The University of Delaware (UD) has a long tradition of applying knowledge and creativity to the critical challenges facing communities — in Delaware and around the world. In 2015, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designated UD as a community engaged university. UD’s Community Engagement Initiative builds on that tradition by focusing on what makes every community strong:
- Improving public education, health, and environmental quality
- Encouraging economic development
- Expanding arts and cultural programs that enrich quality of life
This initiative aims to expand the University’s role in cultivating active citizens through real partnerships that impact civic needs. Join us as we grow with new partnerships, work with new communities, and embark on research that will change the areas where we live, work and play. Join us!
Daniel Rich is director of the Community Engagement Initiative, University Professor of Public Policy and a former provost and dean. He serves as policy director for the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission that seeks to strengthen education for low-income and other disadvantaged students throughout Delaware.
Lynnette Overby is deputy director of the Community Engagement Initiative, professor of theatre, former director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning at UD and former associate dean of outreach and engagement at Michigan State University. She led the UD Community Engagement Commission in helping Delaware become officially recognized by the Carnegie Foundation in 2015.
