Pribbenow named to national higher ed engagement advisory group

In the fall, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Campus Compact announced the HUD + Higher Ed Engagement Network, a new collaboration to strengthen higher education community action. Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow was one of three college presidents named to a 30-member think tank of strategic leaders that will guide network activities.

“Augsburg has long been engaged in vital placemaking work with our neighbors, our students, and our employees,” said Pribbenow, who also chairs the Central Corridor Anchor Partnership in Minneapolis. “It’s an honor to be able to share what we’ve learned about mutually sustaining partnerships in an urban setting where we have deep institutional roots.”

The think tank will collaborate with HUD leaders to develop and disseminate strategies for campuses to engage with HUD field offices and initiatives nationwide. Member institutions will put these plans into action at the local level, with the goal of building inclusive, sustainable, and thriving communities through increased civic and community engagement. Focus areas will include worker empowerment, maternal and infant health, eviction prevention, landlord outreach, housing security and access, broadband access and digital literacy, and cultural competency.

“We are thrilled to partner with Campus Compact on this initiative,” said Michele Perez, HUD’s assistant deputy secretary for field policy and management, in announcing the program. “This partnership will bolster HUD’s and the members of the Higher Ed Engagement Network’s ability to serve our most vulnerable populations through the higher education space. Together, we will leverage our strong connections in our respective industries to enable a just, equitable, and sustainable future.”

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Top image: Downtown Minneapolis as seen from Augsburg’s campus (Photo by Mark Chamberlain)