I am so encouraged and hopeful when a group of people who represent diverse backgrounds and interests come together to plan and achieve a shared vision. That’s what happened during our November 17 Community Dinner, which was co-sponsored by the university and the Neighborhood Advisory Council. More than 200 guests, including our Cleveland and East Cleveland neighbors as well as representatives from local organizations, came to the Tinkham Veale University Center to connect over food and conversation. It was a special event and a terrific way for the university to welcome our neighbors to campus and to learn how we can work together to strengthen our community and amplify our impact in meaningful ways.
And as I reflect on 2023, I’m proud of the work of the Office of Local Government and Community Relations. We’ve better targeted our Pre-Collegiate Programs and were able to expand our ranks to direct programming. We officially launched Collaboratory, an online resource that enables the university to identify and track our work in the community more intentionally and effectively. And finally, we began renovations and construction on the Wade Park Community Engagement Center, which, in addition to offering a range of community services and programs, also will be the new home for the Office of Local Government and Community Relations. I look forward to its completion next year.
With these aspects of our work in place, we can spend more of 2024 advancing our mission as an anchor institution. Anchor institutions are those universities, hospitals, nonprofits and corporations that are rooted in place and that are positioned to serve as economic engines for their communities. To that end, CWRU President Eric W. Kaler has approved the creation of an anchor-focused task force whose membership will include senior leaders from across the university. Our goal will be to collect data and monitor our progress and impact within the community.
We have so much good ahead of us. I want to wish all of you a happy holiday season. See you in 2024!
Julian Rogers
Assistant Vice President, Local Government and Community Relations