This session discusses the UI Community-Based Learning Program’s Community Partner Site Visit initiative. The CBLP has committed to conducting 50 on-site agency vists per year to develop and cultivate engagement partnerships in the local community and beyond. Mary Mathew Wilson Director University of Iowa Community-Based Learning Program

1. Can I come over
to your place?
Exploring and strengthening community partnerships through
site visits and structured conversations.
Breakout Session III Skill -Building
Friday, June 13th 1:50-2:50 PM
Northwoods

2. Presenter:
Mary Mathew Wilson, Director
UI Community-Based Learning Program
Pomerantz Career Center
University of Iowa

3. Topics:
How the initiative came to life
The interview tool
Selecting the sites to visit
Stop, look, listen and learn
Where the collected data goes
Benefits
Challenges
Planning your own visits

4. How the initiative came to life
UI Civic Engagement Program established June 1, 2005 – initially, partners were brought on board by
word-of mouth and added to the Volunteer Link website.
A few years later, United Way of Johnson County & 10K proposed a “one-stop” website for
community partners: https://volunteer.truist.com/uwjc/volunteer/.
Agencies can self-select into partnership with the UI when registering on the United Way site.
Volunteer Administrators’ Network – provides periodic opportunities to interface with partners and
hear about their volunteer needs and challenges
.http://www.volunteeradministratorsnetwork.com/members.html
Faculty often looking for service-learning projects and partners if they did not already have them.
Staff and students are continually looking for volunteer project opportunities.
Some community partners give feedback that they are overwhelmed with multiple one-off project
requests from various groups and individuals on campus, especially at certain times during the
academic year.
The best way to figure out who’s doing what is to go straight to the community partner. It is often
difficult to collect this information internally so a visit can be an opportunity to find out.

5. How the initiative came to life
Recognized the need to be more intentional about relationship-building and communication
with community partners; not just casual exchanges at Volunteer Fairs or VAN meetings or
random phone calls when needs arose
Need for strong partnerships – public engagement on the rise across the institution
Vetted idea to a small group of service-learning faculty, including the notion of creating a wish
list question that might result in a “repository/clearinghouse” of time-insensitive project ideas
Sought faculty assistance/advice in the development of the interview tool at which time
another question was added regarding a recent engagement experience and “what went well
and what didn’t” (getting at best practices; also prospecting for exemplary partnerships)
Started making calls to arrange visits with agencies that had self-selected to affiliate
themselves with the UI on the United Way website

6. The interview tool
Date, time, and location of meeting – location is usually at the agency, but some nonprofits do
not have a fixed location in which case you can meet over coffee at an off-campus location
Agency name and mission and the name and title of the person(s) interviewed
Is the agency already partnered with the Career Center (Hire-a-Hawk)?
Is the agency partnered with the UI on the United Way of Johnson County Website?
Existing/Desired Partnerships with the UI (include name of staff, department/unit, and general
details):
--Volunteers (episodic and/or ongoing) --Service Learning
--Internships --Practicum/Preceptor Experiences --Work Study
--Community-Based Research
Agency’s most recent collaboration – what went well and what did not go well
Projects on the agency’s wish list (large or small but not urgent or time-sensitive)

7. Stop, look, listen, and learn
When you “invite yourself over” (best to do by phone), explain and contextualize the visit; tell why you’d like to
come over, why you think it is important to have a conversation, and what might be the reciprocal benefits.
Show up on time and to be the listener/learner; if the community partner offers to show you around, do accept
the invitation.
Be willing to immerse oneself in a different culture with different norms and patterns of relating; anything can
happen (which makes it all the more interesting); ask me about dogs and ice storms!
Explain what questions will be asked and why
Step back and allow the community partner to set the tone, direction, and pace of the conversation; allow trust
to build as information is shared and to be sensitive to the partner’s communication style.
Be the scribe; capture information and if something is unclear or unaddressed, seek clarification without
interrupting.
You may encounter both extremes of the “talkativeness” continuum, so you will need to use your judgment
about when to gently press for more information or when to interrupt to get things back on track.
Collect brochures, cards, etc.
Don’t overstay your welcome.

8. Where the collected data goes

9. Where the collected data goes
 Agencies that participate in visits are listed at the “Get Involved” link on the engagement website
developed by the UI’s new Associate Provost for Outreach and Engagement – Prof. Linda Snetselaar
http://discover.uiowa.edu
Anecdotal notes are written up and placed in a notebook along with any artifacts that are brought
back from the agency – business cards, brochures, etc. I use this notebook frequently during
appointments with students, faculty, and staff.
Basic information from the interview is entered into HireaHawk – the Pomerantz Career Center’s
online recruiting system: http://www.careers.uiowa.edu/hireahawk/.
Potential internship opportunities are added to a list and distributed to career advisors/shared with
students during advising appointments.
Higher level “wish list” items are shared proactively and appropriately.
Some volunteer opportunities are posted on the Civic Engagement Community listserv and also on
the CBLP Facebook page.

10. Benefits to the institution
Development/cultivation of local partnerships for all levels of community engagement
(academic service-learning, community-based research, volunteering, internships, philanthropy)
Validated list of potential project ideas based on community partners’ needs
Identifed engagement activities that may have been previously unknown to central
administration data keepers (will help us track for reporting purposes)
Findings can inform best practices for campus and community partnerships
Recognition/awards
Current information to share with students, faculty and staff

11. Benefits to the community partner
Having someone come to them—minimal interruption to their work day; someone they can
connect with for future communication
An opportunity to offer feedback and make suggestions for how partnerships can be created or
how existing ones can be improved
An opportunity to vent in a safe environment; can point out problems/issues
An opportunity to educate the university about the agency’s mission, strengths, assets, and
needs
An opportunity to learn about and develop internships – addresses the problem expressed by
some community partners of wanting more sustained involvement from students while also
helping students build their resumes and get zero-credit transcript notations (or even take a 1, 2,
or 3 semester hour internship course)
 Getting their wish list items on someone’s radar

12. Challenges
Getting the word out
--across campus that this information is available
--to community partners to schedule a visit
Tracking personnel changes at agencies already visited and tagging up with the new person in a
timely way, then updating records to reflect the new contact
Some of the agencies visited are not close to campus; transportation for students is very much
an issue
Concerns about being perceived as disingenuous if partnerships don’t materialize
Deciding how often visits should be repeated and information updated
Deciding how wide to “cast the net” when scheduling visits

13. Agencies visited by CBLP in 2013-14
Community Health Initiative-Haiti North Liberty Food Pantry
Iowa City Public Library Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County Access to Independence
ARC of Johnson County Friends of the Animal Care Foundation
Old Brick Community Center Pathways Adult Day Health Care
Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Johnson County Heritage Trust
Domestic Violence Intervention Program The Dream Center
Strive for Success Summer of the Arts
Miracles in Motion Johnson County Crisis Center & Food Bank
The Englert Theatre Salvation Army
National Alliance on Mental Illness Coralville Ecumenical Food Pantry
Free Medical Clinic Table to Table
Children of Promise Elder Services
Uptown Bill’s UI Pentacrest Museums
Johnson County Historical Society Catherine McAuley Center
Brain Injury Alliance Iowa Reach for Your Potential
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site VA Voluntary Services
Girls on the Run Relay for Life
Rape Victim Advocacy Program Combined Efforts Theatre
Handicare Hospice of Washington County
Neighborhood Centers of Iowa City Iowa Children’s Museum
Oaknoll Retirement Residence UIHC Volunteer Services
Public Access Television Shelter House
Paws & More Animal Shelter Dreamwell Theatre
Iowa City Hospice English Language Learning Program – Kirkwood Comm. College
United Action for Youth

14. Planning your own visits
Please partner with someone and work through the questions on the handout.
In 10 minutes we will reconvene and discuss.

15. Discussion/Questions

16. Contact information
Mary Mathew Wilson
Director, Community-Based Learning Program
Pomerantz Career Center
100 Pomerantz Center, Suite C310
Iowa City, IA 52242-7700
(319) 335-7589
mary-mathew-wilson@uiowa.edu
www.careers.uiowa.edu/cblp