Mark Wheeler, Boise State Extended Studies Dean; Ameila Keily, Outreach Coordinator; Nora Carpenter, United Way President and CEO Peter Risse, Boise State Extended Studies Associate Dean celebrate a new partnership with United Way of the Treasure Valley
In a new partnership, the Boise State University Community Impact Program (CIP) and United Way of Treasure Valley (UWTV) will see their combined missions elevated — empowering communities to initiate their own positive change. UWTV has served as a national example of positive community partnerships since 2002 and will continue to do so in partnership with Boise State.
By reaching potential students in the UWTV network who are already engaged with their communities, CIP aims to help students complete their education with a stand-alone Community Impact Certificate. Alternatively, students can obtain their certificate and use the credits earned toward a bachelor’s degree.
This new partnership provides both Boise State and United Way with the opportunity to make a difference in local Idaho communities cooperatively. CIP offers students a formalized and applicable skill set designed to empower their efforts to improve their communities. Students have received scholarships, engagement, entrepreneurial support, professional development and network facilitation with local partners.
Partnership with Boise State also fills a key gap in the UWTV education mission to improve adult education. Reaching adults of any age, the Community Impact Certificate serves community members from adolescence through retirement, bestowing generational impact on families. In turn, this provides UWTV with a network of individuals who have been trained in community impact and have gained skills, community connections and tools to bolster efforts to strengthen rural community outcomes. The result is an authentic effort to help improve the social and economic vitality of partner communities.
In a generous offer from United Way President and CEO Nora Carpenter, UWTV has offered to host community partnership forums in the classroom and provide leadership experience in microvolunteer events within CIP partner communities. Efforts such as these progress the program curriculum and give students even more hands-on experience with the challenge-based learning concepts delivered in class.
Interested in learning more about Boise State University’s Community Impact Program?