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Campus-Community Connections
The official newsletter of the International Town & Gown Association™ February 22, 2021
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Nominate the Best for the 2021 ITGA Awards |
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Each year, ITGA recognizes members that work toward improving the quality of life in campus communities. The ITGA Presidential Excellence Award is presented to a member that demonstrates exceptional performance in one of the following areas: Volunteer Service, Leadership, or Educational Achievement. The Larry Abernathy Award is presented to a City, University and/or University student that best represents the mission of the ITGA. Recipients of the awards will be recognized at the 2021 virtual ITGA City & University Relations Conference in May. Submissions are due Monday, April 19. To see past submissions and distinguished recipients of the awards, click here. Send questions to Beth@itga.org. This photo was for the Grinnell Education Partnership, submitted by Grinnell, Iowa.
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Professional Development Opportunities |
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Moderator Sara Bloom, Executive Director, Downtown Hays Development Corp, Hays, KS, and ITGA Board Member, will lead this monthly discussion. We will continue our focus on strengthening partnerships between town and university stakeholders in 2021 and beyond. Come prepared to share your ideas, frustrations, and strategies that are working in your campus communities. If you would like to address a particular topic, please email sara@downtownhays.com. To register, click here.
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Small Colleges/Small Towns Affinity Group: Join co-chairs Monica Chavez-Silva, Vice President of Community Engagement and Strategic Planning, Grinnell College, IA, and ITGA Board member, pictured; and Lawrence P. DiRe, Town Manager, Town of Federalsburg, MD, for this networking opportunity. If the description below fits you, please join us for this event.
Save the Date: March 11, 4:00 pm (EST): The town-gown relationship of small-sized institutions in small communities is rich, complex, interrelated, frequently untapped, and holds endless potential. This group connects small colleges and their communities with each other and with the broader conversations and resources needed for both to see the successes and benefits of an ITGA membership. To register, click here.
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Meet ITGA Executive Director Beth Bagwell |
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Beth Bagwell, MPA, ITGA Executive Director
No surprise that “community outreach” is Beth Bagwell’s most highly endorsed skill on LinkedIn. As executive director of the International Town & Gown Association (ITGA) since 2013, Beth has put her people skills and considerable energies into building membership and developing a “go to” conference that draws hundreds of attendees annually from throughout the United States, Canada and beyond. Beth holds a master’s in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, where she held a post-graduate position at the Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs. She became involved with ITGA in 2012 after meeting former Clemson Mayor Larry Abernathy and becoming inspired by his “vision and deep appreciation for collaboration between the city, university and students.” Growing membership and providing opportunities for member engagement are key priorities, she says, during this COVID-challenged year. To contact Beth, click here.
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We would like to personally thank Amy Gage, Director of Neighborhood Relations, University of St. Thomas, and contributing writer for ITGA. The Board of Director highlights were just one of many of her contributions. Amy, thank you for your generosity of time and talents. We appreciate your passion for the work that you do and for your dedication to ITGA.
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"Build Back, Dream Forward" Program |
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Fairfax, VA: George Mason University’s School of Business is launching a program for underserved business owners in the food and beverage retail sector with the goal of growing those companies during and beyond the Covid-19 crisis. The general idea is to gather a cohort of about 20 business owners for a seven-month program that includes eight online sessions focusing on a range of topics from customer outreach via social media, to “technology, logistics and physical space,” to “social capital and wealth creation.” Participants will also have access to an online discussion board, be matched with a participating business mentor and receive individual coaching sessions on specific needs or areas of focus for each. Build Back, Dream Forward is backed by a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. It is one of the larger grants the foundation awarded as part of its post-Covid-19 Growth Initiative. Washington Business Journal
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Texas: Universities have tried to provide students with food and shelter, opening warming centers in campus buildings and providing to-go meals from dining halls. But many are battling dwindling food supplies, staffing shortages as employees struggle to get to work, lack of water and power outages. The situation is particularly challenging for students in large residence halls unable to see their families or access supplies like extra clothing, food or a car. Unstable cell service and the internet made it difficult for universities to update students with the latest information, said University of North Texas student Lexi Bednar. Some Texas students living off campus are facing different challenges as they’re forced to fend for themselves without the help of parents or university administrators. The Texas Tribune
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ITGA News & Announcements |
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Registration: The ITGA 2021 Virtual City & University Relations Conference registration is open. To learn more about the conference or register, click here.
Sponsorship: Interested in being a conference sponsor? We welcome sponsors wishing to support strong town-gown relationships while showcasing their services and products and interacting with hundreds of campus-community stakeholders from the UK, Canada, the US and beyond. Learn more.
Contact Susan@itga.org to discuss conference registration or sponsorship opportunities. Be sure to ask about the special group rates.
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A growing and impressive group of professionals from campus communities continue to network and share strategies for improving town-gown relations. Join us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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