The Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development is executing its new 10-year strategic plan. Implementing the plan will help Illinois State meet the goals of Educate Connect Elevate: Illinois State – The Strategic Plan for Illinois’ First Public University 2018-2023.
The year-long planning process incorporated input from students, faculty, staff, host organizations, alumni, and campus partners, as well as Illinois Board of Higher Education program review data and goals. The Stevenson Center is grateful for wide participation in surveys, focus groups, and other discussions.
The center’s mission is to promote community and economic development in the United States and abroad. The center cultivates leaders in public service through a unique combination of interdisciplinary coursework, research, professional practice, and community collaboration.
Each year, the Stevenson Center is taking steps to meet four key goals: cultivate leaders to positively impact communities, foster partnerships to meet mutual goals, promote scholarship of community and economic development, and secure commensurate resources.
In the spirit of its namesake, Adlai E. Stevenson II, Illinois State University’s Stevenson Center sets the pace for service and understanding, locally and globally. Beginning in 1994 as the first Peace Corps Fellows program in community and economic development, the Stevenson Center continues to administer an interdisciplinary graduate sequence in applied community and economic development. For each program offered through the Stevenson Center, master’s degrees are available in anthropology, applied economics, kinesiology and recreation, political science, and sociology. The center welcomes returned Peace Corps volunteers, AmeriCorps alums, and others with service experience. Additionally, the Center provides direct service to communities and administers the Peace Corps Prep program for undergraduate students.
Megan Birk is the Stevenson Center’s public relations intern.
