Presentation at International Town Gown Association Conference

Binghamton University presented at the International Town Gown Association (ITGA) National Conference held at Penn State University in State College, Pa., on May 20. The presentation articulated the innovative, exciting, functional and sustainable ways that Binghamton University has partnered with the Greater Binghamton community to produce a top-notch Town Gown Advisory Board entrenched with community members, businesses, city government, University officials, University students and community-based organizations all working collaboratively to create extraordinary experiences that are mutually beneficial for all parties involved.

Some key points that we shared with other institutions included how we have infused diversity in terms of voice into the advisory board. We were also able to introduce a sustainable process that prevents the advisory board from becoming simply a gripe session or a meeting with a significant number of people in attendance getting together to talk about things without ever executing any action or getting positive, impactful results.

From our vantage point, we were able to illustrate our best practices on how to maintain and sustain a Town and Gown Advisory Board that senior administration will view as an integral part of the University’s mission as it relates to the institution’s ability to enhance the economic, social and cultural impact through community engagement from the local to the global level.

Our presentation was very well received, and many prominent institutions requested copies of our presentation and handouts. As a result of our presentation, we have been recruited to do a webinar with other institutions and the leadership of the ITGA. We have also been selected to be an official member of a Regional Ad-Hoc Outreach Committee for the ITGA, with Cornell University at the lead.