Community Resilience
Sustainability is more than quantitative goals and carbon footprint reductions. A deeper, more holistic understanding of sustainability embraces resilience. Resilience, as defined by Second Nature, is “the ability of a system or community to survive disruption and to anticipate, adapt, and flourish in the face of change.” A carbon neutral institution will still experience the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, alongside its community. Resilience seeks collaborations to strengthen a community despite the changes and challenges it experiences.
Resilience Commitment
Our Climate Commitment, in partnership with Second Nature, goes beyond addressing our carbon footprint to include a commitment to develop increased resilience. We’ve partnered with the My Meadville process to develop a resilience assessment and community action plan to improve the resilience of our home.
Ideas Center
The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Social Justice (IDEAS) Center offers support and empowerment to underserved student populations as well as a gathering space to build community. IDEAS also works to expand the awareness, dialogue, and engagement of the entire community in explorations of social equity and justice. The IDEAS Center Cultural Gardens offer space for students to grow the foods important to their cultures and traditions. The Mutual Aid Closet provides a space to donate, swap, or obtain winter clothing.
Gateway Network
The network connects students, faculty, and academic resources with community partners to collaboratively address pressing needs and advance the vitality of the community while offering beneficial curricular experiences. For instance, past students have completed an economic vitality assessment for the nearby town of Cambridge Springs and researched the feasibility of developing an efficiency program to benefit both local renters and landlords.
Community Health Collaborations
Allegheny students collaborate with the Meadville Medical Center to advance the health of the Meadville community through an innovative health coaching program in which students serve as preventative-care liaisons to help patients adhere to doctors’ orders. Student researchers also help develop the periodic Community Health Needs Assessment through a survey to identify key issues to guide the Meadville Medical Center as it develops policies and programs to meet the health needs of the community.
Wellness
Allegheny College recognizes the importance of supporting the whole health of individuals and the community. Various offices, committees, and events support the development of all aspects of wellness – physical, social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, and environmental. Recognizing the intertwined nature of personal wellness can help us understand the interconnected factors of community and global wellness and resilience.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The U.N.’s 17 sustainable development goals, adopted in 2015, call for immediate and ongoing global partnership and action to develop peace and prosperity for both humankind and the planet. The goals recognize the interconnection of challenges such as poverty, health, education, economic growth, climate change, and inequality. A team of Allegheny students in a 2018 junior seminar used the goals as a lens and framework through which to assess the resilience of the Meadville community.
Meadville Collaborations
Allegheny has long partnered with the City of Meadville and various nonprofits, businesses, and organizations to advance research, develop programs, and create public artwork. Allegheny students helped the city complete a greenhouse gas inventory; analyzed the solar potential of a local brewery and public housing, and created public artwork such as Signs & Flowers and Read Between the Signs in collaboration with PennDOT. Students also assisted with various murals throughout downtown Meadville and created the Community Garden at the MARC.
What Can You Do?
Cast Your Ballot
You can’t make a difference if you don’t vote in support of representatives who share your values and goals. Allegheny’s Center for Political Participation provides a link and detailed instructions on how to register to vote in Crawford County and further details on where and how to vote. It also provides shuttles on election days to transport students to the polls.
Participate in Community Movements
Meadville is full of opportunities to participate in developing a more welcome, resilient, and vibrant community. Some examples include Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), My Meadville, Green New Deal, Common Roots, and the Northwest Pennsylvania Investment Cooperative.
Explore Climate Justice
While climate change will impact every community and individual globally, the impacts will not be borne fairly or equally. As residents of northwest Pennsylvania, we are fortunate to be insulated from many of the most direct impacts of climate chaos – sea level rise, drought, extreme temperatures – yet it is imperative we consistently recognize how the climate impacts of our daily choices and habits disproportionately impact those who are poor, young, female, and marginalized, both within our community and globally. Climate change is a human-rights issue, and we must recognize how our every action influences the rights of others no matter how distant they may be from us geographically and experientially.
Explore and Enjoy Meadville
Our community has a unique, small-town vibe and offers lots of opportunities for those willing to explore. You can familiarize yourself with our Meadville Area Interactive Map & Guide. But the best way to experience Meadville is simply to walk Chestnut Street and stop at the many locally owned businesses to meet friendly people and discover a wealth of unique gifts, everyday necessities, delicious foods, and local artisan crafts.
You can also find suggestions and reviews from employees and students at Meadville Values & Things to Do! (not public beyond Allegheny users)
Step Outside
Northwestern Pennsylvania is a dream location for those who love the outdoors. Meadville is full of ravines and small trails through woods. Within a short drive, you can hike, paddle, fish, or play Frisbee golf at Woodcock Creek Dam. You can paddle or float down French Creek; run, walk or bike on the Ernst Bike Trail; hike the Erie National Wildlife Refuge, or spend the day on a sandy beach at Presque Isle in Erie.
#BecomeTheChange
Explore the Allegheny Gateway to discover how it supports students to “develop a clear vision of who they are in the world, an inclusive and global perspective, and the commitment to be citizen-leaders addressing the complexities of the modern world.” You might volunteer in Meadville on Service Saturday, Thankful Thursdays, or Make a Difference Day. You can expand your perspectives by traveling abroad, pursue an internship or research project to develop professionally, get pointers on polishing your resume, or find support to develop your research and study skills.
Self Care vs. Community Care
Our culture puts a lot of emphasis on self care, but community care is essential to ensure we’re all cared for and connected in meaningful ways. You can share some caring with our Allegheny community by nominating those you see and appreciate by emailing alleghenyhellbenders@gmail.com or getting involved with the work of student group, Positive Deviance. Or simply show up for all those around you to listen, support, and offer care, love and help.
