Community Involvement Council Meets To Discuss Further Baylor/Waco Issues

Contact: Ashley Lintelman, Office of Press Secretary for Student Government, (214) 458-5310
The Community Involvement Council (CIC) met at the Doris Miller YMCA in November to discuss ways to further improve the strengthening ties between the Baylor and Waco community.
Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy told the CIC how excited she was that the council was a student-led activity and that its sole purpose was to strengthen the relationship between the two communities. DuPuy was confident that something positive would come from the CIC.
"The second meeting enabled us to create challenging goals for the next semester," said Allan Marshall, student body external vice president and a senior political science major from Cuney, Texas.
Each group met and discussed issues related to their particular committee. Committee reports and discussion topics are as follows:
Meaningful Community Engagement Committee (previously the Community Involvement Committee):
? Created a mission statement: MCEC will provide opportunities for sustainable, effective and educational engagement. We will examine functional, strategic and consistent resources to benefit organizations in our community.
? "Waco We Do" Campaign -- how could CIC function with this campaign
? Long-term visioning project
? Educate Baylor students about what meaningful engagement means
? Link to academia side -- service as part of the learning requirement/environment

Recreation and Tourism
? Communication was the decidedly biggest challenge for the Chamber of Commerce
? Input on types of artists that would draw student crowds for concerts at Indian Spring Park for the Brazos Nights Concerts in the Park
? Discussed suggestions that would target graduate students who would want to settle in Waco

Employment Opportunities
"Where you work does not make you who you are...you make up where you work."
? Follow-up on career services
? Contact heads of departments and have President Lilley send it
? List job interns in Waco
? Discussed Waco business fair that brings job opportunities from Waco, to Baylor

Many exploratory ideas were introduced that will lead to a stronger relationship between Baylor and Waco.
"The CIC has great potential, and I think it is a significant achievement for the Baylor-Waco relationship," Marshall said.