Lessons Learned from the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities
Wednesday, August 6th at 1:00 PM ET
(12:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM MT / 10:00 AM PT)
About this Session
Join us for an engaging and informative webinar highlighting the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC), the University of Iowa’s flagship community engagement program. This session will delve into how IISC fosters collaborative partnerships between students, faculty, and communities across Iowa to address local challenges through sustainable and interdisciplinary solutions. Whether through urban planning, environmental studies, public health, or the arts, IISC projects bring real-world experience to students while helping communities achieve long-term, locally driven goals. The session will demonstrate how the program has successfully implemented the EPIC-N city-year partnership model since IISC was established in 2009.
The webinar will feature success stories and practical tips from past IISC collaborations, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how meaningful partnerships are built and sustained. Presenters will share strategies for effective stakeholder engagement, project design, and impact measurement, making this session valuable for educators, community leaders, and anyone interested in university-community collaboration. Attendees will leave with inspiration and tools to replicate similar models in their own institutions or communities.
Who should attend?
Community-engaged faculty, staff, and practitioners and community leaders interested in university partnerships
What does this mean? This virtual event is more informational with minimal interactivity. Feel free to have this webinar on in the background while you eat lunch or check email!
- Only facilitators and guest speakers will be seen on camera
- You can submit questions by typing them into the Zoom Q&A feature
- This event will focus on information sharing, presentations, or panel discussions
Meet the Speakers
Professor of Practice, University of Iowa School of Planning & Public Affairs and Director, Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities
University of Iowa
Bio
Bio
Travis Kraus is a Professor in the University of Iowa School of Planning & Public Affairs and the Director for the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities, a community engagement program that helps create more sustainable futures while enhancing teaching and learning at the University of Iowa. Prior to joining the University of Iowa in 2016, Travis worked as a planner, economic developer, filmmaker, and entrepreneur.
Nick Benson
Executive Director, Office of Community Engagement
University of Iowa
Bio
Bio
Nick Benson serves as the Executive Director of the Office of Community Engagement and provides leadership on campus for community-engaged teaching, learning, and research. He has worked for eight years in various community engagement roles at the University of Iowa, including as Director of the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities and Director of Community Development and Outreach. Nick holds a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and Jurisdiction Doctorate from Iowa. Before his time at Iowa, Nick worked for the City of Iowa City in community and economic development and at Leff Law Firm.