As a bridge between the classroom and the community, the Office of the Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives aims to provide meaningful opportunities for students to apply scholarly interests and research to advance campus initiatives that create stronger communities through student engagement.
Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public and Community Service
Syracuse University’s hub for academic community engagement, the Shaw Center provides leadership in experiential learning in order to enhance academic learning objectives, research and the student experience. Learn more>>
South Side Initiatives
The Office of Strategic Initiatives partners with several community organizations on the South Side of Syracuse to produce collaborative programming focused on three main areas: wellness, literacy and the arts. Partners include:
- Sankofa Reproductive Health & Healing Center
The mission of Sankofa, a Black woman-led reproductive justice organization, is to end preventable death and illness in Black, African and Indigenous communities in Syracuse. Based at the South Side Community Center, the organization provides immediate and judgment-free access to culturally reflective, community-led pregnancy and reproductive care. Learn more>> - Breedlove Readers
A young adult book club for middle and high school Black girls, Breedlove Readers allows participants to engage in a communal reading, shared dialogue and curation of various therapeutic art art projects that speak to their lived experiences and enunciate themes within the selected novels. Courtney Mauldin, assistant professor in the School of Education, is project director. - Open Art Studio and Makerspace
As part of an Engaged Communities Faculty Fellowship, Rochele Royster, assistant professor of creative arts therapy in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, hosts an open art studio and makerspace for community members.