ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College and its community-development partner LA Excels have announced three summer community research fellowships. The fellowships are the second phase of a two-year, $80,000 award from The Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education and the Council of Independent Colleges that gives students interdisciplinary opportunities to research issues important to the Lewiston-Auburn community.

“The fellowships are based on the premise that to prepare students for a lifetime of contributions to society, colleges should enable students to connect with the world beyond the campus while still in school,” said Rebecca Swanson Conrad, executive director of LA Excels.

Newcomer, advised by Michael Lecompte, president of LA Trails, and Camille Parrish, an environmental studies learning associate at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, is studying “Community Trail Organizations: What Are the Best Models?” LA Excels has focused community attention on recreational trail development, and Newcomer’s report will examine at least three communities similar to Lewiston-Auburn that have successfully funded trail organizations. “I’m working on ideas for the group to pursue in the future,” says Newcomer, an environmental studies major with an emphasis on policy and natural resources.

Haque, advised by Conrad, and James Reese, associate dean of students at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, is investigating “Higher Education Opportunities in Maine: Where Are the Gaps?” Maine has one of the highest high school graduation rates in the country and an equally high rate of students continuing to college. However, the state also has one of the lowest percentages of citizens with bachelor’s degrees. To advise planners who may consider new higher education programs in Maine, Haque will develop a matrix of the state’s higher education opportunities.

Barsky, advised by Linda Hertell, president of Richardson Hollow Associates, and James Hughes, associate professor of economics at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, is researching “Downtown Revitalization: What Works/What Doesn’t.” LA Excels supports specific projects for the downtowns of both Lewiston and Auburn but lacks an overall local study of barriers to general revitalization. Barsky will create a report of at least three communities similar to Lewiston-Auburn where downtown revitalization has been effective.

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ funded four student fellows in 2001. All projects are based on two years of public discussion that took place as part of LA Excels, a partnership of 36 local institutions, including ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College. Local citizens identified key areas where community development work could strengthen and enrich educational aspirations, arts and cultural opportunities, neighborhood empowerment and local environmental and recreational options.

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ is one of 13 from among 113 applying colleges or universities to be awarded the grant, part of a national program “Engaging Campuses and Community,” in 2001. The Council of Independent Colleges is an association of nearly 500 institutions of higher education that work together to enhance private higher education’s contributions to society. The Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education is a grant-making organization that assists corporations and foundations in stimulating meaningful reform in private colleges and universities.

The research areas are based on public discussion that has taken place in the last two years as part of the work of LA Excels, a partnership of 36 local institutions, including ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College. Local citizens have identified key areas where community development work can strengthen local educational aspirations, enrich local arts and cultural opportunities, undertake neighborhood empowerment projects, such as new housing, models and downtown neighborhood development and enhance local environmental quality and recreational options  through the development of green space.

The Council of Independent Colleges is an association of nearly 500 independent colleges and universities that work together to enhance private higher education’s contributions to society. The Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education (CAPHE) is a grantmaking organization that assists corporations and foundations in stimulating meaningful reform in private colleges and universities.

For more information, contact Beckie Conrad, executive director of LA Excels at 207-753-6900 and rconrad@bates.edu or Kerry O’Brien in the Dean of Faculty Office at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College at 207-786-6065 or kobrien@bates.edu.

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College is one of 13 from among 113 applying colleges or universities to be awarded the grant. The program will provide qualified students with unique interdisciplinary research opportunities that focus on issues important to the Lewiston-Auburn community. Each Community Research Fellow will be advised by a community adviser and a ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College adviser.

“The fellowships afford students an opportunity to put their academic work into practice and are aimed at assisting independent colleges and universities in establishing partnerships with their communities to enhance hands-on learning activities while addressing community needs, ” said Rebecca Conrad, Executive Director of LA Excels. “It is based on the premise that to prepare students for a lifetime of contributions to society, colleges should enable students to connect with the world beyond the campus while still in school.”

The research areas are based on public discussion that has taken place in the last two years as part of the work of LA Excels, a partnership of 36 local institutions, including ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College. Local citizens have identified key areas where community development work can strengthen local educational aspirations, enrich local arts and cultural opportunities, undertake neighborhood empowerment projects, such as new housing, models and downtown neighborhood development and enhance local environmental quality and recreational options through the development of green space.

The Council of Independent Colleges is an association of nearly 500 independent colleges and universities that work together to enhance private higher education’s contributions to society. The Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education (CAPHE) is a grantmaking organization that assists corporations and foundations in stimulating meaningful reform in private colleges and universities.

For more information, contact Beckie Conrad, executive director of LA Excels at 207-753-6900 or this rconrad@bates.edu or Kerry O’Brien in the Dean of Faculty Office at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College at 207-786-6065 at this kobrien@bates.edu.