Community Affairs News Archive
Art of Town and Gown Relationships Reception Highlights Neighborhood Partnerships
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs Collegiate athletics rivalries were cast aside when members of the InterCity Leadership Visit group from Athens, Ga., networked with their University of Alabama and Tuscaloosa city counterparts to discuss building town and gown relationships during the Art of Town and Gown Relationships Reception on Aug. […]
UA HomeFirst Coaches’ Retreat Supports Students, Volunteers
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs Volunteers participating in The University of Alabama’s HomeFirst Coaches’ Retreat from Aug. 25–26 at Capital Hall learned interpersonal skills are just as important as financial literacy when guiding future homeowners. Housed in UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships, HomeFirst is a financial wellness initiative that serves […]
Tuscaloosa’s Habitat for Humanity Dedicates New Home for HomeFirst Family
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs For many adults, homeownership may seem more like a dream than a possibility, but HomeFirst helps participants take steps to achieve homeownership through financial planning. For HomeFirst participant Kanika Cotton, that dream became a reality when she and her family moved into their new Habitat […]
Retreat Prepares Volunteers in UAB-AmeriCorps VISTA to be HomeFirst Coaches
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs Held at The Westin Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama, Aug. 4–5, the HomeFirst University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Coaches’ Retreat offered volunteer coaches in the UAB-AmeriCorps VISTA Statewide Program insight into the barriers to homeownership and tips for supporting participants on their path to homeownership. […]
Showcase Concludes Inaugural BLAST Academy
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs BLAST Academy (Building Leaders Through the Arts, STEM and Teamwork), a new summer enrichment program for K–6 students, celebrated its inaugural class with a final showcase and awards ceremony on July 29 at the Moody Music Hall. “I was the first in my family to […]
HomeFirst Hosts Greene County Coaches’ Retreat
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs At The University of Alabama, one need look no further than the Paul W. Bryant Museum to see how coaching builds success, so it was only appropriate that the HomeFirst Greene County Coaches’ Retreat end with a tour of the museum on Friday, July 22. […]
STEM Entrepreneurship Academy Encourages STEM Innovation for High Schoolers
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs Twenty-eight high school students from across Alabama collaborated on a community or school-based need using principles of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) during this year’s STEM Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA), Sunday through Friday, July 10–15 at The University Alabama. “This camp holds a special place […]
Swim To the Top Participants Recognized in Showcase Celebration
by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs Approximately 160 children gathered in the Benjamin Barnes YMCA gymnasium to demonstrate what they learned from Swim to the Top during a final showcase on July 1. The program, now in its ninth year, is led by Dr. Daniela Susnara, director of planning and assessment […]
UA HomeFirst Program Recognized by International Town and Gown Association
Dr. Nicole Prewitt, right, director of programs and partnerships for community engagement at UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships, accepts a 2022 ITGA Presidential Excellence Award recognizing UA’s HomeFirst Program. Photo courtesy of Clemson University by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs At the recent annual conference of the International Town and Gown […]