Home  |   About Us  |   Mission & Goals

Mission:

The University of Pittsburgh’s Community Outreach Partnership Center engages faculty, students, and staff in applied research and service-learning initiatives with community partners in neighborhoods surrounding the University.  This effort addresses locally-identified issues in order to improve community conditions and build partner capacity in ways that also enhance learning experiences, scholarship and civic response across the institution.

Goals:

• Assist faculty members to integrate community engagement into their scholarly work
• Engage students in applied research and service-learning experiences that address community needs, as well as develop student academic, leadership, and citizenship skills and responsibilities
• Enhance the capacity of community groups through collaboration and partnership building to address community-identified issues and problems
• Promote networking among the many university and community partners to coordinate and maximize the impact of the University’s civic engagement work

 Efforts:

• Provides a clear portal for and into the community

• Enhances the research and scholarship of faculty and students working in community service

• Coordinates the many community service, leadership, internships, and other civic   engagement and citizen activities on campus

• Supports communities and university units seeking funding to develop partnership projects

• Increases the visibility of the University’s community impact
• Promotes the involvement of alumni and the larger community in supporting this work