Over a decade of service

The Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) is an engaged-learning program at the University of Iowa that is widely admired as one of the leading programs in the country for partnership building between institutions of higher education and communities. Since 2009, IISC has brought faculty, staff, and students to urban and rural communities throughout the state. This work enhances the teaching and learning experiences on our campus, while providing a depth and breadth of services, expertise, and resources to Iowa.

By taking students out of the classroom and into communities to complete real-world projects through classes and independent studies, IISC accomplishes two university-wide goals: enhancing sustainability across the state and transforming teaching and learning at the University of Iowa.

IISC approaches the holistic nature of sustainability by drawing on many disciplines across campus, including  urban and regional planning, civil & environmental engineering, business and marketing, law, art and art history, cinema arts, and more. Students, faculty, and staff in these diverse fields bridge disciplinary boundaries to develop innovative approaches to complex challenges.

A unique model for engagement and learning

The magnitude and depth of an IISC partnership make it unlike any other resource or service at the University of Iowa. Whereas some community engagement might consist of single project, IISC full partnerships include a minimum of fifteen projects produced with and for a single community over the course of an academic year. Dozens of top UI students and award-winning faculty from various disciplines bring their talents, enthusiasm, and creativity to each partnership.

Our model results in profound, transformative impact for partnering communities. The power of an IISC full partnership lies not only in the number and quality of projects, but in the opportunity for local citizens and community leaders to coalesce around a shared vision and goals. 

IISC is a competitive application process that requires a considerable amount of time and effort from prospective community partners, as well as a broad vision for the future. By the time students arrive on campus for the start of a new semester, community partners are ready and eager to begin working on the collaboration.

IISC is also unique because our professional staff works to ensure excellent results for community partners. Final deliverables reflect not only high quality work from students, but the professional expertise of IISC staff.