The distinct profile of UTRGV as a distributed university in a region of great economic vibrancy, but also great public need, demands that community engagement be embedded in the UTRGV culture. The UT System’s Quantum Leaps clearly call for institutions of higher education to adhere to the highest standards of academic excellence while transforming the region they serve. Therefore, we seek to build a strong institutional infrastructure that supports more developed networks and sustainable partnerships. This will allow all units on campus to contribute significantly to a host of initiatives aligned with the Quantum Leaps, including: ensuring that students successfully enter higher education (The Texas Prospect Initiative and Enhancing Fairness and Opportunity); preparing the future leaders of Texas (American Leadership Program); improving the health of Texas (UT Health Care Enterprise); and increasing college retention and graduation rates (Student Success). Community engagement knows no boundaries as it provides opportunities through local, state, federal, and global platforms via engaged scholarship, research, teaching, learning, and creative activities.
Goal
Foster sustainable community-university relationships to enrich scholarship, research, teaching, learning, and creative activities while addressing critical societal issues and contributing to the public good.
Key Initiatives
Strengthen leadership, capacity, and acknowledgement of community-engaged teaching, learning, and research at all levels.
Increase and strengthen community and educational outreach programs and opportunities, including student internships and service learning.
Contribute to community wealth and asset building through partnerships with constituents and local, regional, national, and global agencies, institutions, and organizations.
Facilitate and advance public discourse around issues of local, regional, national, and global significance.
Sample Metrics
Number of community outreach programs.
Student participation in community-based internships and service-learning coursework.
Partnerships with constituent groups at the local, regional, and national levels.
