreciated for more than 128 years.

Mark J. Warba is the mayor of Big Rapids and David Eisler is the president of Ferris State University.

City of Port Huron, St. Clair County Community College partner for growth

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By Mayor Pauline Repp & President Dr. Kevin A. Pollock

Dr. Pollock

Mayor Repp

As our community takes steps to prosper in the 21st century, the city of Port Huron, St. Clair County Community College and other partners are working to provide the best opportunities.

Education is essential to revitalizing the Port Huron area. The city and college are involved in initiatives to emphasize the value of higher education. Among them is Blue Meets Green, an effort to increase the percentage of adults with an associate degree or higher; attract jobs that keep educated young people in the community; and become a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.

SC4’s STEM Institute is preparing students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Many local firefighters, nurses, police officers and teachers trained at SC4. The college also works with local hospitals, governments and factories to train employees. The Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County is housed on campus, providing a natural link between training and jobs.

The St. Clair County Community College Campus on the Black River is an extension of downtown Port Huron, benefiting students and the community. A planned River Walk will further integrate the college and downtown.

Numerous St. Clair County partners, including SC4, have formed a KnowHow2GO initiative to help students and parents prepare for college. Thanks to another initiative, the Blue Water Middle College partnership among St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency, SC4 and five local high schools, some K-12 students can graduate after five years with a high school diploma and an associate degree, free of charge.

SC4’s downtown location benefits students and the community. With more than 4,600 students on campus, the college boosts traffic to downtown businesses and restaurants and brings tenants to downtown rental units. The college also serves as the cultural center for the area.

Creating SC4’s downtown campus represents the city and college’s biggest joint project to date. In 1966, the city received a $2 million federal grant and contributed $800,000 of local funds to buy the land that would become SC4.

St. Clair County Community College's Greenway opened in the fall of 2012. A collaboration between the city of Port Huron and SC4, the project closed portions of two streets and created a pedestrian walkway.

The two entities have continued to work together. In 2012, parts of two city streets through campus were closed and turned into a pedestrian Greenway. The project has helped connect campus to the downtown area.

The Greenway will connect to a River Walk being developed along the Black River in collaboration with community partners, the city and SC4. The River Walk will further integrate the college and downtown.

In 2012, when launching a new student I.D. card program, the college worked with local businesses to provide discounts to students. SC4 also partners with local organizations, including local arts incubator Studio 1219, which features an SC4 artist each month and hosts its Hands On Art event on campus.

Recently, while organizing the community’s first New Year’s Eve countdown, the city’s civic center, McMorran Place, reached out to SC4 for help. Four welding students volunteered to build an anchor to be dropped from McMorran’s Tower each year.

As the economy evolves, a strong relationship between St. Clair County Community College and the city of Port Huron will continue to benefit community residents.

Pauline Repp is mayor of Port Huron and Dr. Kevin A. Pollock is president of St. Clair County Community College.

City of Sault Ste. Marie and Lake Superior State University Work Together to Form a College Town

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An aerial view of Sault Ste. Marie and Lake Superior State University.

By Mayor Anthony Bosbous and President Tony McLain

The eastern Upper Peninsula is home to the Michigan’s oldest European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie.  Founded in 1668, Sault Ste. Marie has a population of nearly 15,000 people.  Sault Ste. Marie is also home to Lake Superior State University, founded in 1946.  The University is known for its academic programs in such fields as fisheries and wildlife science, fire science, engineering, chemistry, and environmental science.

Mayor Bosbous

Dr. McLain

Sault Ste. Marie was recently selected by the Michigan Municipal League as one of five pilot communities in the State to demonstrate what local actions can be taken to enhance the community’s attraction in the eyes of today’s workforce.  The Michigan Municipal League, through its Center for Twenty First Century Communities, has identified eight assets that can create a vibrant city.  These assets include one, physical design and walkability; two, green initiatives;  three, cultural economic development; four, entrepreneurship; five, multiculturalism; six, technology; seven, transit; and eight, education.  As a result of the pilot project, and by focusing on the list of assets above, Sault Ste. Marie identified a primary goal of evolving from simply a town with a university into a true university town.

Since the project began over a year ago, a steering committee was established and named “Sault United.”  Sault United is composed of community leaders representing the City, the University, War Memorial Hospital, the area and intermediate school districts, the economic development corporation, and the downtown development authority.

Lake Superior State University campus

Sault United has already taken great strides strengthening the town-and-gown relationship.  Four sub-committees have been formed to put ideas into action; a student/parent welcome committee, a sporting event coordination committee, a transportation committee, and a community arts promotion committee.

The student/parent welcome committee assisted this year in engaging new and returning students with the City in a number of ways.  First, over 300 local businesses and organizations participated in “Lakerpalooza,” a vendor event hosted by the University.  Second, the University offered free shuttle rides during “Laker Week” (orientation week) to allow students to “Sample the Sault.”  Downtown Sault Ste. Marie collaborated with the University to host the first ever photography scavenger hunt in which students had to complete objectives like getting their picture taken with a local business owner, for example.  Over 50 students rode the shuttle into downtown to participate in this event.

Another successful event was the first ever Lake Superior State University “haunted homecoming parade.”  For years the City held its downtown Halloween festival separately while the University held their events on campus.  This year, Sault United worked to connect the two.  As thousands of children and their families “trick-or-treated” at downtown businesses, Lake Superior State University clubs and student groups paraded “haunted” floats through the crowds

One of the best outcomes from these beginning stages of town-gown efforts are the direct connections being made between businesses and student groups.  Sault United board members frequently hear new stories about how students are collaborating with businesses and local organizations to complete class projects, raise money, volunteer, or find future employment.

Sault Ste. Marie’s evolution into a true university town will continue as Sault United’s subcommittees make progress in the areas of student involvement, sports, arts, and transportation, and the Michigan Municipal League’s support has been invaluable in these efforts.  However, the Michigan Municipal League’s involvement doesn’t stop here.  The City of Sault Ste. Marie has recently been chosen for a visioning and planning grant to develop a critical portion of the downtown that is currently composed of a number of long-vacant and obsolete properties.  The City and the University, along with the other members of the Sault United committee, will be collaborating on this visioning project.  One of the primary goals of this visioning process will be to lay out area plans that will aid in fulfilling town-gown goals.

Sault United is enthused to continue the work of transforming Sault Ste. Marie into a true university town, and looks forward to a maintaining a fruitful partnership with the Michigan Municipal League.

Anthony Bosbous is the mayor of Sault Ste. Marie and Dr. Tony McLain is the president of Lake Superior State University.

Benefits of City and University Partnerships

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By Mayor Dayne Walling & Chancellor Ruth Person

Dayne Walling

Dayne Walling

Ruth Person

Ruth Person

Michigan’s colleges and universities are essential to who we are as a state. We think of ourselves as a diverse family of Wolverines, Spartans, and many others. We are known around the country and across the globe as a place with extraordinary institutions of higher education. In our local communities, Michigan State University has become synonymous with East Lansing, Wayne State University with Detroit, and the list goes on.

Looking ahead into our future, however, this international status and these important relationships can not be taken for granted.

In fact, at a time when talent, economic development, and thriving places are intertwined, it is necessary to nurture city-university partnerships so they grow and expand in innovative and remarkable ways. We believe this will require an unprecedented cooperative effort among public officials and higher education leaders. Our hope is that the dialogue started here about the exciting partnerships already underway will spark greater enthusiasm for this essential effort.

A classroom at University of Michigan-Flint.

One of Flint’s anchor institutions is the University of Michigan-Flint. The campus is literally at the heart of community, where the main street and the river cross. In the past decade, the university has been a catalyst for transforming downtown into a vibrant and diverse space with new residents, facilities, restaurants and events. With more than 8,000 students and 1,000 faculty and staff, the University of Michigan-Flint fills the downtown up every day with hard-working and creative people who have made this the metro region’s fastest growing “neighborhood”.

Joining together as part of the Flint River Corridor Alliance, the City, Mott Community College, Hurley Medical Center, Kettering University and the University of Michigan-Flint are working on a broader vision of redevelopment for the greater river corridor. The corridor is redefining the region as a place of opportunity for growing businesses, eager students, and talented faculty.

A UM-Flint bus picks up and drops off students in downtown Flint.

Strong city-university partnerships created through service-learning, research projects and academic programs are also in place. These include important K-12 alliances such as the Genesee Early College and the Beecher Community Schools project.  The “Vehicle City Voices Database” project aims to create a linguistic and oral history database that contains interviews of residents of Flint. This project will serve as a digital resource for researchers and students on the UM-Flint campus and beyond who are interested in variations in grammar, pronunciations, word use, and speaking styles of English speakers in Flint, MI.  The University supported the City’s grant application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and agreed to provide in-kind support of $245,000 to the City’s effort. Currently, the University has nearly a dozen faculty and staff involved in various committees that make up the Master Planning process, serving either as residents or technical advisors to the subcommittees.

University of Michigan-Flint students meet at a downtown Flint cafe.

Together, we see tremendous opportunities ahead of us as the City rebounds and the university continues to grow.  As we continue to seek partnerships for mutual benefit, we’ll continue using our annual “Town-Gown” gathering to facilitate the dialogue and generate new and exciting ideas.

We hope that other colleges and universities and the cities they serve will join us in this effort to build a successful future for our State.  We applaud the Michigan Municipal League’s commitment to building strong Town-Gown relationships.

Dayne Walling is the Mayor of Flint, Michigan, and Ruth Person is the chancellor of University of Michigan-Flint.