University of Iowa civil and environmental engineering (CEE) students working on their IISC senior design project spent last fall designing a trail that would make a busy business corridor safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles in West Burlington, Iowa. When the next phase of the project began, community leaders discovered the students’ efforts had also saved the town’s taxpayers $60,000 for work already completed.

A longtime University of Iowa initiative has been recognized by a leading national organization for its excellence and exemplary best practices. Campus Compact, the largest national coalition of colleges and universities dedicated to community engagement, has bestowed its Excellence in Community-Engaged Partnership Award on the Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC).

In Spring 2025, an IISC class worked with the City of West Burlington to install a pollinator garden (https://iisc.uiowa.edu/projects/west-burlington-pollinator-garden). In this article, West Burlington Gregg Mandsager describes how the community is embracing prairies, pollinator parks, and native plants.

A team of UI Law students in the Community Empowerment Law Project examined state and federal laws related to youth employment to decipher where they they differed. Iowa's laws recently changed, becoming less strict than federal laws. Figuring out which set of laws to adhere to has become confusing for young workers and employers alike.

The University of Iowa’s Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) is proud to announce the showcase event to celebrate the completion of its yearlong partnership with the City of West Burlington and City of Burlington. The event is this Thursday, May 8, in Burlington.

Farnaz Fatahi and Jovana Kolašinac, have earned a reputation for aesthetically inventive plans and creative solutions. The City of West Burlington, which is one of IISC’s partners this year, presented them a challenge: create a trailhead park from an empty lot located on a major road with a drainage ditch running through it. The park should include basic amenities, including a shelter, a map, a water fountain, and a bike station. And please make it truly unique!

On May 8, UI students who participated in classes that worked with the cities of West Burlington and Burlington will share their work with the public. Presentations by teams from public affairs, urban planning, and civil and environmental engineering will summarize the work they've produced, including master plans, studies, designs, and more.

Pathfinders RC&D and IISC are in the early stages of an information-gathering and mapping project that will help Iowans and visitors to the state easily learn what features are available where. Those with knowledge of parks, museums, performance venues, playgrounds, and other sites, including city, county, and nonprofit workers who oversee these spaces, are encouraged to contribute to the map by responding to the survey.

Along with land use, housing, and transportation planning, many cities are adopting arts and culture plans. They recognize the power of arts and culture to bring people together and provide a sense of shared belonging. Evidence shows that communities with vibrant opportunities to experience the arts and co-create culture often attract new residents and retain existing ones, see decrease in crimes and increase in health and well-being. This year, a group of University of Iowa students in the School of Planning and Public Affairs is undertaking is creating the first ever arts and culture master plan for the cities of West Burlington and Burlington. Through these communities’ yearlong partnership with the UI’s Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC), the group is assessing existing strengths, talking with residents about their visions, and researching planning models and best practices.

Caleb Smith made the most of his undergraduate time at the University of Iowa. A Political Science major, Smith served as a senator in the Undergraduate Student Senate and as Chief Justice of Interfraternity Council. He was elected to Homecoming Court, and worked in several campus jobs, including as a tour guide. With a strong interest in policy and public servce, Smith became a member of the first cohort of the Masters in Public Affairs program. Today, Smith continues to hone his interests as part of the City of Chicago’s Office of Inspector General where he works in the area of police oversight.