About the Community Advisory Board
The Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC)'s Community University Advisory Board is a group of more than 20 community and university representatives. The community representatives primarily serve in Lowell’s public and private non-profit service organizations, as well as work in local businesses and labor organizations.The group's goals mainly focus on furthering the University’s commitment to establishing high-quality community-University partnerships and to help foster the University’s mission of addressing economic and social development in Lowell. Many of the board members play vital roles in continuing those partnerships as well as initiating innovative work in the community.
The History of the Community Advisory Board
The University decided to mirror the success of its Industry Advisory Board by organizing a complementary Community Advisory Board,which provides a forum for exchange about what future community/university partnerships should look like. This group also is a mechanism to institutionalize the University’s commitment to regional economic and social development while engaging students, faculty and staff in applied community research and action.
Signature Areas
The Community University Advisory Board developed eight signature areas of focus to help the University and community identify where the University can apply its strengths to help social and economic development in greater Lowell.
One of the eight areas recognized was “Reinventing the Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.” The University’s strengths in this area has helped make Lowell a destination for learning-based centers and has diversified Lowell’s creative economy. Other outreach areas include “Strengthening the Environment, Environmental Health, and Health,” “Working to Make Lowell a Math Mecca,” and “Improving Prospects for Youth.”