Trinity Center for Neighborhoods

Abstract

In this article, the authors describe a college organization created to establish a partnership between Trinity College faculty and students and four community organizing groups. Through this organization, the Trinity Center for Neighborhoods, the research skills of faculty and students are used to gather information identified by the community as essential before these community groups can effectively plan and argue for change. Since 1995, more than 45 applied research projects have been completed. In addition to describing the organization and the actions taken as a result of the research, the authors review the basic assumptions underlying the structure they have built, a structure that has allowed them—a small liberal arts college and the surrounding neighborhoods—to work together successfully.