A planned Center for Community Outreach and Partnerships in Chester aims at making it easier than ever for businesses and non-profit organizations to partner and find the resources to turn some of the city’s greatest needs into realities.
The center is just one of the community initiatives that are part of Widener University’s $58 million fundraising campaign, “Taking the Lead,” announced on Nov. 12. The university has already raised more than $32 million toward the goal in the three-year “silent” or non-public phase of the campaign. Other community initiatives include expanding the services of the Widener Partnership Charter School and developing programs for regional corporate and non-profit executives to enhance their leadership skills through the Oskin Leadership Institute.
“Part of our mission is to address the metropolitan region’s most pressing concerns,” said Widener President James T. Harris III. “This is not just a campaign for Widener; it’s a campaign for Chester and the other communities we serve in Pennsylvania and Delaware.”
The Center for Community Outreach and Partnerships will work to create and sustain partnerships in the community including elected officials, neighborhood associations, faith-based institutions, service organizations, and schools. The center will leverage the resources of the university to provide these partners with strategic planning, volunteer management, leadership development, community-based research, grant writing, and financial management assistance.
“The idea is to make this center the primary resource for community building in the city of Chester,” said Marcine Pickron-Davis, assistant to the president for community engagement and diversity initiatives at Widener. “In order to have a lasting impact, one organization can’t go it alone; you need strong partnerships between business, government and community organizations. The center will offer the tools and resources to build those partnerships.”
The campaign will also raise funds to expand the educational services of the Widener Partnership Charter School. Opened in 2006, the charter school currently serves grades K-5, and the school has achieved outstanding PSSA scores since they started taking the test in 2009. As a result of the campaign, the school plans to offer after-school, Saturday, and summer programming for students, educational opportunities for parents including technology instruction and GED courses, and expanded programming to social and emotional learning in students.
The Oskin Leadership Institute was announced in November 2008 with a $5 million gift from the family of David and JoEllen Oskin. In addition to providing leadership opportunities for Widener students, the institute will work with corporations and other organizations to offer an executive leadership program, providing opportunities for corporate and non-profit executives to enhance their global leadership skills. The building that will house the Oskin Leadership Institute and the School of Nursing is currently under construction on Widener’s campus in Chester, and is slated to open in fall 2011.
For more information on “Taking the Lead – The Campaign for Widener,” please visit the campaign website at campaign.widener.edu. If you would like to speak to Drs. Harris or Pickron-Davis, please contact me at dwhanson@widener.edu or call 610-499-4433.
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