The 2020 Power of ITGA
Fifth in a series on the value of ITGA and its world-class leadership
By Chris Roselli, Western Washington University
For decades, Western Washington University (WWU) had a rather simple campus map to offer our guests, and not much more than that. As WWU's Director of Community Relations, one of my charges is to make our university more accessible to our community. Our local hotel and tourism partners reached out asking if Western could create something that they could hand their customers, many who are in town to visit WWU.
I knew this was badly needed, but had no idea where to start. So, when I attended my first ITGA conference last year, I made it my goal to learn what other universities are doing as it relates to publications with local hotels and tourism partners. I needed a better campus map.
At the conference, I met Megan Eberly of Purdue University and she shared Purdue's map with me. Through many conversations with her and how they utilize their map, I am excited to say that WWU now has a welcoming and useful map that we are proud of. Most importantly, our local tourism and hotel partners are thrilled at the university's efforts to help them help our guests. It's one facet of town/gown that we have improved thanks entirely to the power of ITGA. (And Megan at Purdue University). I look forward to bringing another challenge with me to the ITGA conference to see how our exceptional peer professionals can help.
Chris Roselli is director of community relations at Western Washington University. Do you have your own "power of ITGA story" to tell in 250 words or less? Send it to outreach@itga.org
ITGA Conference Update and COVID-19
Effective immediately to help limit COVID-19 risk on the Colorado University campus, in the Boulder community and to its many partners and colleagues, the University of Colorado Boulder has temporarily suspended multi-day university-sponsored gatherings or those with more than 150 attendees. In response, ITGA is temporarily suspending conference registration.
In the event the conference has to be cancelled, all registrants will receive a refund minus the processing fee and fees for the optional networking event, but we are not at that point yet. We are considering all angles to hosting the conference. We will be in steady contact with the ITGA community sharing greater clarity and updates in the coming weeks. We truly appreciate your patience, support and collegiality during this challenging time.
ITGA Interns' Interview, a call for more students
Interns Oliver Eccelston (Cornell University) and Eben LeBerthon, (University of Arizona) guested on this week's "All Things Equal," a weekly radio show produced by Cornell University. The students discussed why they like town-gown work, and the role of ITGA in collaborative problem solving. Take a listen!
If you have a student working in your office who is interested in town-gown work, be it a one-time assignment, or a handful of hours a week, contact outreach@itga.org. We are looking for students who understand the importance of a vibrant, inclusive college town, have solid writing and research skills, and want to learn and have fun. We'd be glad to chat with any student supervisor on the front end and-or connect interested students with ITGA interns Oliver or Eben for an informational interview.
People of Color Affinity Group
By Summur Roberts, Office of Civic Engagement, Loyola University Chicago &
John Mejia, Office of Student and Community Relations, University of Vermont
The People of Color Affinity Group was launched in 2017 as a platform for ITGA members of color to connect and collaborate around topics of mutual interest and create opportunities to broaden the conversation around diversity, equity and inclusion. As we think about ITGA 2020 and beyond, it seems to be a great opportunity to re-engage this group and set goals for moving forward.
I have been asked to co-chair this group with my colleague John Mejia. Together, we would like to invite anyone interested in engaging to contact us at srober6@luc.edu or jmejia@uvm.edu. Our next steps are to schedule a Zoom meeting where we can come together, share, and plan a group before the end of March. Thank you in advance for your interest and participation. We're excited to connect with you all. Thanks for all you do!
ITGA Student Engagement
Fifteenth in a series of representative collaborations
Founded in 1974, Spring Fling provides entertainment and support to both the University of Arizona and Tucson communities. One of the largest student-run carnivals in the nation, it attracts over 20,000 guests and provides the Tucson community with three days of carnival rides, games, food booths and entertainment. A 100 percent student-run event, Spring Fling allows student volunteers to gain valuable skills in communication, team development, event planning, and community outreach. At the 2019 Spring Fling, students collected 1,792 pounds of food for a local food bank, and raised $60,000 for student organizations to support community service and other initiatives. Learn more.
Would you like student engagement from your community of campus highlighted in this space? Email outreach@itga.org .
Join us on Social Media
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 .