The Upper Mississippi Center (UMC) mobilizes Augustana College faculty, staff, and students to collaborate with communities in addressing pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Through partnerships with local organizations, governments, and nonprofits, the UMC provides real-world opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills while creating meaningful change. Communities gain access to innovative ideas and research support, and students gain hands-on experience working on complex, interdisciplinary issues.
Since its founding in 2013, the UMC has facilitated high-impact learning across campus through community-based research, project-based coursework, internships, and service-learning. These experiences are grounded in the liberal arts and integrate perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
UMC projects are defined by:
- Community-driven challenges focused on sustainability in its broadest sense—economic, social, and environmental.
- Action-oriented approaches that go beyond study to promote real, tangible solutions.
- Collaborative partnerships with community members and stakeholders that prioritize mutual learning and respect.
- Student engagement that fosters critical thinking, civic responsibility, and the ability to make a real difference.
Augustana Accelerator
The Augustana Accelerator is the cornerstone of the UMC’s efforts to build learning partnerships that both enrich the liberal arts education and help communities solve pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. The model establishes a one- to two-year partnership between Augustana and a community partner, aligning existing courses, independent research, internships, and other learning experiences with community-identified priorities.
