The University of Connecticut Waterbury’s Walkbury initiative is working to bridge the campus and community divide by creating opportunities for students, faculty and staff to get involved in the city’s downtown culture. Through historical walks, food tours and partnerships with local businesses that offer exclusive discounts, campus community members are encouraged to create meaningful connections, discover new favorite spots and support the local economy.
Walkbury is part of the larger Ideas + Impact initiative that supports student-initiated and campus-initiated social impact projects so students can make meaningful contributions to their communities. “Ideas + Impact is about giving students the tools to make a difference, and Walkbury is a perfect example of that mission in action,” alumnus Mike Peluso who funded the project told UConn Today. “It’s rewarding to see how UConn Waterbury is inspiring students to engage with their community in meaningful ways.”
“This program is about more than walking tours or discounts,” Dr. Fumiko Hoeft, dean and chief administrative officer of UConn Waterbury, told the publication. “It’s about fostering understanding and building harmony between UConn and the community. Walkbury is a natural extension of Ideas + Impact, as both aim to inspire students and encourage them to engage meaningfully with the world around them.”
Check out the Walkbury map and learn more here.
