01/10/2005

UAEDI Six Month Update: Upcoming Topics and Reports - Jan. 10, 2005

January 10, 2005

TO: UAEDI Colleagues
FROM: Otto Loewer, Director
RE: Upcoming Topics

As you know, UAEDI sends out periodic emails concerting opportunities for involvement in partnerships and to report on the progress of groups who are working within the UAEDI organizational framework. There is no regular schedule with these electronic mailings, as is the case with newsletters. However, we are at the mid-point of the University of Arkansas fiscal year, and I want to give you a brief preview of what you can expect to receive during the remainder of the year.

For starters, we will be telling you about a recent SEED (Students Engaged in Economic Development) project involving Landscape Architecture and the City of West Memphis. Civil Engineering and Art are also involved, but to a lesser degree. This project completed one phase during the fall semester with a student presentation to city representatives, and we are optimistic that this initial effort will lead to even more activity in the near future.

We will be reporting on UAEDI efforts to develop a SEED model journalism project for high school students where they will report on various broad-based development (economic, educational, community and leadership) activities within their respective communities. Faculty from UA’s Journalism Department and the Writing Center are playing an important role in this idea, and there are several high schools that are currently involved.

Speaking of communities, we will be having an update on the creation of the Crossroads Coalition in eastern Arkansas. Some really great things are in the works, and hopefully will come into full play during the spring.

Our plans are to really push the SEED program in the Crossroads Coalition, once certain organizational structures are in place. The West Memphis project mentioned earlier is the third SEED project for the region, and one high school in the region is already involved in the SEED Journalism Project. Expect to be asked to participate!

Representatives from UAEDI will be making five presentations as part of session at the CIEC (Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration) national meeting early next year in Savannah, GA. The general topic will be how UAEDI works with various partners to promote well-being and prosperity for the people of Arkansas.

Last summer, UAEDI completed a survey University of Arkansas Fayetteville seniors and M.S. students regarding what they looked for in a community upon graduation, how they viewed Arkansas on the basis of these same factors, and how much they would like to live in Arkansas at some point after graduation. This survey was completed in partnership with the UA Survey and Research Center. Results from this survey will begin being released early in 2005 and should prove interesting to a wide range of people both inside and outside of the state.

There are a number projects in various stages – new or expanded SEED projects, a Workforce Development project, and projects in Eureka Springs – that are in process. We will bring you more details about them as they develop. I am confident that they will experience the outstanding success of earlier projects, and will further link the needs of communities in Arkansas to higher education in general and the University of Arkansas in particular.

UAEDI will again be having a general meeting this spring. Details are to follow in a few weeks.

Our “UA Capabilities Database” (open to employees of the UA system) continues to grow and be updated. We welcome all those eligible to download the forms from our website and submit the required information so that you and your programs have visibility that may lead to partnership opportunities. Listing in the UAEDI Entrepreneurial Resources Database is open to anyone who has programs and/or resources that are related to entrepreneurial activities in Arkansas. The procedures for data entry are much the same as for the UA Capabilities Database.

In closing, let me say that the interest in UAEDI model continues to grow. One indicator is the number of visitors to the UAEDI web site (http://uaedi.cast.uark.edu) that reached an all-time high in December, despite the number of holidays. In fact, for December 2004 alone, the web site attracted 2850 visits (844 unique) from 26 different countries and 34 states. Interestingly, only 61 percent of the visits were from the U.S. and only 9 percent of the 61 percent were from Arkansas (ranked 4th among U.S. states). We are also in the process of making some changes that we believe will result in a “new and improved” web site within a month or so.

The bottom line is that you may hear from UAEDI a little more frequently this spring. We think that you will enjoy both reading about our progress and more importantly being part of this growing model for how to involve higher education in the broad-based development of Arkansas.

Best regards!

UAEDI Six Month Update: Upcoming Topics and Reports - Jan. 10, 2005