By Kyle Winslow
The west end of Louisville is facing some hefty issues, including a lack of educational programs, increasing health problems among its residents and rising crime rates within its communities.
Hoping to help the dilemma, the University of Louisville has developed a promising resolution. The Office of External Affairs has drafted a Signature Partnership Initiative to focus on education, health, economic development and human and social services in the city’s west end.
During his inauguration speech three years ago, President Dr. James Ramsey, accentuated the importance of U of L becoming more engaged within the community.
“We must think beyond the boundaries of our campus,” said Ramsey. “We must dream of taking a ‘center of advanced learning’ and making it a place of even ‘greater consequence’ not only for our students, but for our community and the entire Commonwealth.”
The Signature Partnership Initiative will commence in the west end, but U of L anticipates on moving throughout the state of Kentucky. Daniel Hall, vice president for External Affairs, is one of the key promoters of the Initiative.
“With an eastern boundary of Ninth St., and a southern boundary of Algonquin Parkway, the west end encompasses about 75,000 residents,” Hall said.
Referencing statistical graphs that the university has manifested, Hall said, “More than half of the population of the west end are not high school graduates.”
Hall calls this the “educational attainment gap,” and this is the focal part of the Signature Partnership Initiative. U of L hopes to close this gap by “getting our faculty, and our students into the community and into programs that address these issues,” said Hall. According to Hall, some of these eventual affairs could be after-school programs at local schools.
“Starting out modestly, we are focusing on five schools in West Louisville: Portland Elementary, Atkinson Elementary, Western Middle, Central High and Shawnee High Schools.”
Currently, U of L is in the planning stages and has met with the principal of each aforementioned schools, and eventually, plans to meet with the teachers and the parents of the students. These appointments hope to provide feedback on what U of L can do to advance these schools.
According to Hall, by improving education, the city of Louisville will help to decrease unemployment in the community. In some parts of the west end, nearly 75 percent of the adults are without jobs.
Nick Mader, a sophomore finance major, was shocked at this figure. “I’m appalled, but I’m glad that the university is trying to help out.”
Along with educational advancement, the Signature Partnership Initiative hopes to improve health conditions in the west end.
“We want to go into the schools with health professionals, and make sure the students have the proper immunizations,” said Hall.
However, Hall is not only worried about the students’ health, but the families of these children too.
“Partnering with the Center of Health Equity, we are focusing on improving the health of the entire community,” said Hall.
Another goal of U of L’s Challenge for Excellence emphasizes these partnerships and collaborations. The Signature Partnership Initiative brochure states that the University wants to “support existing partnerships and engage new partners to contribute to the education, social, and economic progress of the region and state.”
Some of these community partners include faith based institutions, the Metro Health Department, and Metro United Way.
The Signature Partnership Initiative will be a great way for students to give back and get involved in the community. “At the beginning of next semester, we will tell students how they can get involved,” said Hall. “There will be many internships and volunteer programs for any of the students that are interested.”
This initiative has been modeled after several successful programs adopted at Yale University and Johns Hopkins University intended to strengthen and revitalize the community.
For more information those interested are encouraged to contact Hall at Daniel.Hall@louisville.edu.
