Knowingly or not, Miami University students are involved with important community decisions that affect students, teachers and Oxford residents alike.
Geography professor David Prytherch said a great question is how to connect students who want to do something meaningful with problems that need to be solved.
He said the answer could be in the Wilks Scholar program, which connects Miami students with surrounding communities, in part through a growing program known as Shaping Sustainable Communities.
Prytherch said the program, sponsored by the Harry T. Wilks Institute, offers hands-on experience in tackling community issues.
"I hope to take it to another level to get students connected with community members and connected to help solve these problems, not only through a class but through an internship and a two-year ordeal," Prytherch said.
According to Prytherch, the two-year program will provide a detailed 20-hour course fulfillment opportunity. Additionally, the program offers a fully paid internship with a focus on local planning.
Thomas Klak, professor of geography and Latin American studies, said the multifaceted aspect of the program would create a "three-legged stool" effect that students can bring with them to future jobs and communities.
"One leg would be the environmental, another leg would be the social and the third leg of sustainability is the economic," Klak said. "The idea is to develop these three things together in the sustainability classes with work outside of the classroom."
Prytherch said the program will give students applicable experience.
"This kind of planning service affects the everyday environment that we live in," Prytherch said.
According to Prytherch, a recently completed urban planning project by his class involved making a database for the university's lighting system around campus.
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It not only took a look at what kinds of bulbs were used but also where they were placed. Lighting is an ongoing issue, one the Presidential Task Force on Environmental Sustainability is currently tackling, according to an August 2008 e-mail on sustainability sent to all Miami students by David Creamer, vice president for finance and business services.
Prytherch's lighting grid became the first database of its kind at Miami and is leading to many improvements in efficiency, such as using LED lights, which could save a great deal of money the university needs during this difficult economic period.
In the past, the Wilks Scholars at Miami have made significant contributions to the Oxford community.
Last year, Prytherch said the participants dispersed an information guide on local foods and farmers' markets to boost Oxford's rural economy.
Additionally, the Wilks Scholars, along with Prytherch's urban planning classes, have done extensive work to improve the Miami campus itself.
"We are looking to explore leadership through participation in the community," said Stephanie Raill Jayanandhan, a graduate student and member of the Shaping Sustainable Communities team.
Prytherch said the program is open to a wide variety of students.
"We're looking for a wide diversity of students who are interested in developing civic leadership skills by collaborating with local leaders on urban/sustainability issues," Prytherch said.
The program is currently accepting applicants for the 2009-11 school years and encourages anyone who is graduating in or after May 2011 to apply by Friday.
Applications can be found at http://community.muohio.edu/wilks.
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