It’s that time of year again. As the spring semester comes to a close, college students across the country are preparing for finals, and in the City of Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie Institute students are delivering their annual report. This year’s study? “City of Bridges: Collaborative Human Services in Poughkeepsie.”
“This event really captures and symbolizes what we think the relationship between the Poughkeepsie Institute and the city should be,” said Institute faculty member Peter Leonard of Vassar College.
Leonard, along with four other faculty members from area colleges and 22 students, recently completed a 14-week study examining the collaborative relationships between Poughkeepsie’s social services agencies – determining their effectiveness and exploring improvements. The group presented their findings on May 5 at a press conference at the Children’s Media Project on Academy Street, and later that day at the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council meeting at City Hall.
The Poughkeepsie Institute was formed in 1995, when Leonard, director of field work at Vassar College, was teaching an American culture class on Poughkeepsie. The class required students to interview community leaders on ways to improve the city.
Then-mayor Shelia Newman suggested that an institute be created that encouraged collaboration between local colleges and the city. The suggestion became the students’ chief recommendation at the conclusion of the class.
Shortly thereafter, the Poughkeepsie Institute was created, including a collaboration of students and faulty from Vassar College, Marist College, the Culinary Institute of America, Dutchess Community College and the State University of New York at New Paltz. According to Leonard, the institute is the only course in America that has a press conference instead of a final exam.
“I was craving something different from the traditional classroom experience, so I signed up,” said Vassar College student Tara Klein. “I was excited about the experiential learning that the course offered, as well as the opportunity to step outside the ‘Vassar bubble’ and get to know students from other colleges. I certainly got what I was looking for.”
According to Klein, a senior, the project’s broad topic presented some initial challenges, but once research groups were established, work got under way.
“It was great working with students from other colleges and experiencing the different working styles we all had. We often noted how our class was exhibiting exactly what we were studying within the human service agencies: collaboration,” she said.
Perspective is important
SUNY New Paltz student Mary Braunstein agreed. “Coming from New Paltz, I feel like everyone brought their own perspective into this collaboration. We really learned a lot about the community and ourselves, and together all of our voices combined to make one voice.”
The course included the input of a number of people and organizations from a variety of human services agencies throughout Poughkeepsie.
Representatives of the organizations acted as guest speakers in the classroom, and were interviewed by the students, who explored the roll of human services in regards to health care, food security, homelessness, and youth development.
Together the students produced a 35-page report and a 12-minute video documenting their findings, and according to the students’ report, the City of Poughkeepsie is a city of hope, and its small size is conducive to the development of close relationships between a relatively small group of specialized social service organizations.
But the students noted there are gaps to be filled. The report suggests a “collaboration conference,” where local organizations, agencies and educational institutions who provide – or who are in need of – services can network, identifying populations served, gaps in services and opportunities for partnership. The report also recommends local efforts to improve human service programs through social policy advocacy.
“I think the theme of collaboration really has stuck with me and affected the way I think about the other activities that I do as a member of a number of campus organizations related to community service. I am realizing the power of working together as individuals and as groups – be it agencies or student organizations,” said Vassar student Rachel Glicksman. “I think – or hope – that the city has heard our voice and realizes the great impact that the city, as a government agency, can have in fostering collaboration. There is so much being done throughout Poughkeepsie, especially in the fields of human services, and I think that recognizing all the good that is being done can help propel future efforts forward.”