Urban Update 
The monthly newsletter of the UMass Dartmouth
Urban Initiative
March 2013
If you read our monthly newsletter, you know that the Urban Initiative has a broad impact in the community, reaching a handful of cities and covering a range of topics. But how does our work benefit UMass Dartmouth students? And how can students become involved?

To answer those questions, we created a new 'Students' page on our website. There you can read about the types of activities in which students are engaged, the backgrounds of our current team, and profiles of UI/MPP alumni who have translated their work at UMass Dartmouth into public service careers.

One effort featuring our students is 'Sustainable Cities,' our new graduate student speaker series presented with the Department of Public Policy. Jason Hill, MPP '13, will facilitate a conversation between officials from Fall River and New Bedford on how they're approaching the issue of vacant land. Join us on March 14!

PHOTO CONTEST!
A team of Leadership SouthCoast students is working with the UI to promote and drive traffic to our indicators site. One of their fabulous ideas: a photo contest that will give our project more exposure while generating original images to complement the data. Click here to view the flyer and learn more!

SouthCoast Indicators
With the launch of the photo contest comes the launch of four new pages! Here's what you can learn about now: To be the first to know when new data is posted, 'Like' us on Facebook!  
 Upcoming Events

What: "From vacant to vibrant: a conversation about land use in Urban SouthCoast." Second event of our graduate student speaker series, 'Sustainable Cities,' hosted by UI grad assistant Jason Hill, MPP '13. Guests will include city officials from Fall River and New Bedford. 
When: Thursday, March 14, 6:00p
Where:  Claire T. Carney Library, UMass Dartmouth (285 Old Westport Road)
Cost:
Free

What:
SouthCoast Regional Bikeway Summit, featuring a conversation about the economic impact of rail trails 
When: Thursday, March 28, 6-8p
Where:  UMass Dartmouth Law School
Cost: Free; register here

What: 5th Annual Civic Engagement Summit, presented by the UMass Dartmouth Leduc Center for Civic Engagement.  
When: Thursday, April 25, 8:30a-1:30p
Where:  Woodland Commons, UMass Dartmouth
Cost: $25 (free for students); register here
 Grants
 
Target's Arts, Culture, & Design in Schools program- Deadline: 4/30
Grants of $2,000 available for schools and nonprofits that enhance the arts experience in the classroom during the 2013-14 school year. Click here for RFP

WK Kellogg Foundation grants for community-based learning - Deadline: open
Grants will be awarded to organizations working in the following areas: educated kids, healthy kids, secure families, racial equity, and community & civic engagement. RFP here.
 
Job opportunities

Transportation Planning Technician
SRPEDD - Taunton, MA

This is a full-time, entry-level position for people with backgrounds/education in civil engineering, transportation engineering, urban planning, or geography. More details here.

Staff Planner
City of New Bedford

Full-time position that involves coordinating the city's permitting process and managing the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Full job description here.
In this issue:
Photo contest
SouthCoast Indicators
Events
Grants
Job opportunities




 About the Urban Initiative:

 

The UI is a division of the Center for Policy Analysis that addresses challenges and opportunities in the region's smaller industrial cities, with a particular emphasis on Fall River and New Bedford.  

 

In addition to conducting applied research, evaluating programs and policies, facilitating collaborations, and providing technical assistance to cities and organizations therein, the Urban Initiative serves as a knowledge base for urban policy issues in the region.

 

Perhaps most importantly, our work to support cities supports UMass Dartmouth students. Graduate and undergraduate students enjoy the opportunity to apply their coursework in the field by serving as paid staff and interns. If you are or know of a UMass Dartmouth student who wants to work with the Urban Initiative, get in touch!


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Contact us!

 
Phone:
508-910-6407

Email: urbaninitiative@umassd.edu

Mail:
285 Old Westport Road
North Dartmouth, MA 02747

Website: http://www.umassd.edu/urbaninitiative/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbaninitiative

Twitter: @UrbanUMassD 



Urban Initiative staff


Project Manager:
Colleen Dawicki

Graduate research assistant:
Jason Hill

Graduate research assistant:
Robert Golder