The Waterloo Public Library sought to understand how account holders were spread across Waterloo in order to identify areas that may need to be better served.  Addresses of existing account holders were mapped with GIS, which provided several opportunities for further analysis, including account holders outside of city boundaries, households not using WPL services, and more.

Juniors in the Tippie College of Business Marketing Institute developed a marketing strategy to help the Waterloo Public Library increase outreach to the business community in Waterloo. 

Students in the Spring semester Policy and Persuasion course continued developing policy recommendations around high-priority housing issues in Waterloo, building on work done by groups in the previous semester and creating both policy recommendations and resources.

Students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs graduate course Transportation Demand Analysis completed a parking study for Waterloo’s downtown district.

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students developed a plan to close a section of road to accommodate local airport clearances by designing a new section of road to reroute traffic.  

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students recommended and designed systems for resolving sump pump discharge issues that have created problems in residential Waterloo neighborhoods. 

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students created designs and provided cost estimates for an expansion to the Manchester Fire Department.

Students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs course Environmental Management and Policy conducted a study for the Johnson Clean Energy District regarding energy efficiency improvements and renewable investment possibilities in Johnson County.

Working closely with Waterloo’s Center for the Arts, MFA student Sean Tyler designed and installed two murals at the gateway to the downtown district.

Students in the Fall semester Policy and Persuasion course worked with Waterloo representatives to first identify some of the most pressing issues related to home ownership and affordability, and then to develop policy recommendations for the City moving forward.

Four student groups focused on distinct, yet overlapping housing issues:

Graduate and advanced undergraduate students in the Department of Sociology & Criminology studied the relationship between law enforcement and mental health cases in Waterloo.

Combined with the effort to create the Church Row neighborhood plan, a course in the School of Planning & Public Affairs assessed the walkability and accessibility of the Church Row neighborhood, particularly focusing issues of equity that include safety, access to employment and basic needs services, public transportation, parks and open space, and more.

Recent Cinema Arts grad Philip Rabalais teamed up with current film student Timmer Penny to create a short film documentary of the Hero Hustle, an annual event that takes place in Manchester Iowa.  Enjoy the video below!

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students designed stormwater infrastructure to minimize flooding impacts in Manchester, particularly for structures newly identified as being in the floodplain after recent redrawing of maps.  

College of Law students in the Community Empowerment Law Project conducted a study to evaluate the implementation and community awareness about the Fair Chance Initiative in Waterloo, also known as "Ban the Box."

College of Law students in the Community Empowerment Law Project assisted the City of Manchester with a study to understand extraterritorial zoning powers, the process of adoption, and recommendations for next steps.

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students created designs for improvements to Manchester's Shelly Park, a highly used amenity adjacent to the whitewater rafting course on the Maquoketa River.   

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students created designs for improvements to Manchester's Schram park, including a pedestrian bridge over the Maquoketa River, a parking lot, and a trail connection that links to the existing trail network.  

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students created a master plan for development of a 24-acre greenfield site in Manchester, Iowa.

As part of their capstone project, second-year graduate students from the School of Planning & Public Affairs created a neighborhood plan for Waterloo's Church Row neighborhood.  

The City of Waterloo (pop. 67,798) sought assistance with the development of a Neighborhood Plan for Church Row, a core neighborhood located near downtown in order to foster a more safe, attractive, and welcoming area that provides opportunities for economic development, healthy and affordable living, and a high quality of life for residents.