Planning Together

Over the past year, the staff at the Dornsife Center worked with Praxis Consulting Group to develop a five-year strategic plan, creating a clear direction for the Dornsife Center's programming and development. In their process Praxis talked with neighborhood and Drexel stakeholders, program participants and program partners, and took into account existing neighborhood plans as well as the foundational Dornsife Center planning and evaluation documents. We are pleased to share the highlights of this plan with you.

Mission Statement

The Dornsife Center brings Drexel’s academic and administrative expertise into the neighborhood, engaging students, faculty and administrators with community residents in creative collaboration to address matters of shared importance.

Vision Statement

Mantua, Powelton Village and Drexel University are strong, vibrant and effective because they are doing shared public work to advance their individual and collective interests. Education and civic life are strengthened when all participate in this public work.

Statement of Principles

• Community residents and leaders and Drexel University administrators, faculty and students all have knowledge and skills that can be of mutual value. Each constituency is benefitted when the knowledge and skills of all partners are mobilized.
• The projects and activities facilitated by the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships are based on the concept of reciprocity: all parties have a stake and the potential to gain. Projects and activities will be evaluated to determine whether they meet the standard of mutual benefit.
• Community interests, needs and priorities must play a primary role in the identification of shared work. At the same time, the Dornsife Center needs to benefit teaching and research at Drexel.
• None of this work can happen without mutual trust. All activities will be marked by transparency and accountability.
• The partnerships facilitated by the Dornsife Center will transform both Drexel University and Mantua and Powelton Village.
• The work of the Dornsife Center will be grounded in cultural competence. Each person involved in a Dornsife Center partnership will strive to have an appreciation for cultures other than their own and will be open to learn from others.

Strategic Directions

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1: Align Dornsife Center staff, financial and physical resources, and the Dornsife Community Advisory Council so that they are focused on facilitating partnerships between Drexel University and Mantua and Powelton Village.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2: Make the Dornsife Center the centerpiece of the place-based work of the Office of University and Community Partnerships (UCP).

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3: Develop a process for identifying community ambitions that align with Drexel University’s academic and administrative resources.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 4: Identify the teaching and learning, knowledge and creative production and administrative resources of Drexel University that best align with community priorities and needs.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 5: Communicate the mission, vision and principles of the Dornsife Center to all stakeholders so that they understand how they can participate and how they can benefit. Communicate the accomplishments of the Dornsife Center, powerfully and tangibly, so all stakeholders can measure progress.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 6: Implement a fund raising initiative that results in endowed funding for core operations and program funding to support programs.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 7: Implement an assessment and evaluation initiative that is both quantitative and qualitative, that helps tell the story of the Dornsife Center as well as determines what outcomes are being achieved.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 8: Play a role in the national civic engagement in higher education movement.