Notre Dame — Demonstrating Civic Leadership in South Bend Through Programs and Partnerships that Contribute to the Common Good
As James Wensits wrote in the Summer 2010 issue of Notre Dame Magazine, from its founding in 1842 through about 1987, “Notre Dame was engaged first in its own survival and then on its growth into a great university.” During that time, South Bend was home to industrial giants like Studebaker, Bendix Corporation, and Singer. Unfortunately, those companies have come and gone. Notre Dame, however, is here to stay and here to provide the civic leadership necessary to ensure that South Bend thrives in the twenty first century. Here are five of the ways in which the University of Notre Dame is engaged, invested, and committed to civic leadership in South Bend:
- $5.5 Million Economic Initiative: In June 2009, the University of Notre Dame provided an example of its long-term commitment to the area by announcing voluntary annual contributions to local governments, including the City of South Bend, St. Joseph County, the City of Mishawaka, and the Town of Roseland.
- Safety And Crime Prevention (SACP) Task Force: Comprised of Notre Dame students, South Bend residents, local business owners, landlords, police officers, and area prosecutors, the SACP Task Force has met annually since 2009 to review crime reports and discus how Notre Dame and South Bend can work together to create a safer community.
- Community/Campus Advisory Coalition (CCAC): A 21-member panel of city leaders, South Bend residents, and Notre Dame students and administrators, as well as representatives from other local colleges, the CCAC meets regularly to discuss the responsibility students have to be good neighbors.
- Ambassador’s Group: Made up of 16–20 city officials and local community leaders, the Ambassador’s Group meets four times a year to inform non-alums in the area of University events and initiatives in the hope that they will then pass along that information to their friends and family in the community.
- NDCAC: Notre Dame Center for Arts and Culture now houses Notre Dame’s Office of Community Relations, whose goals are to enhance and develop collaborative programs that will strengthen the University’s relationship with South Bend.
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