Watts Overview Brochure 2026

Be the solution

“We have created an ecosystem that empowers people to further cultivate their passion for public service.”

- Cynthia Lietz, Dean

Integrating teaching, research and service A comprehensive public service college

From the dean

The Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions is a unique place where faculty, staff, students and community partners come together to develop and test solutions to some of the most difficult challenges facing our society.

Our mission is to build more vibrant, healthy, equitable and sustainable communities. Our four schools and over 20 research institutes and centers work to respond to a broad set of areas within public service. We develop nonprofit leaders and prepare students for roles in local government. We enhance public safety while working to create a criminal justice system that is fair and grounded in evidence-based practice. We ensure the wellbeing of children and seek to respond to the needs of underserved populations. We provide timely and rigorous research to inform policy, address health disparities and work to implement best practices in social work, criminology, public administration and community development.

The Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions is central to Arizona State University’s charter — measuring ourselves not by whom we exclude, but by whom we include and how they succeed, advancing research and discovery of public value, and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities we serve.

Students choose a major in this college because they are passionate about making a difference in the world. We are working to equip the next generation of public servants with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively serve their local communities.

Faculty come to the Watts College because of their expertise in understanding the causes and solutions for addressing social problems.

Our staff play a vital role in advancing this important work, all performed in concert with the community.

We have created an ecosystem that empowers people to further cultivate their passion for public service. We hope you will join us in this honorable pursuit.

- Cynthia Lietz, Dean and President’s Professor

We are a unique, comprehensive public service college dedicated to fully integrating teaching, research and service to address social problems.

Our degree programs cover the spectrum of public service, including public policy, social work, community advocacy, criminology and criminal justice, nonprofit leadership, sustainable tourism, economic development, emergency management, public administration, parks and recreation management and community development.

Through rigorous applied research, we are developing solutions with the potential to better our response to pressing issues ranging from child welfare to neighborhood safety, city management to violence prevention, water scarcity to tourism development.

Our faculty and students are close to the partners we serve. We are deeply embedded in the community, forging partnerships to take on projects that have local, national and global impact.

Meet Mike and Cindy Watts 2018 gift establishes the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions

Mike and Cindy Watts are known for their generous civic involvement and investment, a passion that began with their west Phoenix neighborhood of Maryvale and extends to the Arizona State University community and the college that bears their name.

In 2018, Mike and Cindy made a substantial gift to our college as an investment in our diverse and mission-driven student body, who do not wait to graduate to start making a difference in the communities they serve.

This gift was more than an investment in the College of Public Service and Community Solutions: It was — and remains — a significant contribution to community, opportunity and solutions.

The Wattses are co-founders of Sunstate Equipment, a highly successful equipment rental company that began in Arizona in 1977 and has expanded to 14 other states.

They both grew up in Maryvale, at the time a newly-developed suburb. Maryvale began experiencing urban decline in the 1980s and ‘90s. To reverse this, Mike and Cindy made leadership gifts to the Maryvale YMCA and endowed the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, an initiative of ASU’s now-Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. They have been engaged with the university since 1988 and are lifetime members of the ASU President’s Club. They are dedicated to using their

resources, both financial and personal, to elevate the quality of life for all in our community and state.

The investment by Mike and Cindy supports and expands the work of the college in community development, public policy, criminal justice and child well-being.

The gift and its impact This generous investment will support three key areas: • Community impact. One major initiative is to revitalize the Maryvale community with emphasis on collaborating directly with community leaders to bolster their efforts and increase community engagement.

• Academic excellence. The gift will fund five endowed professorships that will allow the college to attract established scholars who are focused on community development, public policy, criminal justice and child well-being.

• Student success. Funding will also support student-driven programs focused on policy and leadership training, service learning, social entrepreneurship, research and access to transformative experiences for first-generation students.

“ I have always felt giving people a reason

to be optimistic, to believe in dreams, is important. Part of the initiative we hope to work with the college on is the development of that: a belief system — not just in themselves, but in the opportunities that exist. - Mike Watts

”

Academic excellence and accessibility Meeting the growing demand for public service training

2012 enrollment: 5,000+

1,300+ graduate

2023 enrollment: 7,000+

3,000+ graduate

3,700+ undergraduate 4,000+ undergraduate

Our ability to attract students who represent the diversity of our communities is important to create opportunities for all populations to achieve access to and success in higher education. Of equal importance is how this commitment translates into real impact for the communities to which our students return. We view accessibility for all students as not just a way to impact their lives, but as a broader benefit to society when these individuals leave ASU and better their communities. The Watts College is already home to one of ASU’s most

diverse student bodies, with high percentages of underrepresented minority, college transfer and employed students -- as well as a large community of first-generation college students, eager to have a positive impact on the world.

Among our scholars are more than 750 veterans, as well as international students from 30 countries. Many chose public service because of their own life experiences and their firsthand understanding of systems and structures that need improvement.

45%

50%

750+

First-generation college students

Transfer students

Veterans

Cassie Johnson

Mario Marquez

Graciela Alvarez

Cassie was a self-described troublemaker growing up, so family and friends may have been surprised when she decided to pursue a degree in criminology and criminal justice. She is working with girls who are on probation and mothers who are incarcerated. She hopes her own journey will serve as an inspiration and remind others that it is never too late for positive change.

Mario’s parents were deported when he was a freshman in high school.

With support from relatives and friends, he ultimately went to Paradise Valley High School and worked full-time.

He transferred to ASU from community college and recently earned a degree in public policy and public service. He also serves as an ambassador, sharing his story with other community college students.

After serving two years in the military, Graciela started ASU pursuing a degree in parks and recreation management with a concentration in therapeutic recreation.

She says she is taking her experience in the military and applying it to help veterans through recreational therapy.

First majority minority college at ASU

45%

High financial need students

Our schools The School of Community Resources and Development advances the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of our local and global communities through instruction, research and service. Our school provides interdisciplinary expertise and innovative academic programs in nonprofit leadership and management, parks and recreation management, and tourism development and management.

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice merges theory and practice. The core of our instruction focuses on the theories of criminality and evidence-based best practices for responding to crime through the lens of three interrelated structures — policing, courts and corrections — which collectively comprise the criminal justice system. Our proximity to major criminal justice agencies enhances the opportunities for instruction, practice and student internship experience.

The School of Public Affairs prepares students and professionals for ethical, inclusive and effective public service, while conducting cutting-edge research of public value and engaging locally, nationally and internationally with the communities we serve. We are among the top public affairs graduate schools in the country, with highly ranked specializations in local government, emergency management and homeland security, urban policy, IT management, and public management and leadership.

One of the largest and most diverse social work schools in the U.S., the School of Social Work is motivated by its steadfast commitment to promote social, political and economic justice with a special emphasis on populations of the Southwest. Our school prepares professional social work practitioners and scholars who are committed to enhancing individual, family and group problem-solving capacities, maximizing human potential and creating a more just and humane society.

Degree programs Undergraduate

Graduate

Doctoral

Bachelor of Arts Community Advocacy and Social Policy

Master of Science Community Resources and Development

Doctor of Philosophy Community Resources and Development

Bachelor of Science Criminology and Criminal Justice

Master of Arts Crime Analysis

Doctor of Philosophy Criminology and Criminal Justice

Bachelor of Applied Science Emergency Management Bachelor of Science Nonprofit Leadership and Management Bachelor of Science Parks, Recreation and Sport Management Bachelor of Science Public Service and Public Policy

Master of Arts Criminal Justice Master of Science Criminology and Criminal Justice Master of Arts Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Master of Science Program Evaluation and Data Analytics

Bachelor of Social Work

Master of Public Administration

Bachelor of Science Sport and Recreation Management

Master of Public Policy

Bachelor of Science Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management

Doctor of Philosophy Social Work

Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management

Bachelor of Science Recreation Therapy

Bachelor of Science Tourism Development and Management

Doctor of Philosophy Public Administration and Policy

Master of Arts Public Safety Leadership and Administration Master of Social Work - Advanced Standing Master of Social Work - Standard Program Master of Sustainable Tourism

“ It’s incredible to have a program

that directly educates you about what you’re doing... It was a really practical education.

”

- Courtney Klein, MNPS, founder of Seed Spot, a nonprofit incubator for social entrepreneurs

Reinventing public service education We want every student in the college to see themselves as an agent of change in society.

Our signature pedagogy is solutions-based learning, giving students hands-on experience right from the start based on needs identified by our community partners. Embedding them with mentors and future employers means being a part of the solution begins immediately.

A solutions orientation

encourages students to understand a problem from varied vantage points.

Our students do not just receive an education, they engage in it.

Study abroad

programs offer a world of learning opportunities in exciting locations, tailored to students’ academic focus.

We challenge every student to define a problem or an essential question they would like to address in their time at ASU. This focus becomes their North Star as they choose coursework, internships and research projects designed to bring clarity and advance solutions to that single challenge.

Hands-on, service learning

takes students out of the classroom and into the community to begin making a difference right away.

Internships

offer meaningful learning experiences and a bridge from the university to a career.

Undergraduate research

furnishes practical experience in the creation of knowledge and solutions.

Eric Alarcon, of Phoenix, furthered his understanding of criminology by studying the 400year history of the Italian Mafia during a May 2018 visit to Sicily. He toured towns that built monuments to murder victims and heard accounts of prosecutors who brought justice to this community. He also learned about the white-collar criminals of today’s Mafia and ascended Mt. Etna. “It was life-changing,” he said. “A lot of people say that, it’s kind of corny, but it honestly was.”

As part of the undergraduate research program, two undergraduate students from different schools teamed up to investigate the financial exploitation of elderly Chinese-Americans. Qilun Li, a social work major, and Congy Li (no relation), a tourism development and management major in the School of Community Resources and Development, interviewed 325 Chinese-Americans over the age of 60 and found almost 10% reported at least some form of financial exploitation.

The same month that Andrew Hanus finished serving six years in the U.S. Air Force, he began his public service and public policy degree program in the School of Public Affairs. By the following year, the 26-year-old was studying in Washington, D.C., launching a multi-million dollar initiative and balancing 22 credit hours of online classes with a job at the White House. A semester later, he was asked to join the staff.

Brooke Wheeler , a member of the Navajo Nation and an MPA graduate, was an intern with the Maricopa County Treasurer’s Office as part of the Watts College’s Maricopa County Leadership and Education Advancing Public Service program (MCLEAPS). She designed and implemented a records management program that saved the county an initial $467,000 and an estimated $67,000 per year thereafter. NASPAA recognized this work with the Public Service Matters Spotlight award. She went on to work with the Bureau of Land Management in Washington, D.C. She says her experience at ASU has positioned her to go back and help her own tribal governments create efficiencies, transparency and public value.

Tools for success Ensuring equal opportunity for all students irrespective of their personal circumstances is our mission.

More than 50% of our students are pursuing their degrees through our growing number of online programs.

We also achieve access by bringing our programs to serve new locations across the state, nation and world. We have a longstanding presence in Tucson, and have expanded to include Yuma, Lake Havasu City and Hainan, China.

“ The professors and

staff at ASU were fundamental to my success. They are the experts on the field and great mentors.

”

- Melissa Abramowicz, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, MA

Scholarship support Many of our students have personally experienced poverty or other barriers to achievement. Pursuing a future in public service, they have chosen to be change agents for vulnerable populations. We help students connect with the funding they need, and much of our fundraising efforts are aimed at scholarship support.

Assisting students with a background in foster care In Arizona, young people with a background in foster care can go to college tuition-free, but there’s still the cost of room, meals, books and other expenses — not easy for a young person just starting out on their own. Bridging Success at ASU gives these students a head start by helping them apply for financial aid and scholarships, find a place to live and learn about academic and other resources on campus.

Daphne Thompson, a mother of four, spent a semester in Washington, D.C., and obtained her bachelor’s degree in public service and public policy with support of the Nina Mason Pulliam Scholars program.

Students from Maryvale returning to their neighborhood to assist with canvassing.

Hands-on experience Not only do nearly all of our degree programs require an internship to help solidly prepare students for their futures, but from day one, we offer students opportunities to start connecting directly with surrounding communities while putting their skills to use. One example is ASU students, many from under-resourced communities themselves, who teamed up with our Design Studio for Community Solutions to go door-to-door in the Phoenix neighborhood of Maryvale with tote bags of school supplies to support residents, tell them about a new free Wi-Fi program and help build trust with a community traditionally wary of outsiders.

Community Solutions Cooperative How can we use technology to solve social problems?

The challenge of finding accessible and safe hygienic resources is one of many constant concerns for people experiencing homelessness. A group of students enrolled in the Coding for a Social Good course at the Watts College sought to help provide solutions to this real-world challenge. The course combines elements of social entrepreneurship, coding and design thinking to help students enact change.

In the spring 2022 semester, students developed the app Safe Hygiene 4U, which offers access to maps and lists that share vetted resources like showers, clothing donation and shelters through nonprofits, gyms, truck stops, churches and more.

Our students are not waiting to graduate to make a difference. As part of the Community Solutions Cooperative (Co-op), students, faculty and community partners work collaboratively to affect change.

How do we support human trafficking survivors?

Launched in 2017 in collaboration with the City of Phoenix, Starfish Place is a unique community that provides housing and supportive s​ ervices to individuals and families impacted by human trafficking.

The ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research and students in the School of Social Work support the clinical programming onsite.

800+ community partners 1,400+ student interns

600,000+

hours of service in the community

How can we improve quality of life for low-income older adults?

The ASU Community Collaborative is a student-run clinic and community center located on the first floor of the Westward Ho, where it provides residents with a wide range of assistance. The historic building is home to 300 low-income older adults and individuals with disabilities. Services range from social connection opportunities, supplemental food provision and technology assistance to blood pressure checks, counseling, nutritional education and disease prevention programs.

How do we train the next generation of government leaders?

ASU students can compete for paid internships within multiple Maricopa County departments through the award-winning Maricopa County Leadership and Education Advancing Public Service (MCLEAPS) program. This ASU/ Maricopa County partnership offers top students specialized training, hands-on experience and an introduction to the opportunities and rewards of public service careers.

How can we move beyond the walls that separate us?

In partnership with the Arizona Department of Corrections, criminal justice Professor Kevin Wright launched the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program at ASU, based on a model created at Temple University. The class brings together college students and individuals experiencing incarceration to learn about the issues of crime and justice. The culmination of this community-based learning is an actionable project designed to improve the correctional system.

It has been amazing to work with and get to know the ‘inside’ “students and learn not only how similar we are as people, but also

how similar our views can be on crime, its causes and punishment.

- Wesley, “outside” student

”

Building a public service university

“NGSC was equally pivotal in my success at ASU. I was able to work in the public, private and nonprofit sectors while taking courses that centered on creating characterdriven leaders who could solve complex problems through cross-sector collaboration.”

– Lorena Austin Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies, BA Arizona State Representative

We promote a service culture at ASU through university-wide programs that attract students across majors with a common commitment to public service.

Public Service Academy/Next Generation Service Corps The Public Service Academy answers our nation’s call for a new type of leader, armed with the character and courage to cross sectors, connect networks and ignite action for the greater good. The academy is home to the Next Generation Service Corps (NGSC), a four-year leadership development program (with a two-year transfer track) where students study their chosen major, engage in practical elements of leadership, learn cross-sector collaboration and complete internships working on real issues in the public, private and nonprofit sectors — all while pursuing their own chosen social mission.

Congressman Ed Pastor Center for Politics and Public Service Congressman Pastor felt strongly that in order to learn how to be effective change agents, young people need to get involved with the political process. The Pastor Center fulfills that vision by offering scholarships (Spirit of Service Scholars and Andrew Goodman “Vote Everywhere” Ambassadors), workshops and seminars, and financial support to help students from all majors access internships and participate in professional conferences and activities related to advocacy and public policy.

Design Studio for Community Solutions The Design Studio for Community Solutions (DSCS) works with local stakeholders to devise practical solutions to complex community issues. Based on the idea that communities thrive when solutions to their challenges are generated from within, DSCS deploys ASU academic units and students to support civic leaders at all levels. Since its inception in 2019, the team has worked in the Maryvale region of Phoenix to provide vaccine information during COVID, distribute school supplies to children, connect residents to free internet and facilitate youth leadership programming.

Action Nexus on Housing and Homelessness The Action Nexus on Housing and Homelessness team connects efforts across systems and agencies in Maricopa County to improve service delivery and maximize effectiveness. The good news is, agencies working toward ending homelessness in Maricopa County are already collaborating.

Extending ASU’s resources to the community, the Action Nexus works to amplify communication, alignment and shared action among the diverse agencies needed to solve housing and healthcare insecurity.

Research centers and institutes Bob Ramsey Executive Education Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy Center for Child Well-Being Center for Correctional Solutions Center for Organization Research and Design Center for Problem-Oriented Policing Center for Science, Technology and Environmental Policy Studies Center for Sustainable Tourism Center for Urban Innovation Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Center on Technology, Data and Society Family Violence Center Global Center for Applied Health Research Global Center for Technology Transfer Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation Morrison Institute for Public Policy Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Pastor Center for Politics and Public Service Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center Studio for Creativity, Place and Equitable Communities

Public Allies accelerate social impact Public Allies Arizona is one of the country’s largest Public Allies sites. Since 2006, this AmeriCorps program embedded in the ASU Lodestar Center has placed over 500 service-minded emerging leaders in paid apprenticeships with nonprofit partners. Allies have accelerated social impact and built capacity with over 800,000 service hours in greater Phoenix and Tucson communities. The program has received over $6 million in external grant dollars; with in-kind and partner support, the investment is over $12 million. Allies have earned over $3 million in education awards.

We look for ways that undergraduate and graduate students can work with faculty to contribute to existing research projects and develop their own.

Bringing a wider approach to health Globalization, social and cultural dislocation, climate change and resulting social inequality can adversely affect the well-being of children and families around the world. Through transnational research partnerships, the Global Center for Applied Health Research serves as a bridge between ASU, international universities and global communities to increase their capacity to apply evidence-based interventions in order to solve pressing health and social issues. The center’s International Research Fellowship Program has welcomed scholars from countries throughout Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa to train alongside

ASU faculty and staff. These fellowships then grow into international collaborations for prevention-science research addressing issues ranging from preventing youth substance use to addressing HIV/AIDS stigma to COVID-19 pandemic response to parenting programs for Native American families.

Seeking communitybased solutions Interpreting complex water shortage scenarios With Lake Mead and Lake Powell at historic low levels and new water restrictions announced in 2022, experts and residents alike will need reliable information about what affects the supply and distribution of Arizona’s most precious resource as less water becomes a new normal. A digital tool called the Arizona Colorado River Visualization Enterprise — or the Arizona CuRVE Project — offers in-depth knowledge about what the ongoing water shortage means in an understandable, nonpartisan way. Using Arizona CuRVE, anyone who consumes water can discuss the impacts of possible water policy options. The project is presented by the Kyl Center for Water Policy at the Morrison Institute for Public Policy, based at the Watts College, and ASU’s Decision Theater.

Finding real-world solutions requires work that gets out of academic silos. Our research addresses pressing real-world challenges, such as persistent health disparities, human trafficking, the need to incorporate new technology in policing, youth development in resource-starved communities, sustainable economic development around tourism and more. In each area, we seek out community-based solutions based on high-quality, empirical research. Our goal is not to think just about possibilities, but to implement solutions that help advance positive impact on our community today.

Advancing nonpartisan governance Are American voters disillusioned with the two-party system? Research — and the millions of voters who are fleeing the Republican and Democratic parties to identify themselves as independents — seem to indicate the answer to this question is “yes.” The Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy is dedicated to further studying this important, emerging community of voters; creating space for diverse, concerned citizens to discuss how to best address the challenges our democracy faces; and examining ways to make a shift to nonpartisan alternatives.

Expanding domestic violence advocacy Since 2015, the Watts College’s Office of Gender-Based Violence has trained and verified hundreds of students as domestic violence advocates through the Survivor Link AmeriCorps program. Led by School of Social Work Professor Jill Messing, the program is extending its reach, thanks to a $1 million grant that will expand funding for the program at ASU and establish Survivor Link training at 13 additional campuses in more than 10 states. Through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Vista progams, Survivor Link impacts the community by enhancing services and building capacity to reduce violence. Student interns volunteer with community partners while earning academic credit and scholarships. Students also can earn an undergraduate or a graduate certificate in domestic violence and evidencebased practice through the School of Social Work.

Providing policing solutions Researchers at the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (CPOP) advance the concept and practice of problem-oriented policing (POP) by making readily accessible information designed to help police effectively and equitably address specific crime and disorder challenges. Since the publication of the first POP Guide in 2001, millions of copies of the POP guides and other CPOP publications have been distributed to or downloaded by individuals and agencies throughout the world. The center’s materials are also widely used in police training and college courses.

Promoting citizen engagement The Watts College leads a multipronged approach to effective citizen engagement. For example: • The Youth Voter Engagement Academy, an initiative of the Pastor Center for Politics and Public Service and Opportunities for Youth, recruited and trained 16- to 24-year-olds to be voter outreach ambassadors engaging youth in targeted low-voter-turnout communities in Arizona.

• The Center on Technology, Data and Society hosted a Digital Entrepreneurship in Communities of Color virtual workshop with researchers and practitioners to explore how local governments can support inclusive entrepreneurship for community development. The workshop was supported by the Kauffman Foundation.

• The Participatory Governance Initiative hosted a three-day conference, By the People, bringing together participants from around the world to share research findings, engage in discussion and promote innovative approaches.

Integrated locally Learning at any age Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at ASU immerses adults ages 50+ in intellectual, cultural and social experiences. Members take part in universityquality classes that are academic in nature, researchbased and taught by faculty from ASU or ASU’s Emeritus College. Courses are offered in different locations across the Valley and are taught on a range of topics. OLLI at ASU has seen tremendous growth over the past 18 years and currently has over 1,000 active members throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.

OLLI at ASU connects members beyond the classroom and infuses civic engagement into the offerings, empowering members to give back to the community.

Developing city managers

Cultivating local government leaders

For more than three decades, Bob Ramsey Executive Education has helped professionals from federal, state, county, municipal and tribal governments and agencies earn Certified Public Manager® (CPM), Certified Municipal Clerk and Master Municipal Clerk credentials or enhance their management and leadership competencies. Since its founding, the CPM program has graduated over 3,400 in-person and online students from city governments around Arizona and surrounding states. The program is the only nationally accredited provider of the CPM in Arizona.

Students who aspire to be city or county managers can get direct experience working with actual local government leaders in two paid internship programs offered through the School of Public Affairs. The Marvin Andrews and Jane Morris Fellowship began in 2006, when current and former metro Phoenix city managers approached ASU to create a two-year, tailored program for graduate students. The fellowship, named for respected former Phoenix City Manager Marvin Andrews, has been so successful at preparing participants for local government management careers that some students have secured jobs even before completing their final semester. More than 60 “Marvins”, as they are called, have graduated in the 17 years since the program began, and most remain working in local government management. The Jane L. Morris Fellowship, established in 2023, further supports one incoming Marvin entering the field of local government management.

Enhancing the effectiveness of nonprofits

Our programs and research have both local and global impact. We work with partners around the world to implement systems and solutions that build strong communities.

A robust nonprofit sector is essential to community wellbeing, and ASU’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation is dedicated to making sure community leaders in this space have the tools they need to move their missions forward.

Through research, education and outreach activities, the center serves as a central resource for nonprofits, the people who work and volunteer with them and their supporting philanthropists. Among its portfolio of services, knowledge and tools to help nonprofits build their capacity, the center also leads as the statewide hub for the Service Enterprise Initiative (SEI), a national certification program in partnership with AL!VE and Points of Light that equips nonprofits to transform their volunteer management practices.

Strategizing to protect vulnerable populations The Research on Violent Victimization (ROVV) Lab, housed in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, is working in partnership with the State of Arizona and Indigenous (American Indian) community members and leaders across the state to examine, evaluate, analyze and develop strategies to address and reduce the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) as part of Senate Bill HB2570. Violent victimization of Indigenous women and girls continues to be a crisis nationally and internationally in North America.

Compared to women of other ethnicities, Indigenous women and girls are at higher risk of experiencing violence, including sexual assault, domestic and family violence, and becoming missing and being murdered. In some counties nationally, Indigenous women are murdered at a rate of 10 times the national average.

Additional research by the ROVV Lab, funded by a $425,000 grant from the Arizona Office of the Governor, has focused on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected efforts to find missing and murdered Indigenous peoples.

Engaging globally Addressing gender-based violence in El Salvador The Family Violence Center is leading a fiveyear, $35 million cooperative agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement LibrES: For an El Salvador without Gender-Based Violence.

A diverse consortium consisting of multiple ASU schools, colleges and centers is collaborating with Salvadoran civil society, universities and international organizations to achieve outcomes that contribute to a safer and more productive life for women and vulnerable populations in El Salvador.

The grant is the largest in Watts College history.

Educating international public service professionals In 2021, more than 240 students were the first to receive bachelor’s degrees from the Hainan University-Arizona State University International Tourism College (HAITC) in the southern Chinese city of Haikou. The cooperative program with the Ministry of Education in China began in 2017 when ASU and the Watts College teamed with Hainan University to grow the number of trained professionals in the expanding fields of sustainable tourism, parks, recreation and sport, public administration and emergency management. Students in two areas, Community Resources and Development and Public Services and Public Policy, have the opportunity to earn degrees from two institutions, Hainan University and ASU – with many progressing to graduate programs globally.

Using data to fight crime in the Caribbean Experts from the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety and the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center’s Office of Evaluation and Partner Contracts trained the first-ever crime analysts in nine small Caribbean nations. The Watts College team worked with law enforcement officials from Trinidad and Tobago; Suriname; Guyana; Grenada; St. Kitts and Nevis; Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and St. Lucia, who previously lacked formal means to amass and review data on criminal activity. They also taught five trainees to become trainers to make the project sustainable.

We lead service and policy initiatives that harness ASU potential for local and global impact.

Training future leaders: Mandela Washington Fellows Program and the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative ASU is among 20 top U.S. universities to serve as an academic institute for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, a flagship program of the U.S. Department of State’s Young African Leaders Initiative. Since 2014, the Watts College has hosted over 240 African leaders for six weeks of professional civic leadership and public management training.

The Watts College also hosts annual cohorts of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in the region. The program builds the leadership capabilities of the participants and promotes crossborder cooperation to solve regional and global challenges.

Helping countries respond to climate change The Center for Science, Technology and Environmental Policy Studies is leading an effort to better understand the roles public, private and nonprofit organizations play in helping African farmers adapt to the growing impact of climate change. The Accelerating Climate Adaptation via Meso-level Integration (ACAMI) project is being funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is supported by researchers and other social science collaborators from around the world.

Join us The Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions is at the vanguard of Arizona State University’s efforts to define the model for a New American University: inclusion vs. exclusion, impact on the public good and responsibility for the broader community. We are working to better our communities in a meaningful way. Yet, we cannot do this alone.

In our education and research, in the challenges that we take on, we work closely with partners to find solutions.

The impact of philanthropy It takes a community. We have seen time and time again that the complex social challenges we face take all of us — researchers, practitioners, leaders, government, nonprofits and community members — coming together to solve them. In the Watts College, we are taking on big issues like ending domestic violence, transforming incarceration, creating more sustainable industries, and addressing affordable housing and homelessness crises. Investments from donors can profoundly impact lives, from helping a student navigate financial hardships and earn their degree to funding programs that are positively shaping our communities and our collective future.

A commitment to inclusiveness

“ I want to change the lives

of troubled kids by reminding them that they are worthy and providing them with the resources to reintegrate into society. I believe I can help them be successful.

”

– Izzamar Garcia Basaca, scholarship recipient

Active community supporters, Linda and Charles Redman are both believers in ASU’s commitment to inclusiveness and engagement.

Their work mentoring elementary school children from primarily Latino families to help them prepare for college served as an inspiration. Now the Redman Family Scholarship helps aspiring underrepresented first-generation students pursue a degree in social work to better their communities.

“ I got word that I had received that scholarship right

at a time that I felt like I was going to drop out of college. That was a reminder that ‘you’re strong and you can do this.’ Because of these donors, it took down the blocks. I feel like I can do anything now.

”

– Ashley Statt, scholarship recipient

Partner with us in research Our research endeavors bring meaningful advances in health, community safety, policy, organization design, economic development and civic engagement. Together, we can make communities — locally and globally — stronger and more resilient in an increasingly complex world.

Provide internships and serve as a mentor Experiential opportunities offer students valuable insights and serve as a bridge from their academic to professional careers.

Through field work and mentoring, our students are ready to affect change today and hit the ground running upon graduation.

Invest in the future Student support is a core effort. In order to continue to attract and retain talented students from diverse backgrounds, we must help ensure the resources needed.

Scholarships provide incentive and motivation to students who might otherwise struggle to pursue a college degree.

publicservice.asu.edu Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions University Center Mail Code 3520 411 N. Central Ave. Suite 750 Phoenix, AZ 85004-2163 Phone: 602-496-0600

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