History

  • 2011 - CST received Bremer Foundation general operations grant of support for one year
  • 2010 - CST relocated to the second floor of the newly renovated Community Services Building, renamed the Welcome Center which earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification
    • Completed the first year of the MN GreenCorps program and started the second year of the program.
    • Bart Finzel appointed interim director
    • Became a freestanding unit of the University of Minnesota, Morris
    • Became a U of M internal sales unit
    • Partnered with MN Campus Compact in launching a new Students in Service (SIS) program with UMM students serving as part-time AmeriCorps members
  • 2009 - Energy and environment focus is enhanced; partnered with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency with funding from Serve Minnesota/AmeriCorps to launch new Minnesota Green Corps; a statewide initiative to help preserve and protect Minnesota's Environment while training a new generation of environmental professionals. University of Minnesota, Morris students serve as members.
  • 2008 - CST relocates to Blakely Hall while the Community Services Building undergoes renovation to become the Welcome Center.
  • 2007 - Record number of students work on community-based projects.
    - Support provided to launch Stevens FORWARD!: a county-wide visioning and planning process
  • 2006 - CST and the City of Morris win the 2006 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award for Campus-Community Collaboration
    - Bremer Foundation provides funding for the “Small Town Faculty and Student Fellows Program” (three years)
  • 2005 - Partnered with the City of Morris on community revitalization project with funding from Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Outreach Partnership Centers (COPC) program (three years). Priority areas included Economic Development, Housing, Community Organizing and Neighborhood Revitalization.
  • 2004 - Developed a fee-for-services structure for certain programs; expanded the Program Evaluation component; partnered with U of M Center for Urban and Regional Affairs and WC Regional Sustainable Development Partnership on additional programs to involve students
  • 2003 - Launched “Symposium on Small Towns”: initial series focuses on the past, the present, and the future of small towns
  • 2002 - Data Analysis and Research component created and staffed with a full-time coordinator offering survey and data analysis services plus GIS mapping and census expertise
  • 2001 - “Renewed Focus” grant with the Blandin Foundation (two years); strengthens program structure and operations
  • 2000 - CST moves to the ground floor of the Morris campus Community Services building, expanding capacity for student engagement in community-based activities)
  • 1999 - Facilitated the Blandin Community Investment Partnership, a nine-step community visioning and planning process (three years) Morris Area, Big Stone Lake Area, and Traverse County
  • 1998 - Developed strategic planning process for Schools/Communities (two years); Herman-Norcross and Morris Area Schools
  • 1997 - “Conversation Series” launched (on-going) to discuss timely regional topics: Main streets, Ag & Tourism, Rural Education, Futures Festival, etc.
  • 1996 - CommUniversity Collaborative with West Central Area Schools (three years). Youth works, Technology Transfer, and Environmental Learning Lab are focus areas
  • 1995 - The Center for Small Towns is created to provide assistance to small towns and rural areas. Programs were piloted in Starbuck, Milan, and Breckenridge



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