ONEONTA, N.Y.— Hartwick College received two grants totaling $10,000 from the Community Foundation of Otsego County to expand civic engagement and innovation at the college.
A $5,000 grant to Hartwick’s Institute of Public Service will support three main civic-engagement activities to strengthen connections between people in Otsego County and local government through activities such as voter registration and an education campaign aimed at college and high-school students. The institute plans to hold events featuring Oneonta City Council candidates and Otsego County candidates for their respective elections. It is also looking to use funding to support an essay competition on civic engagement for area high-school students.
The newly established institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, regional political institute dedicated to state and local government, civic engagement, and legal studies. It seeks to create synergy between local government in Otsego, Chenango, Delaware, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, and Schoharie counties; develop pathways for students to engage in democracy; and provide continued legal education for legal professionals, lawyers, and judges in the region.
Hartwick College’s Griffiths Center for Collaboration and Innovation received the second $5,000 grant, which it will use to fund the next steps in realizing its vision of Hartwick College’s Stevens-German Library as a student-centered and community-engagement space. The hope is that the space, along with the Student Success Center, will become a hub of innovation, creativity, and support.
The center seeks to empower the next generation of social-impact leaders by promoting cross-disciplinary innovation and entrepreneurship through community partnerships, innovation spaces, and research opportunities. It also facilitates career opportunities and connections with global partners.
“We are pleased to present these grants to Hartwick,” Community Foundation Executive Director Jeff Katz said. “The Community Foundation has been impressed by the new energy at Hartwick and its commitment to strengthening the community. Civic engagement and innovation are essential to the future of our region, and by supporting these programs at the college, the foundation is ensuring our community’s ongoing strength and vibrancy.”
Hartwick College offers more than 45 courses of study, four pre-professional programs, six cooperative programs, and certifications.
The Community Foundation of Otsego County is a nonprofit charity that offers grants to nonprofit organizations in the county to support efforts to strengthen the community and the nonprofit sector as well as assist those in need of support.