How to Create and Launch a Community Outreach Website: The Story of TU in the Community

April 19, 2012

Kelsey

There have been a number of blog posts discussing the features of TU in the Community, as well some of the projects that are listed in the database. But have you ever wondered about how the website was created and launched?

When I first started in my position, one of my tasks was to edit and expand a white paper about TU in the Community, that was started by my colleague, Lindsey Meyer. This paper explained how TU in the Community was conceived and how it is used. The framework of the paper was already written.  I edited the content and added some missing pieces.

Below, you can click on the picture to read the finished version of the white paper and learn about:

  • The history of TU in the Community;
  • The features of the website;
  • The management of the website; and
  • The future of TU in the Community.

This white paper was a great way for me to learn more about TU in the Community and its many uses. I think that users of the website, as well as other institutions looking to launch or revamp their own outreach websites will also find some great things in the paper.

If you have any questions about TU in the Community that have not been answered here, please contact me at 410-704-2678 or kbeckett@towson.edu. I would be more than happy to chat with you about the website and how it can be of use to you!

1 Comment | Community Outreach | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Kelsey Beckett

5th Annual Showcase is Around the Corner

April 16, 2012

Bobbie

WOW, I can’t believe this year marks the fifth Showcase.  This is our signature event which brings our partners and (hopefully) future partners in business, government, and non-profit sectors to campus to meet and mingle with the faculty and professional outreach staff working on exciting projects aimed at helping organizations work better and faster.  This year, our exhibitors range from the Family Studies Community Services and Internship Network to the Center for Applied IT!

The event is this Wednesday from 12:00 – 2:00 in the Minnegan Room. In addition to great speakers & fabulous networking, we also provide a delicious lunch and will be doing a drawing for a Kindle Fire–oh and the event is FREE!

One of the highlights each year for me is the President’s remarks, and this year I know a lot of people are looking forward to meeting our new President for the first time.  She is really committed to furthering the university’s public mission in economic development and community engagement.

If you would like to learn more about the event click here.

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Bobbie Laur

Guest Blog: A Time to Give – ArcGIS Online Research Leads to Volunteerism Mapping Application

December 13, 2011

Michael Bentivegna

Doesn’t it seem like the pace of life is getting faster and faster, and that technology is at least supporting this change, if not causing it? With every time-saving productivity gain that technology provides, the expectations for the speed and the amount of work to be completed in any time frame seem to just increase.  Within the field of GIS (Geographic Information Systems), this expectation is being driven by consumers that want to search for and view information in a spatial context (a map). In the world of media mashups, the publishing of new GIS data and applications is expected in a few weeks, if not days, and updates are expected to be nearly instantaneous.

For GIS professionals, Esri’s ArcGIS Online comes to the rescue or further enables this trend (depending upon your perspective). This platform enables the discovery, sharing, and display of GIS data in a free cloud-based software-as-a-service, social GIS ecosystem. In plain speak, it allows you to create map data mashups with great Esri hosted/developed basemaps and lots of national and global scale GIS data. In the past few months, Esri has added the capability to upload basic spreadsheets with address information and other data in GIS formats that are processed and made available through the site. They even offer templates to provide simple applications with functions like search, measure, identify, and social media integration. All of this can be shared within a group of your choosing or out to the greater public, embedded in your website. Exciting stuff!

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to dig into ArcGIS Online so I could share the new capabilities to CGIS’s staff in a brown bag lunch, and I am glad I did. Later the very same day, I was in a meeting with the Maryland State Geographic Information Officer (GIO), Barney Krucoff, where we were asked to assist with a hurry-up effort to push information about volunteer locations out to the public for the holidays. After listening to the requirements of rapid and ongoing development of volunteer location data by interns and the need for a simple application to find the sites, I mentioned that this was a perfect project for ArcGIS Online. With the go-ahead given to investigate, I took a draft cut of the volunteer locations that the interns had compiled in Google Docs and within a few hours had the data set up on ArcGIS Online for review. Within a week of data refinement by the interns, investigation of the data update workflow process, and tweaking of the template application, we had the end product mapping application ready to be embedded in Governor O’Malley’s Maryland Stronger Together website. With the site up and running, the interns were trained to edit and update the data using ArcGIS Online tools, and the site was released to the public a few days later. You can see the map under the locate charitable organizations near you link in the website above. This is a great example of success in meeting the new accelerated expectations, and in this case, with free hosting.

I happily followed an interoffice email thread a few weeks after the Maryland Stronger Together site was launched, wherein team members were looking for an organization for DECO to donate food to this year (as we have done for the past several years). Without any prompting on my part, the site was used to find the nearest location to donate. I hope that in this time of need and giving, this tool might make it that much easier for you to find a place to donate to or to volunteer for during this busy holiday season.

View the Maryland Stronger Together map in mobile device.

3 Comments | Community Outreach, IT, Mapping, Web Services | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Guest Blogger

Get “In the Money” with TU in the Community’s New Funder Tool

November 28, 2011

Kelsey

As promised in one of my previous blog posts, there is indeed a new feature on TU in the Community!  The Funder Tool is an exciting new initiative that was launched about a month ago and since then over 25 users have added new profiles.

The purpose of the tool is to increase collaboration across the university and to support faculty and staff efforts in grants and contracts initiatives. In plain English, that means that the tool makes it easier for faculty and staff to gain funding for their projects and research. Users can log into TU in the Community and have a number of funding opportunities at their fingertips. They can also receive emails about opportunities as they become available. The list of grants is by no means exhaustive, but it represents the opportunities that the Development Office and the Office of University Research Services (OURS) find the most relevant to TU faculty and staff members.

The great thing about the Funder Tool is that it contains opportunities for the many interests of Towson University. A user is just as likely to find a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) grant as a grant for the arts. Also, if users maintain contact with OURS and Development, the two offices will have a better idea of what kinds of opportunities to include in the tool.

To begin using this tool, users need to ensure that their profiles are up-to-date and that they include their administrative division/college, as well as their research and professional interests. Once this information is updated, users will be sent emails about opportunities relating to these interests as they are added to the database.

TU in the Community is working with members of Development and OURS to ensure that new opportunities are continually added. To begin taking advantage not only of the Funder Tool, but of TU in the Community in general, log on today!

1 Comment | Community Outreach, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Kelsey Beckett

What is the Center for GIS Doing for GIS Day 2011?

November 14, 2011
Jeremy

Jeremy Monn

The Center for GIS (CGIS) will be taking part in GIS Day this Wednesday, November 16, 2011.  CGIS employees, along with Community College of Baltimore County students, will travel to Lutherville Laboratory Elementary School this year for GIS Day.  The event, organized by Eric Cromwell (Coordinator of Elementary Science for Baltimore County Public Schools), will involve approximately 120 fourth grade students.  The students will be divided into groups and each group will complete a Global Positioning System (GPS) quiz consisting of multiple choice questions that have numerical answers (e.g. Abraham Lincoln was the [fill in the blank] President of the United States.).  All of the possible answers will correspond to marked locations on a field at the school.  Once the groups have completed the quiz, each will be provided with a Garmin e-Trex GPS unit and asked to walk to the locations marked with their answers while the GPS unit tracks their route.  Each group will then map the routes using Google Earth and if the group answered the questions correctly their route will appear as a star.

In addition to the event at the Elementary School, CGIS staff will also attend two events. For the past several years, CGIS has attended the Maryland State Highway Administration’s (SHA) GIS Day event located at the SHA building in Baltimore.  At this event, CGIS staff will manage a booth and provide information on current projects and initiatives that CGIS is involved in.  If you will be attending SHA’s GIS Day event stop by CGIS’ booth and see what we are up to! Also, CGIS will attend Central Pennsylvania’s GIS Day celebration that will feature an exhibit hall, geo-challenge, genius bar, workshop, demonstrations and plenty of networking.

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Education, Events, Mapping, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Jeremy Monn

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back. The 2011 Economic Outlook Conference Wrap-Up

November 10, 2011
Raqie;

Raquel

The Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) hosted its 15th annual Economic Outlook Conference on November 9th, 2011 at the Towson University West Village Commons. As in the past, the conference provided a platform to present RESI’s economic overview and forecast. The title for this year’s economic outlook was Two Steps Forward, One Step Back .  The title reflects this year’s economic news cycle which seemed to provide us with a sense of positive forward momentum one minute and then just as quickly took that momentum away with the next data release.

Aside from the economic outlook for the year, this year’s conference focused on the implications of the 2010 Census Data.  Department of Planning Secretary Richard Hall and economist Mark Goldstein gave a thorough review of the data as it pertains to Maryland and its jurisdictions. Highlights included the significant increase in the population of people 55 and over and the growing Hispanic population in the state (percent change of 106.5 percent since 2000).

For the rest of the event, experts from many different sectors of the economy discussed the impact of the data on matters such as government services, the business community, workforce development and higher education. View photos from the entire conference.

In particular, they discussed the challenges of a changing demographic profile on their particular area of expertise.  Some of the challenges discussed included the need to cater to different languages and cultural customs, an aging population and the increased demand for higher education (and the challenges students face in financing that education).  I thought the Conference provided attendees with many significant take-aways and nuggets of information.  All the material presented and the discussions that took place will be important in preparing for the challenges the state will face as a result of its changing demographics and growing population.

It’s always incredibly fun and rewarding working on the preparation for the Conference and I’m already looking forward to developing the theme for next year’s event. Hope to see there!

Economic Outlook Conference

Dr. Daraius Irani presents to a capacity crowd

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Economic Analysis, Events | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Raquel Frye

TowsonGlobal’s Business Plan Competition Returns

November 2, 2011
http://tuoutreach.com/author/clayhickson/

Clay

The time has arrived! TowsonGlobal’s Business Plan Competition is back for a second year.   The inaugural competition brought entries from a diverse group of entrepreneurs with interesting business concepts.  All had the same goal in mind—success.  And this second annual event promises to be even more inspiring, helping stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship across the region.

While the basic format of the competition remains the same, a few changes have been made to help better prepare entrants and to make the competition more interactive. For this second competition, interested participants are invited to attend free workshops which focus on the basics of a business plan, including:

  • writing an effective executive summary,
  • conducting useful market analysis,
  • and developing realistic financial projections.

The five chosen finalists will attend a required boot camp to help prepare for their final presentations.  Also, this time, presentations will be made both in private and at a public forum.  After which, the winner will be announced at a networking reception.

Business Plan Competition Workshop #1 (October 2011)

Timeline & Process:

  • October 19, 2011 — Business Plan + Executive Summary Workshop
  • October 26, 2011 — Market Analysis Workshop
  • November 10, 2011 — Financial Projections Workshop
  • February 6, 2012 — Executive Summaries Due (3-5 pages)
  • February 20, 2012 — Finalists (5) selected and notified to submit business plans
  • February 27, 2012 — Presentation boot camp for finalists
  • March 27, 2012 — Deadline for finalists’ submissions of business plans and PowerPoint presentations
  • May 2, 2012—Finalists present in front of judges, winner selected

We hope that participants will get as much of the competition as the first group did.  Lisa Drouillard of My Hopeful Journey, one of two 2011 winners, commented, “The business plan competition helped me to think of my business in a more tangible way and not just as a concept.”  The other winner, Ben Walsh of Pure Bang Games, added that participation “strengthened our ties to other early stage startups, and most importantly, Towson University.”

TowsonGlobal is looking forward to seeing the exciting, innovative concepts that will be brought to the competition.  For more details on the competition, visit TowsonGlobal’s Business Plan Competition page or email us at info@towsonglobal.com .

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Entrepreneurship, Events, International Business Development, News, Small Business Development, Students, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Clay Hickson

Six Ways Towson University Is Becoming More Entrepreneurial

October 17, 2011
http://tuoutreach.com/author/clayhickson/

Clay

The Princeton Review’s recent release of its list of the most entrepreneurial colleges in the US provides a great opportunity for us at Towson University to reflect on how we are supporting the development of entrepreneurship.  While Towson was not included on this year’s list, there are a number of things we already are doing or can strengthen to be more entrepreneurial, including the following six initiatives:

  1. Business Incubation—In the spring of 2007 Towson University launched TowsonGlobal, a business incubator that helps entrepreneurial ventures, both university based and non-university based, learn how to compete in the global economy.  Research has shown that incubators associated with universities are more effective at developing thriving, sustainable businesses compared to stand-alone community incubators.  Currently, with 15 members and at 100% occupancy rate, the incubator plans to expand to larger facility in 2012 in the heart of Towson.

    TowsonGlobal's New Home, Expected Summer 2012

  2. Entrepreneurship Program/Major—Towson University established an entrepreneurship track in 2008 under the College of Business and Economics.  This program includes courses like Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Entrepreneurial Finance, and an Entrepreneurship Practicum.  The addition of experienced entrepreneurial faculty is helping to attract more and more students into the program.  CBE also is reviewing that curriculum and comparing it to top schools to explore opportunities for improvement.
  3. Business Plan Competitions—Under the direction of the incubator’s Advisory Board, the TowsonGlobal Business Plan Competition was launched in the spring of 2011.  The competition’s main goal is to encourage small business growth and innovation within the region.  The inaugural competition resulted in a tie after a panel of judges from leading companies in the area determined that both Pure Bang Games and My Hopeful Journeywere deserving of the honor.  Together, the winners received prize packages valued at almost $15,000.  For the 2012 competition, a series of workshops have been organized during the fall to help participants prepare even better business plans.  The finalists will present at a public forum on May 2, 2012.

    TowsonGlobal Business Plan Competition winners Lisa Drouillard of My Hopeful Journey (L) and Ben Walsh of Pure Bang Games( R) posing with their prize checks, April 28, 2011

  4. Facilitate Entrepreneurial Spirit—By partnering with other area organizations, Towson University is building a reputation as an institution that puts words into action.  For instance, in July 2011 TU hosted Think Big Baltimore, a day-long conference organized by area innovators that attracted over 200 registrants and featured expert panel discussions, keynote speakers, in-depth educational sessions, and lively networking events.  Plans already are underway for TBB 2012.
  5. Entrepreneurship Organizations/Clubs—SIFE(Students in Free Enterprise), returned to Towson University in the spring of 2011. This is an international, non-profit organization that mobilizes students of all majors to become socially responsible business leaders by developing entrepreneurial skills.  It brings business leaders and student teams together to develop outreach projects that make a difference in their communities by using the positive power of business.

    (L-R) Biruk Lulseged, Curtis Johnson, Clay Hickson, Laleh Yousefi at SIFE Regional Competition, Philadelphia, PA, March 25, 2011

  6. Mentorship Programs—TowsonGlobal staff regularly meets with both student and community entrepreneurs to help review business ideas and to provide advice.  Budding entrepreneurs also are referred to mentors from SCORE, a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed.  In fact, TowsonGlobal and SCORE will be launching monthly Entrepreneur Office Hours, which will be open to anyone with a business idea who wants practical advice and critique.

Entrepreneurship Professor David Brannon captures the spirit of what is developing here at Towson University when he says:   “One of the keys, which aids in the growth and development of a successful program, is the approach that entrepreneurship is a way of thinking. Entrepreneurship is a means to follow your passions, develop innovation, create jobs, and to enact social change. It is a focus on recognizing opportunities to create value and understanding how to pursue those opportunities.”

Over time, colleges like those on The Princeton Review’s list (e.g., University of Houston, Babson College and Syracuse University) have developed extensive sources of support from within their institutions and across their communities that are focused on entrepreneurship education and on supporting entrepreneurial spirit.  There is much we can learn from the schools on the list, but I believe Towson University is well on its way to being a great entrepreneurial university.

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Entrepreneurship, International Business Development | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Clay Hickson

Guest Blogger: 2011 CUMU Conference focus on “Creating Tomorrow’s Future Today”

October 17, 2011

Nicole Schiraldi

Towson University is home to the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) Headquarters where I work as the Program Coordinator.  Members of CUMU use the power of their campuses in education, research, and service to enhance the communities in which they are located. Institutions located in metropolitan areas often do not fit the common definition of more traditional colleges and universities. With Bobbie Laur out of the office on maternity leave, I was left to fend for myself at the 17th Annual Conference.  The theme “Creating Tomorrow’s Future Today” focused on urban development and community engagement. This year’s host university location, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), served as the perfect backdrop for a conference.


View From Nicole's Hotel Room

The conference agenda was full of exciting speakers and sessions, but I’d like to share my top 3 conference moments:

  1. Networking.  I have some of the most impressive university presidents in the country on my speed dial.  How many people can say that?  I met many incredibly influential people and networked all day and all night.
  2. Meeting the 2012 Superbowl Chairperson.  Indy is home to the 2012 Superbowl and the Bowl Chairperson, Allison Melangton, was our Opening Plenary speaker.  I am now following their blog and stories of community engagement – some of which are incredibly inspiring.
  3. Visiting the NCAA Hall of Fame.  Mark Emmert, president of the NCAA, and former ACE Fellow, was gracious enough to host our conference guests at the NCAA Hall of Fame for a casual dinner and tour.  The Hall of Fame showcases some of the best athletes in college sports.  My favorite part? The quote they live by, “There are over 400,000 NCAA student-athletes, and almost all of us will be going pro in something other than sports.”

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Education, Events, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Guest Blogger

VIDEO: Education Meets the Workforce – Student Interns Get Hands-on GIS Experience

October 11, 2011

Jenn

Our newest Education Meets the Workforce video features student interns from Towson University’s Center for GIS. The interns, Justin Mannion, James Parmeter, and Alex Stapleton, work closely together on data collection processes in connection with the Maryland Broadband Map project. The Maryland Broadband Map allows residential and business consumers to discover the high-speed Internet services and providers in their neighborhood, anywhere in Maryland.

Watch the video to learn more about how the interns are contributing to the Maryland Broadband Map Project and to other projects at CGIS.

1 Comment | Community Outreach, Economic Analysis, Education, IT, Mapping, Marketing, News, Students, Training, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Jenn Lake

« Previous Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.