Purpose

Some of the most successful programs that use a PCI Foundation grant include an element of Community Engagement - either by bringing a student project into the community or bringing the community into the school for further educational opportunities.

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Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, the professor or professors must have worked with one or more community or constituent group during the previous school year on or off campus to provide community engagement opportunities for students. The university and community will have collaborated to exchange known for this award, the successful professors should have displayed significant effort, made a meaningful contribution, and have supported students and the community. This could be demonstrated through activities such as (but not limited to) the following:

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• Continuing education for constituent groups

• Precast research on community-enhancement topics presented to community groups

• Precast projects built to benefit a community

• Student input into community project for the betterment of community

• Community tours

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Award Criteria

A committee chosen by the chairman of the PCI Foundation will select the recipient of the Partner of the Year Award from nominations received, assuming they find a worthy candidate. The recipient will be announced at the fall meeting of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

The applicant should work with at least one community partner or constituent group external to the University, be operating within the target community with measurable results, and have demonstrated capacity building.  Additional criteria that will be considered include applicants who:

 

• Enhance opportunities for students and staff to participate in community-based learning, service and/or research activities.

• Demonstrate sustained scholarship, research and significant capacity building.

• Demonstrate a significant impact with a tangible benefit to the community

• Involve a community partnership.

• Focus on a specific community-identified need or opportunity.

• Foster an exchange of knowledge and expertise amongst partners.

• Contribute to the enhancement of the PCI Foundation’s reputation as actively and meaningfully engaged with its community and region.

• Demonstrate the ability to influence public policy and practice nationally and/or internationally in relation to community engagement.

• Extend the PCI Foundation Mission

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Nominations

Nominations for this award will be accepted between July 1 -  September 1 of each year for the previous school year. They should be emailed to ray.clark@pci-foundation.org. A professor or professors may be nominated by a partner, school administrator, students, the partner’s employer or other party with knowledge of his or her community engagement work. The nomination should include:

• Name and contact information for nominee

• Name and contact information for nominator

• A description of why you feel this individual deserves this Community Engagement Award

• A report of the community engagement activity and its impact

• Ways in which this community engagement benefitted the students, the community, the PCI Foundation, and the University

• How the partner gone above and beyond expectations

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Attach other letters of support if available