OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The Division of Outreach and Community Engagement (OCE) offers services and programs to the community such as workforce and professional development, culinary classes and online learning.

The division oversees UCA Downtown and Conference Services. It is home to UCA’s Women’s Leadership Network, UCA Family Network, Arkansas Coding Academy (ArCA), Conway Area Youth Leadership Institute (CAYLI), and Service-Learning and Volunteerism. OCE also helps strengthen the state through the Center for Community Economic and Development (CCED) and the Community Development Institute (CDI).

OCE offers a place to start for community members who want to learn something new or expand their knowledge. There are hundreds of noncredit classes offered online or face-to-face.

HIGHLIGHTS

◊ UCA Outreach & Community Engagement launched a national service program called the UCA VISTA program. AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service To America (VISTA) members serve full-time in capacitybuilding roles with communities and nonprofits to use community-based solutions to address the root causes of poverty.

◊ ArCA finished its fifth year and had its highest enrollment, growing by 20%, and its highest graduation rate at 96%.

◊ CCED hosted the inaugural Arkansas Racial Equity Summit in October 2020 with 279 virtual attendees.

The Summit provided a space for participants to learn about the history of racial injustice in Arkansas and hosted an interactive discussion on how to counteract inequities to create a better future.

◊ CAYLI’s 2020 class had 21 graduates who represented four different high schools in Faulkner County.

5,325 $100,000

Participants in events managed by CCED

Amount received by CCED through training events, technical assistance programming and sponsorships