Civic Collaboration

Scholars
Sahil Kapadia ’28, Mia Penn ’28, Leah Schultz ’27, Colter Sienkiewicz ’28

Project Focus
Exploring technology in public spaces

Host
Jason Cameron

Team Calgary partnered with the City of Calgary’s Wave Tech initiative to understand how residents experience digital trust and how the city can build stronger relationships as it expands smart technology. Through interviews with industry leaders, civic partners, and community members, the scholars identified concerns around privacy, transparency, accountability, and data sovereignty, especially for Indigenous communities. Their recommendations focus on practical ways to make ethical tech visible and accessible, including an ethical tech practices video series, social procurement strategies that reward responsible vendors, and a public sensor transparency platform that helps residents see and understand the data collected in their neighborhoods. Their work supports Calgary’s efforts to build a tech ecosystem rooted in trust, inclusion, and shared responsibility.

Scholars
Suhan Asaigoli ’27, Gabriella del Rio ’28, Grayson Elliott ’28, Cora Goforth ’28, Amy Okonkwo ’28

Project Focus
Using value-based models in rural healthcare settings

Hosts
Kendall Vermillion

Team Bentonville partnered with the Heartland Whole Health Institute to explore how value-based care models can better serve rural Arkansans. By conducting 90+ community interviews, the team developed a modular system—including mobile “Wellness on Wheels,” resource vending, and tailored wellness boxes—to expand access, build trust, and improve chronic disease outcomes in underserved areas.

Scholars
Harini Alluri ’28, Sarah Archer ’28, Julia Ballou ’27, Raima Dutt ’28

Project Focus
Digital means to improving affordable housing access

Host
Jon Rios

Team San Diego collaborated with the San Diego Housing Commission to strengthen digital tools that support elderly and disabled residents. Their recommendations, which includes automating workflows with Bob.AI, launching an intuitive chatbot, and modernizing the agency’s website, offer a clearer, more accessible experience for thousands of low-income households navigating housing services.

Scholars
Lucy Dimock ’28, Bana Haloush ’28, Joaquin Mestre ’28, Zoe Nagro ’28, Amogh Rao ’27

Project Focus
Evaluation of NEXT strategic plan

Host
Melanie Ward

Team Centennial partnered with the City of Centennial to assess progress on its long-range NEXT Plan. Their review across four planning pillars (Places, Economy, Innovation, and Community) identified key accomplishments and areas for continued investment, giving the city a clear roadmap to strengthen growth, mobility, housing, and sustainability initiatives.

Scholars
Sachi Akmal ’28, Will Attaway ’28, Sidney Griffin ’27, Ashlyn Patton ’28, Jacob Rosenberg ’27

Project Focus
AI in city government

Hosts
Dana Mayton and Chris Seidt

Team Louisville supported the Louisville Metro Government during a major expansion of its AI strategy. Through cross-department interviews and policy analysis, they developed recommendations for AI governance, procurement, training, and community engagement—helping the city modernize services while building trust and responsible practices.

Scholars
Sriya Amineni ’28, Elise Chang ’28, Misha Logisa ’28, Mariel Ottinger ’28

Project Focus
Reducing the city’s carbon footprint

Hosts
Doug Farnsley ’73 and John Carter

Team Prospect worked with the City of Prospect to increase recycling participation, evaluate streetlight modernization options, and explore fleet electrification. Their recommendations combine cost analysis, public education strategies, and pilot initiatives to help Prospect move toward a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.

Scholars
Elizabeth Alene ’28, Lauryn Cooper ’28, Sofia Fleury-Mendible ’28, Aryah Oztanir ’28

Project Focus
Supporting urban farms

Hosts
Alex Bauer and Jasmine Powell

Team Baltimore collaborated with the City Planning Office’s Food Policy and Planning division to support Baltimore’s urban farms. Their two-part solution, which includes onsite beautification at Harlem Park Community Farm and the creation of the AI-enabled farm management platform CitySprout, helps farms increase visibility, access resources, and deepen community engagement.

Scholars
Abby Adeshina ’28, Michael Agu ’28, Caroline Hoyt ’28, Alyssa Schoof ’28, Alexander Yevchenko ’28

Project Focus
Capital grant-making in education

Hosts
Havaca Ganguly and Kamini Reddy

The second Baltimore team partnered with the Middendorf Foundation to strengthen educational capital grantmaking. After more than forty interviews with funders, nonprofits, and CDFIs, the team developed frameworks and lessons to improve communication, align expectations, and better support nonprofits navigating complex capital projects.

Scholars
Sophie Fontecchio ’28, Cameron Johnson ’28, Noah Nunney ’28, Susannah Owen ’28, Riley White ’28

Project Focus
Improving emergency response through resilience hubs

Host
Buff Grace ’91

Team Minneapolis partnered with Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light to understand how congregation-based resilience hubs can better serve Minnesotans facing climate and social stressors. Their research highlights needs in education, community engagement, and clear implementation pathways, offering MNIPL a roadmap to scale an inclusive statewide hub network.

Scholars
Raife Levy ’27, Sophie Luxton ’28, Ali O’Brien ’28, Bryan Sukidi ’28, Joss Gowar ’28

Project Focus
Hurricane recovery and resilience planning

Hosts
Josh Harrold and Jessica Troutman

Team Black Mountain worked with the Town of Black Mountain to document the community’s response to Hurricane Helene and to support future resilience by gathering resident perspectives, reviewing emergency processes, and creating tools to improve communication, preparedness, and equitable access to information.

Scholars
Sofia Chan ’27, Harsehaj Dhami ’28, Walter Marr ’28, Ibrahim Mohsin ’28

Project Focus
AI in government services

Hosts
Erica Anderson and LeeAnne Tucker

Team Asheville partnered with the Land of Sky Area Agency on Aging to develop SkyNav, a 24/7 AI-driven care-navigation tool that connects caregivers to local resources and reduces administrative burden on aging services staff. Their work strengthens access, coordination, and support for caregivers across Western North Carolina.

Scholars
Scarlett Aiuto ’28, Anais Delgado ’28, Aadya Gattu ’28, Davin Hyche ’28, Oluranti Olatosi ’28

Project Focus
Building skills-based volunteer programs

Hosts
Liz Kistin Keller ’04 and Dionna Arellano

Team Albuquerque worked with the City of Albuquerque’s Gateway System to expand experience-based volunteering. Through interviews, on-site service, and outreach efforts, the team developed new volunteer resources to grow a skilled, community-centered volunteer base. Resources include a refined website hub, guidebook, and mentorship model.

Scholars
Jose Cuc-Reyes ’27, Sarah Davey ’28, Kendall Ford ’28, Anjali Sankale ’28, Alicia Slack ’28

Project Focus
Strategic development planning

Host
Tiffany Brown

Team Cincinnati worked with the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Opportunity to identify barriers affecting economic mobility and quality of life. Through interviews and research, the scholars highlighted gaps in transportation, education, community engagement, and financial stability and offered strategies to help the city create more coordinated, equitable systems of support.

Scholars
Randy Chang ’28, Paloma Fernandez ’27, Ethan Gailushas ’28, Tanvi Gaur ’28, Jon Ayden Horne ’28

Project Focus
Economic mobility of youth

Hosts
Amanda Fogerty and Debi Pence-Meyenberg

Team Cleveland partnered with Youth Opportunities Unlimited to understand barriers facing young people entering the workforce and to identify strategies that support long-term economic mobility. Through interviews with more than thirty leaders across nonprofits, government, education, and industry, the scholars examined challenges such as transportation gaps, inconsistent preparation for early employment, limited alumni tracking, and unstable funding models. Their recommendations highlight opportunities for stronger cross-sector collaboration, improved intake and data systems, better branding and alumni engagement for Y.O.U., and targeted partnerships that enhance career pathways for Cleveland’s youth.

Scholars
Azavia Barsky-Elnour ’27, Anna Gage ’28, Jack Gallagher ’28, Victoria Langdon ’28, Devin Ramsay ’28

Project Focus
Intersection of sustainability and economic mobility

Host
Geoff Millener

Team Chattanooga worked with city partners of The Enterprise Center to explore solutions that address rising housing costs by studying revolving loan funds, community land trusts, and mission investment strategies. Through interviews and policy research, the scholars identified opportunities for Chattanooga to mobilize flexible capital, strengthen public and private partnerships, and support long-term affordability through shared equity and sustainable development models.

Scholars
Melanie Cabrero ’27, Paiden Castelblanco ’28, Benjamin Jones ’28, Neha Jumani ’28, Prince Rivers ’28

Project Focus
Higher education opportunities for minorities

Host
John Daniels

Team Milwaukee partnered with the MKE Fellows Program to strengthen the support systems that help young African American men succeed in college and build long-term career and leadership pathways. Through interviews with Fellows, staff, board members, and community leaders, the scholars identified opportunities to enhance early mentorship, build a clearer college readiness pipeline, expand alumni engagement, and increase access to transformative enrichment experiences. Their recommendations outline new structures such as a phased leadership journey, peer-led campus visits, student representation on the board, an online Fellows Circle network, and a Fellows Forward Fund that helps students pursue growth opportunities that shape their futures.