University of Denver
PAE-19: Community Sustainability Partnerships

The University of Denver has several formal partnerships with the local community, including school districts, government agencies, non-profit organizations, or other entities, to work together to advance social, economic, and environmental sustainability within the community. There are too many to enumerate here, below is a sampling. The University partnered with Alliance for Sustainable Colorado and hosted a sustainability round table on November 4, 2010 involving over 100 representatives from businesses, non-profits, government agencies, and higher education institutions. Commitment to social sustainability through community service and social justice are the foundation of our Graduate School of Social Work. GSSW is the only graduate social work program in the nation founded by a community coalition that later became the United Way and a chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Nearly 80 years later, with outreach efforts that span the globe, GSSW exemplifies the University of Denver's vision: to be a great private university dedicated to the public good. through outreach programs such as the Bridge Project, the China Partnership Project, and the Adoption Competent Certification Program. The Bridge Project strives to help children and youth living in Denver's public housing neighborhoods to achieve their academic potential and graduate from high school with the resources necessary to succeed as adults. Since 1994, GSSW has been working with China Youth University in Beijing to establish the social work profession in China. The program includes student and faculty exchanges, as well as joint faculty research. A course entitled "Social Work from a Chinese Perspective" gives MSW students the opportunity to examine social work practices on location in China. The Adoption Competent Certification Program is the result of a collaborative effort between the University of Denver, Butler Institute for Families, The Adoption Exchange, Aurora Mental Health and the Colorado Department of Human Services. Over the past several decades, the Morgridge College of Education has forged community partnerships with numerous organizations to strengthen our connection to the people around us, addressing issues of social sustainability throughout our community. These include partnerships with the Aesthetic Education Institute of Colorado, the Boettcher Teachers Program, the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program, the Colorado Community Based Research Network, the Counseling and Educational Services Clinic, the Denver Teacher Residency Program, Highline Academy (a K-8 Denver public school), the Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy, the Principal Preparation District Partnership Programs, and the Ritchie Program for School Leaders. The University of Denver's long standing partnerships with the non-profits Denver B-Cycle and Transportation Solutions have been key in the implementation of bike sharing on campus and in Denver. Our outreach programs through University College, while focus on broader topics, including the arts, also address issues of social, economic, and environmental sustainability through partnerships with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the non-profit Active Minds, and the Denver Botanic Gardens. The Women's College at the University of Denver embraces diversity, recognizing the value and meaning different perspectives and worldviews bring to both higher education and our communities at large. TWC partners with local community organizations and private businesses to collaborate on advancing our world one woman at a time. TWC partnerships that address issues of social sustainability include the Local Education Adult Resource Network (LEARN), Project Education Sudan, and the Women's Global Empowerment Fund.

The additional web links support the response below: http://www.du.edu/socialwork/outreach/ http://www.du.edu/education/partnerships/index.html http://blogs.du.edu/today/news/earth-day-to-give-bike-sharing-a-citywide-boost http://www.du.edu/transcenter/GettingAroundTown.html#bike http://www.universitycollege.du.edu/learning/ep/partner.cfm http://www.universitycollege.du.edu/learning/viva/partners.cfm http://womenscollege.du.edu/about/partners.html