In collaboration with Iowa Digital Engagement and Learning (IDEAL), honors rhetoric students created podcasts in sping 2014 through IDEAL's Digital Narratives project. Podcasts focused on IISC's partner community of Muscatine, particularly on the growth and development of Muscatine.

Here are the five stories told through podcasts:

Graduate students in Organization and Community Practice worked in groups to put their social work training into practice. Students identified a social justice community issue to investigate and conducted a needs and strengths assessment using data on the community, key informant interviews of different stakeholders, and other sources as necessary.

Students analyzed a land use plan against development in the northeast section of the city, and, where appropriate, enhanced the concepts contained in the plan.

As part of the Senior Design Capstone Course of the  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the students had the opportunity to complete a site design for the Center Complex and the structural design of the Welcome Center for the city of Muscatine. The students coordinated with the City in the building design specifications so it is capable of hosting all the desired programs envisioned by interested parties.

Muscatine was interested in developing its first dog park as a community amenity. Students surveyed best practices for dog parks in communities similar to Muscatine and identified recommended amenities, including water, water features, ground covering, benches, pavilions, fencing, walking paths, waste control, among others. Students created preliminary designs for the dog park, including potential planned phases where restrooms and water features would be included at a later time.

The IISC and Arts Share developed a low-cost public art project for a student in the MFA program. The project used recycled materials to create a sculpture that pays homage to an important member of the Mississippi River Valley's ecosystem, the bald eagle.

Graduate students in the College of Public Health developed health intervention projects that focused on reductions in childhood obesity through behavior change counseling. Students worked with organizations in Muscatine such as the YMCA, Sunset Park After School Program, and local preschools.

As part of the Senior Design Capstone Course in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the students completed a regional hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of the watershed north of the City of Muscatine.

Senior undergraduate students in the College of Business’ Marketing Institute completed a year-long study and evaluation of Muscatine’s community brand, working with the Muscatine Chamber of Commerce.

To address the lack of trails and poor connectivity in Muscatine, IA, students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Iowa prepared a connectivity study, which included recommendations on trail improvements and expansions.

Honors rhetoric students collaborated with two groups in the School of Urban & Regional Planning, and the Iowa Digital Engagement and Learning (IDEAL) program, to develop digital texts that will help tell the story and effectively message the Mississippi riverfront redevelopment project and Connectivity master plan project to citizens of Muscatine.

Journalism students in the Strategic Communications Writing course researched and produced marketing materials for use by the Washington Chamber of Commerce for promotion of the hotel/motel tax.

Washington, Iowa is currently one of the only communities in Iowa without a hotel/motel tax. Funds generated by the tax will help put the community on the map, making it more competitive Iowa destination.

Students in a Fundraising and Philanthropy Communications class organized ideas for a non-profit animal shelter's fundraising campaign. Using research on the latest trends in fundraising and philanthropy, students evaluated the shelter's past special events, marketing campaigns, and donor interests. They applied concepts and trends to organize new events, update marketing pieces, and developed a donor campaign with creative ideas and key messages to better position the shelter to receive support.

As part of the Senior Design Capstone Course in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, students completed a regional hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of the watershed in the northwest and southeast areas of the City of Washington.

As part of the Senior Design Capstone Course in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the students had the opportunity to complete the engineering plans for locating and constructing ball fields, new trails, parking facilities, and ancillary structures for the city of Washington.

Through a partnership with Arts Share, Erin Rappleye, a University of Iowa Masters of Fine Arts graduate student, designed a 2-story mural for the Washington Public Library as part of an effort to provide public art in the alleyway and enhance downtown Washington. There was a ribbon cutting for the mural in fall 2015.

Graduate students in the School of Library and Information Science worked with the Washington Free Public Library to address goals related to the library’s long-term plan, particularly in relation to the Children’s Area. Projects included evaluating the potential for creation of a parenting collection, reclassification of the Children’s Area, and rearranging the Children’s Area to create a welcoming environment.

Marketing Institute students worked with the Washington Chamber of Commerce to rebrand the community as an attractive destination.

Students created a contemporary Activities Guide that provides information on community events, where to eat and visit, and recreational opportunities. Students also helped create a brand identity for Washington, creating a tag line for the community, “Discover a Classic,” and a Brand Standards Guide for the Chamber of Commerce to use when creating new materials.

Students surveyed best practices of community riverfront redevelopment efforts similar to what was being looked at for the redevelopment of the section of the Mississippi River in Muscatine. The students solicited community input to identify the best uses for the land, ultimately producing a plan for the riverfront.

Students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning developed a connectivity master plan for Muscatine that evaluated current infrastructure and created a plan for better connectivity between walking and biking trails, sidewalks, streets, bus routes and major points of interest.