IISC is a campus-wide community engagement initiative that empowers students, faculty, staff, and community partners to co-create mutually beneficial partnerships in pursuit of vibrant, sustainable, and equitable futures. While Partnering, community needs are matched with the expertise and resources of university faculty, staff, and students through courses, independent studies, and research proje
cts. By taking students out of the classroom and into communities to complete real-world projects, IISC accomplishes two university-wide goals: enhancing sustainability across the state and transforming teaching and learning at the University of Iowa. IISC approaches the holistic nature of sustainability by drawing on many disciplines across campus, including urban and regional planning, civil & environmental engineering, business and marketing, law, art and art history, cinema arts, and more. A unique model for engagement and learning
The magnitude and depth of an IISC partnership make it, unlike any other resource or service at the University of Iowa. Whereas some community engagement might consist of a single project, IISC partnerships bring together faculty, staff, and students from across campus to complete 10-15 projects in a single community over the course of an academic year. Dozens of top UI students from various disciplines bring their talents, enthusiasm, and creativity to the partnership. For IISC community partners, focusing resources in their area results in a profound, transformative impact not only because of the number and quality of projects but also because citizens and community leaders coalesce around a shared vision and shared goals in order to make the partnership successful. For UI faculty and students, IISC means that they can expect to work in a community ready to take on big challenges, and prepared to be true collaborators. IISC is a competitive application process that requires a considerable amount of time and effort from prospective community partners, as well as a broad vision for the future. By the time students arrive on campus for the start of a new semester, community partners are ready and eager to begin working on the collaboration. IISC is also unique because professional staff work to ensure high-quality results for community partners. Final deliverables reflect not only the high-quality work from students but the professional expertise of IISC staff.
