On this page, you'll find descriptions of individual projects and overviews of the communities with which we've partnered.

Use the filter to search for kinds of projects, e.g., public art or engineering, or to locate a specific community.

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A large group of students pose in the hallway of a school with lockers around them. They are smiling and several are holding musical instruments.

Dubuque - Addressing Absenteeism in Dubuque's Marshallese Community

Published
Monday, January 8, 2024
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

College of Law students who are part of the Community Empowerment Law Project worked with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque to better understand the issue of chronic absenteeism among Marshallese students. In addition to synthesizing reasons for the problem, they also identified solutions.

Bondurant video screenshot

Bondurant Community Promotional Video

Published
Friday, November 3, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Communication Studies student Ethan Snee worked closely with Bondurant city leaders and residents to create a promotional video for the community, with a specific focus on sharing the growing community's many opportunities for prospective business and residents.  Enjoy the videos below!

Group of four people smile at at the camera, one man is wearing law enforcement gear.

Bondurant - Public Safety Study

Published
Friday, November 3, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Masters of Public Affairs students in the School of Planning and Public Affairs conducted a study to provide decision-making support to Bondurant community leaders as they consider alternatives for public safety and law enforcement services.

ECR Cover Photo

ECR Transportation Gap Study

Published
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Faculty researchers and University of Iowa students collaborated with an Eastern Iowa regional provider, ECR, on a study to close transportation gaps for individuals with brain health/mental health needs and disabilities.

alleyway with red bricks

Dubuque Green Alleyways Policy Analysis

Published
Monday, September 18, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

As part of their capstone project, Public Affairs graduate students developed metrics and conducted an analysis of Dubuque's Green Alleyways Project, which is designed to improve the aesthetic and environmental functions of alleys in the Bee Branch Watershed.  

Affordable Housing Project Team

Dubuque Affordable Housing Action Plan

Published
Monday, September 18, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Urban & Regional Planning and Sustainable Development graduate students synthesized existing documents and developed new strategies to create the City of Dubuque's first plan focused specifically on Affordable Housing.   

weather-related tools with Spanish words

Dubuque - Language Justice and Translating Extreme Weather and Public Health Information

Published
Monday, August 21, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Graduate students from the Division of World Languages, Literature, and Cultures enrolled in the class “Language Justice: Community Engagement” addressed the role of language in civic life. They focused on the experiences of two Dubuque micro-communities--recent immigrants from the Marshall Islands and Guatemala.

Group of men in a conference room

Bondurant - Oral Histories of Summerfest and the Farmers Cooperative

Published
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Students in a the class Museums, Folklife and Community Curation" interviewed residents about Bondurant's history and also its current culture, focusing on Summerfest and Farmers Cooperative. 

Open House event

Dubuque - Alternative Transportation Action Plan

Published
Monday, August 14, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

As part of their capstone project, second-year Urban & Regional Planning graduate students created a plan to spur action toward improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in Dubuque.

As part of its ambitious sustainability plans, Dubuque seeks to reduce vehicle dependency and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and create/promote accessible and equitable transportation alternatives. 

Bondurant Parks planning team

Bondurant - Parks, Trails, and Greenways Master Plan

Published
Thursday, August 10, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Urban & Regional Planning and Sustainable Development graduate students developed new Parks, Trails, and Greenways Master Plan that provides comprehensive vision of Bondurant's local park system, recreation facilities, natural resources, and other public open spaces. 

E-bike project site visit

Dubuque E-Bike and Scooter Program Market Analysis

Published
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Students in a Tippie College of Business marketing consulting course conducted a market analysis and environmental scan to help the City of Dubuque explore the possibility of an e-bike or scooter sharing program. 

The City of Dubuque wants to diversity its transportation system and provide more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective options to residents and visitors. A leader in sustainability, Dubuque wanted to learn more about these forms of micro-mobility as alternatives to cars.

digital image of blue, yellow, and green checkered grain silos

Bondurant - Policy Pathways for Redevelopment of the Idle Grain Silo Complex

Published
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

A team of students in the College of Law's Community Empowerment Law Project explored legislative pathways and financial mechanisms to support redevelopment of a large, idle agricultural facility located in the middle of Bondurant. 

old yellowed photo of large white wooden house on what appears to be a large, open plot of land.

Telling the Story of Bondurant's History

Published
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Graduate students in the Department of English worked with the Bondurant Historical Society to develop multimedia resources that connect Bondurant's past and future, focusing on ways to preserve community heritage and identity in the face of rapid community growth.

Digital image of two rows of trees with a path down the middle.

Bondurant - Chichaqua Valley Trailhead and Trail Improvements

Published
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

For their capstone project in Civil and Environmental Engineering, a team of students devised a way to connect two sections of the popular Chichaqua Valley Trail, and developed engineering designs and cost estimates to help the City of Bondurant implement the project.  

A narrow stream surrounded by grassy green banks and some trees in the distance.

Bondurant - GIS Mapping and Analysis Projects

Published
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

As part of the ICIGO student organization within the Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, students provided GIS mapping and analysis support for the City of Bondurant on five topics: a digitized stream buffer, mapping the community's tree canopy, mapping rental properties, spatial analysis of assessed property valuation, and a sidewalk inventory. 

mural depicting birds

Bondurant - Parks and Recreation Mural

Published
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

MFA alum Drew Etienne designed and created a a mural depicting Iowa birds for Bondurant's future Parks and Recreation Facility. 

Located at the Bondurant Regional Trailhead, the Parks and Recreation facility is positioned in a prominent location. Drew Etienne's design encapsulates the beauty of Iowa's natural landscape across all four seasons. The artist statement conveys the inspiration for the design: 

rendering of energy use in a building

Dubuque - Five Flags Center Cool & Green Roof Designs

Published
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

For their capstone project in Civil and Environmental Engineering, students researched best practices for cool and green roofs and applied their findings to the city-owned Five Flags Civic Center. 

Defined as a built environment that experiences higher temperatures than suburban or rural areas, all communities have areas that possess higher heat ratios due to more pavement, fewer trees, and other elements. These are often in downtown. Two increasingly popular methods for addressing urban heat islands are cool and green roofs. 

Metal round storm water cover

Dubuque - Stormwater Climate Action Plan

Published
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

For their capstone design project, students in Civil and Environmental Engineering prepared a Stormwater Climate Action Plan that addresses current and future problem areas within the city’s stormwater system and provide potential action items to account for climate change effects.

intersection from above

Dubuque - JFK Road Analysis and Redesign

Published
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

For their capstone design project in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, a team of students analyzed the JFK corridor from Carter Rd to Highway 20 and created designs to improve its safety and accessibility

Dubuque sculpture 5

Dubuque - Sculpture Created from Recycled Playground Equipment

Published
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Academic year
2023-2024
Partner

Jamie Weinfurter, an MFA student in studio arts, created a new sculpture using a collection of metal pipes and other parts from former playground equipment. The final design was the result of engaging with teachers, administrators, and students at Audubon Elementary in Dubuque.

On Tuesday, June 18, at 3:00 pm, a new sculpture was unveiled in front of Audubon Elementary School in Dubuque.