Monday, April 26, 2010

For two semesters, public sociology students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington have worked to build community programming at the Hillcrest and Rankin Terrace public housing neighborhoods in Wilmington. They will present their research findings and thank community partner organizations at a university-community partnership breakfast at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 27 in the Madeline Suite on the UNCW campus.
 
Working with numerous community partnership organizations and UNCW faculty, the students have studied and worked to help address issues such as senior citizens and social isolation, food security and nutrition programs, social factors that influence high school dropout rates, early childhood intervention programs and increasing human capital in resource poor communities. Community partners include the Wilmington Housing Authority, Hillcrest Residents Council, YouthBuild Program, DREAMS Center, the UNCW Division of Public Service and Continuing Studies, the UNCW Honors Program, Hillcrest Reading Program and Step Ahead Program, among others.
 
“Community-university partnerships create understanding about needs within the community and the resources that the university can offer, then all partners work together to create programming to address those needs,” said Leslie Hossfeld, UNCW associate professor and public sociology program director. “Building strong partnerships requires time and commitment. UNCW has demonstrated that commitment by providing incredible resources, including student research and service learning opportunities, to the WHA-UNCW Community Campus at Hillcrest.”
 
This event is NOT open to the public, but media are invited to attend and cover the program and research presentations. Visual opps include students presenting their research in presentations and poster form, and interviews will be available with student presenters, UNCW faculty and community partners.

Media contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu