Purpose Statement: Lehigh will expand our partnerships and community engagements throughout the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem’s South Side and the university's campus, enriching the community and expanding our impact. We will create opportunities for the community to come together and have shared experiences on and off our campus. 

Leads: Tracey King, Jeremy Gibson

Project Manager: Traci Mindler

Strategic Goals Supported: 

  • Make a Difference
    • Focus deeply in interdisciplinary research and education.
    • Lead in student learning outcomes through building from theory to practice to expertise.
    • Build and strengthen external partnerships.
    • Become a user-focused university.
  • Make it Together
    • Broaden Lehigh’s global perspective and impact.
    • Enhance access and equity, develop trust and ensure a sense of belonging for all members of the Lehigh community.
    • Strengthen and grow community engagement and service, and partnerships within Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley.

Strategic Throughlines: Arts and Libraries, Athletics, Student Outcomes

Initiative Team(s) / Advisory Group(s): Core Team consisting of faculty and staff involved in community programming. The team is currently evaluating a Community Advisory Framework to determine the most effective mechanisms—and potential advisory components—for ongoing dialogue and partnership with regional stakeholders.

Core Team members:

  • Adrienne McNeil, assistant vice president, communications and public affairs

  • Amy Cozze, director of state government relations, communications and public affairs

  • Ashley Sciora, associate director, community service office

  • Brett Ludwig, vice president, communications and public affairs

  • Carolina Hernandez, assistant dean/director, student life

  • Jeremy Gibson, Murray H. Goodman dean of athletics

  • Kate Jackson, assistant professor, department of community and global health

  • Renee Keiderling, executive assistant, communications and public affairs

  • Tracey King, associate vice president, external affairs

  • Traci Mindler, administrative director, communications and public affairs

Highlights and Accomplishments: 

  • Published an Economic Impact Report highlighting Lehigh’s addition of $1.4B to the Lehigh Valley in FY 2023-2024
  • Created a program inventory to better document Lehigh’s community engagement and activity and to serve as a baseline as we expand our commitment to community engagement
  • Launched annual perception survey of Lehigh Valley residents to better measure Lehigh’s reputation and perception in the community and to serve as a baseline to measure our progress in those areas
  • Expanded community partnerships for research, education, and economic and community vitality

Explore more accomplishments for this and other initiatives on the Completed Projects page. 

Resources:

Have a question or want to get involved? Reach out to Tracey King.