The Institute for Community and Economic Engagement (ICEE) is excited to announce the seventh cohort of its Community-Engaged Pathways and Partnerships (P2) Fellows Program.
ICEE focuses on community engagement as a distinctive approach to teaching, research, and service. Through active scholarship and support for strategic initiatives, it works to positively and sustainably transform communities, including academic ones, with a commitment to meaningful impact.
Please read on to learn more about these amazing upcoming partnerships.
Activating Movement in Older Adults through Public Sculpture
In 2023, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at UNCG on the intersection of arts and public health and our community collaborator, the Creative Aging Network, formed a partnership to create new models for intergenerational and multicultural public art around the United States. Through theoretical and applied, arts-based research, we are producing an interactive sculpture park in Greensboro that engages older adults to improve quality of life.
The Creative Aging Network catalyzes communication between older adults through the arts. The nonprofit enhances the well-being and social connection among elders throughout North Carolina through artistic programming that is multicultural and intergenerational. As a critical site for such action, collaborations and education, CAN-NC was awarded a 10-acre property donation in 2019 at 2400 Summit Avenue of wooded areas, streams, and fields.
In 2023-24, the Creative Aging Network Public Art Initiative received Seed funding from the UNCG CVPA Dean’s Community Engagement Grant and in 2024 we received CB-URCA funding from the UNCG URSCO to support our work. Current arts-based research by our project team brings together faculty and undergraduate and graduate students in Sculpture, Interior Architecture, Kinesiology, Sociology, Gerontology, Human Development and Family Studies, and Education. Our long-term goal is to create a public arts-based research space at UNCG focused on multigenerational experiences of outdoor art in the public interest.
Sustainable Pathways to Community Wellness Through Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Justice: Empower Innovate Sustain (EIS) Program
The EIS Initiative aims to leverage the expertise of three community partners and two UNCG faculty members to create a comprehensive training program for social entrepreneurs. This initiative will engage stakeholders to identify the needs of underserved communities, develop and test program elements, and refine a model training program. The goal is to equip social entrepreneurs with the necessary business acumen, resources, and community support to thrive financially while maintaining their social missions.
The core team, consisting of Taressa Burge, Sonya Staples, Amber Booker, Channelle James, and DeAnne Brooks, will collaboratively design the EIS program, recruit stakeholders, collect and analyze data, refine the program, facilitate workshops, and author curricula and publications. This collaborative effort will ensure the program meets the specific needs of social entrepreneurs and fosters a supportive community.
The project will focus on economic empowerment and business sustainability by creating a thriving economic ecosystem that supports innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable business practices. The EIS Initiative will assist social and sustainable entrepreneurs in integrating social value into their financial strategies, connecting with supportive markets, cultivating resources, and securing capital investment. Additionally, the program will offer students hands-on experience, fostering a deep connection to social value creation. Faculty involvement will expand research portfolios and ensure effective implementation of wellness solutions. By addressing the unique needs of social entrepreneurs, the EIS Initiative aims to drive positive change in the community and create pathways for future collaborations.
