Project Description
Pathfinders RC&D partnered with the University of Iowa’s Office of Outreach and Engagement to assist communities in our region with community development efforts. The Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) is a campus-wide community engagement initiative that empowers students, faculty, staff, and community partners to co-create mutually beneficial partnerships to pursue vibrant, sustainable, and equitable futures.
The program offers essential, energizing, and applicable learning experiences to graduate and upper-level undergraduate students while simultaneously providing valuable services and substantial outcomes to communities. The students bring high-quality work, while the projects offer learning opportunities for the next generation of community leaders.
Our Role
Pathfinders’ staff works directly with student groups to focus on regional projects within various communities. Each community is directly connected to the IISC student group and acts as a project manager to help ensure successful outcomes for the community and the University. Pathfinders took part in a similar partnership back in 2019. This partnership is more region-based and will have a larger impact on the rural communities as a whole.
For more information on the projects, please visit:
IISC and Pathfinders RC&D Partnership 24-25
2019 Outcomes Include:
- A housing needs assessment for the City of Bloomfield
- Engineering design for: Keokuk County, Bentonsport, Carnegie Museum in Fairfield, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Van Buren County, Iowa Department of Transportation, and others
- Jefferson County Public Health Mental Health Campaign
- Communication plan for the Historic Hills Scenic Byway
- Workshop for museum staff and volunteers about document preservation
- Short documentary films about Pathfinders RC&D and four of our projects