Penn State University – �鶹��Ƶ

Riparian Planting Guides to Address Flooding in Walker Township

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:35:29 +0000

This project focuses to provide Walker Township leadership information and tools for its residents to address backyard flooding relating to maintenance and increased absorption on private land. When residential housing is adjacent to a creek, the lawns often run up to the creek bed. In Walker Township several residential lots border a creek that is dry during periods of drought but swells and cause minor flooding during severe rain events. The township would like to encourage residential landowners to establish creek buffers that will increase absorption during rain events while enhancing property landscaping. The students recommended plants that tolerate both dry and wet conditions, including trees, shrubs, and perennials and their planting guides.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info
University Faculty Contact
Heather Karsten, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Crop Production / Ecology
hdk3@psu.edu
814-863-3179

Tenant Discrimination in Housing Related Matters

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:27:55 +0000

In this project, the student worked with State College Borough on investigating claims of tenant and housing discrimination, analyze current policies regarding housing, and determine any gaps in current policies or ordinances period from that research the student plans to establish a clear set of ways to bridge these gaps in knowledge or in justice and determine goals and outcomes to disseminate information.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info
University Faculty Contact
Emily Vargo
Assistant Clinical Professor of Public Policy
eav5053@psu.edu

Water Quality Monitoring at Halfmoon Creek

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:25:04 +0000

The purpose of this class is to introduce students to measurement and monitoring equipment and techniques commonly used in the design and analysis of hydrologic systems. This course is primarily a lab-based course. In this project, the students worked with The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), in collaboration with local stakeholders and project partners, who is developing a Section 319 Nonpoint Source Watershed Management Plan for Halfmoon Creek by June 2020. The plan will encompass a restoration plan with a long-term goal of getting Halfmoon Creek delisted as an impaired stream. Monitoring the surface water quality and streamflow of the creek will be essential for tracking incremental milestones of the restoration plan we develop, and therefore, beginning monitoring before implementation of the plan occurs is critical to establish a baseline. CBF, project partners, and the local community will greatly benefit from the data that students will collect and analyze, as it will contribute to an inventory of baseline data and can later be compared to future monitoring data as more and more projects get implemented and conservation practices get adopted throughout the watershed. The data will also give a greater understanding of the current conditions of Halfmoon Creek and the watershed.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info
University Faculty Contact
Michael L. Hile, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator and Adviser for the ERM program
mlh144@psu.edu
814-865-6942

Residential Pollinator Garden Guide for State College Borough

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:22:21 +0000

The town of State College is in the process of providing its residence with detailed guidance on promoting pollinators through pollinator gardening approaches and habitat. Students are asked to provide recommendations specific to the State College geography for the establishment of pollinator habitat/gardens in State College residential neighborhoods, including native plants materials, guidance on planting and maintenance of pollinator gardens and its footprint to curtain overgrown areas.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info
University Faculty Contact
Heather Karsten, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Crop Production / Ecology
hdk3@psu.edu
814-863-3179

Housing Burden and Health in State College Borough

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:17:54 +0000

State College Borough is home to a significant transient population consisting of many students who live off campus. This has created a strong demand for rental housing that has resulted in ever increasing rents. This in turn have displaced low-income workers in the Borough. The Borough of State College is interested in data relating to the affordability of rental properties in the borough, trends in the rental market, and discrimination as experienced by students and other tenants. For this project, student develop and test a survey tool to collect the appropriate data to better understand the rental market in State College.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info
University Faculty Contact
Louisa Holmes
Associate Professor of Geography and Demography
lmholmes@psu.edu
814-865-1596

Reframing White Pine Center for Healing Campaign

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:13:33 +0000

Issues related to body image and eating disorders may have grabbed headlines but have not been recognized as medical disorders that require and benefit from treatment. The White Pine Center for Healing in Erie, PA is one of the only organizations that provide outreach and programing to help people who are experiencing these issues and associated trauma. Through education and treatment as well as a successful outreach and prevention program, White Pines has had great local success, and the organization is poised to expand both services and reach.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info
University Faculty Contact
Tara Wyckoff
Associate Teaching Professor
tmd119@psu.edu
814-865-8007

Community Events Planning for Centre County Conservation District

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:11:12 +0000

The Centre County Conservation District (CCCD) is the County’s resource for issues relating to the maintenance and conservation of natural resources in the county. They work with county stakeholders to address and mitigate impacts on the natural environment and serve as a liaison to other agencies. One of their core functions is to educate the public on conservation best management practices. The CCCD’s Water Specialist, Ivy Foster, is interested in creating community engagement events in Centre County communities that inform the public on topics relevant to water. A community of particular interest is Phillipsburg. Due to its location on the edge of Centre and Clearfield Counties, education about water resources is of particular interest as water supply and issues transcend county lines. The students worked with CCCD Water Specialist to organize a community event focused on water, that may include a a film screening and discussion and/or other activities. Students determined the appropriate audience(s) and approaches to maximize engagement and educational impact, including an outline and plan for an event, specific activities to employ during the event (e.g., a film screening, community art project, etc.), as well as locations, resources, and follow-up activities to promote continued engagement.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info

University Faculty Contact
Kaitlyn Spangler, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Community Development and Engagement
kspangler@psu.edu

Solar Feasiblity Analysis for Hazleton City View Park

Ada Inman — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 15:30:05 +0000

City View Park in Hazleton has become a popular community gathering place, and Mayor Cusat would like to add amenities to meet popular demand, such as an ice cream stand, mini golf and RV parking. Adding solar at the site may not only provide the electricity needed but can also provide additional shade. The student team [...]

Skill Games: Is It Worth the Gamble? A Case Study in Downtown DuBois

Ada Inman — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 20:52:34 +0000

DuBois is a small community in north central Pennsylvania. Its Mainstreet program, Downtown DuBois Inc., works to enhance and provide direct services to improve commerce and economic opportunities, promote cultural and community assets, and encourage rehabilitation and beautification of properties. With the advance of small skill games in communities like DuBois with no required oversight, a number of problems that are contrary to the Downtown DuBois mission have arisen. They range from drug activities, theft and robbery, to pay-out issues and overdoses. Downtown Dubois would like to address these emerging safety concerns by understanding the motivation for, attitudes about, and usage of skill games among local businesses, residents, and users of the machines. The students facilitated focus group discussion and distributed a survey to then apply marketing analytics to better determine possible interventions that will ensure the downtown’s safety and business-friendly climate.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info

University Faculty Contact
Scott Muirhead
Lecturer, Business Administration Program
srm5@psu.edu

Strategies For Justice Symposium

Ada Inman — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 20:47:33 +0000

Strategies for Justice (SFJ) is an organization with a focus on issues of gender, disability, and racial equity within law enforcement. Through training and speaking engagements, including an annual symposium, SFJ hopes to unveil untold narratives of injustice from those working in policing that can inform reforms within the law enforcement community. SFJ’s mission is to provide the tools necessary to help individuals, social justice organizations, and institutions of higher education work in collaboration with law enforcement, to engage in civil dialogue, and to help create meaningful changes in the communities they serve. The goals of SFJ include passing equity-minded legislation, uncovering injustice through story-telling, and providing education and advocacy for the communities with whom we interact. This project focuses on the SFJ Symposium; the organization’s main event, in hopes that it may serve as a catalyst to continued conversation and execution of any call to action.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info

University Faculty Contact
Anne Pisor
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
acp5908@psu.edu