The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts is pleased to announce that the Westside Communities Alliance (WCA), one of the dean’s signature initiatives, was selected for the Chancellor’s Service Excellence Team of the Year Award for 2014. The awards ceremony was held Friday, October 10, at Kennesaw State University.

“We look forward to ever-evolving opportunities for action and success, both on the campus and in the Westside communities,” Dean Jacqueline Royster said. “This award affirms our commitment and inspires our ongoing pursuit of excellence.”

The WCA Executive Leadership Team includes Dean Royster, GT Director of Community Relations Chris Burke, WCA Director Sheri Davis-Faulkner, and WCA Associate Director Mackenzie Madden.  The Alliance is a collaboration between the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, College of Architecture, and Office of Government and Community Relations with Georgia Tech’s neighboring Westside communities. 

As a collaborative network, the WCA functions as a nexus for intercommunication, action and advocacy, by bringing communities, academic institutions, and stakeholders from various arenas together to tackle local challenges and find points of synergy for positive action. A primary goal for the WCA is to operationalize a dynamic model of multi-institutional civic engagement, research, and action. We use our platform to spotlight economic and educational anchors, as well as cultural and historic assets, in addition to highlighting the significant investments made by community leaders and residents throughout Atlanta’s Westside.  Ongoing IAC faculty and student work with Westside community groups include: Westside Soul with Chris LeDantec (DM); Westside Food Oasis with Carl DiSalvo (DM); Community Think Tank with Micheal Hoffman (PubPol); and Westside Atlanta Land Trust with Erica Louise Richards (IE).

In the upcoming 2014-2015 school year the WCA will finish developing a Westside data dashboard, provide additional capacity-building for community-based organizations, and coordinate Institute support for four Atlanta public schools within the Booker T. Washington High School cluster.  Visit our website, get on our listserv, take a service-learning course, volunteer to engage with Westside communities, and join the Westside GT Taskforce. The WCA depends on the academic expertise and the volunteer spirit of our GT community. Their motto is “Together, we can do better.”