Specific community partners for last semester included the Valley Futures Network and the Mad River Valley Planning District. One student group was focused on an analysis of the organization and structure of the Valley Futures Network. Another group worked with the Mad River Path Association to examine membership, fundraising, and grant-writing efforts. Students in this group compared and contrasted similar initiatives throughout the US to gain insight into best practices associated with membership drives and member satisfaction and retention. A third group compiled a list of local renewable energy systems. “The renewable energy community in the Mad River Valley is active Students working on local renewable energy sources meet with and engaged,” stated Jay Taylor (UVM ‘10). “The Valley residents community members on September 16, 2009. that we have interacted with are all very enthusiastic about their renewable and alternative energy systems and they have been a pleasure to work with.” His groupmate, Joe Adams (UVM ‘11) added, “the Valley’s enthusiasm for renewable energy has made our project rewarding.”
Photo: Chip Sawyer
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Students and Sawyer discussed the course and the partnership on the Mark Johnson Show in November (http://www. gcast.com/u/MarkJohnsonShow/main published on 11/30) and presented their findings to the larger community in December at the Warren School. Each group gave a presentation on their project, how they approached the work and their findings and results. The community partners were visibly impressed and enthusiastic. This was also used as an opportunity for the students to take partner questions and comments on their work. That input was incorporated into the final products and reports, which were delivered to the community partners a week later. In the end it was evident that the work of the students would contribute to the momentum of the community projects - the organizational discussion of the structure of the Valley Futures Network, the plans of the Mad River Path Association to bolster their membership, and the work of Mad River Valley Energy Committee to promote renewable energy in the valley. The students left with the feeling that they had made a substantial contribution to local community initiatives in the Mad River Valley. Community partners are eager to repeat the class next fall. And there are even more potential community partners showing interest, now that they have seen the class in action in the valley. Over the course of the spring and summer, Sawyer will be working with the Valley Futures Network, the Mad River Valley Planning District, and others to collect project ideas from the community and develop a list for new students in the class to choose from once again in the Fall of 2010.
This academic year brought a number of new Peace Corps Fellows to CDAE both in the Master of Science and Master of Public Administration programs. From Left: Mark McMillen (MPA), PCF Director Ned McMahon, Daniel DiFranco (MS), Jacob Evans (MS), Brandy Wood (MPA), Liz Ferris (MS), Amanda Goldstein (MS ‘09), Jeff Frank (MS), and Louise Sutton (MPA). Not pictured is Mark Weber (MPA).
Photo: Anna Masozera
Peace Corps Fellows
Thinking about Peace Corps? CDAE hosts the Vermont Regional Office of the Peace Corps in 206 Morrill Hall. For more information about Peace Corps and to find open office hours, go to http://www.uvm.edu/~pcorps/.