Collaborative Chronicles

Welcome to our inaugural newsletter! Thank you so much for taking the time to read about what SIUE students and faculty are doing with our community partners! You’ll find each issue filled with exciting updates about projects in the Metro- East and SSCC news. You’ll also learn about opportunities to get involved! We want this newsletter to be valuable to you, so please share your feedback and suggestions to help us improve.

Connie's Corner

Learn About Our Inaugural Partner, Alton, IL

Engineering a More Effective and Efficient Alton

Supporting Small Businesses in Alton

Shout Out to Our New Partner.....Edwardsville, IL

Connie's Corner

Dear Community Friends,

When we launched SSCC in 2017, we had no idea how eager community members would be to partner with SIUE, nor how hungry SIUE students were for opportunities to apply classroom-based learning to projects that matter to their communities. In our first edition of the SSCC newsletter, we highlight projects that student worked on with the City of Alton in our inaugural year. We accomplished quite a bit in Alton and look forward to building our relationship as we move forward.

Be sure to like and follow us on social media to get up to date on our upcoming activities and events!

Learn About Our Inaugural Partner, Alton, IL

During the 2018-2019 academic year several classes and groups of students worked through the SSCC with the City of Alton in identifying projects that would improve the walk-ability/bike-ability/drive-ability of the city. Others worked toward increasing the support for small businesses. Still others worked to develop a mobile app that would help visitors find hotspots in the city. Another group worked to design a water retention basin to address storm water issues.

Location	25 miles north of St. Louis
Population	28,000
Education opportunities	Several public and private schools Lewis and Clark Community College Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Tourist attractions	Haunted houses Great River Road Eagle watching So much more…

Engineering a More Effective and Efficient Alton

As a city develops and grows there are parts of the infrastructure that must be revisited to determine if they will continue to meet the needs for the residents of that city.
The city of Alton is no exception to this. A civil engineering class at SIUE has identified three areas in Alton that need to be addressed. The first is that the ramps on State Street are not easily accessible and to be in accordance with the ADA, sidewalks and ramps must be accessible for all people. This team of students worked with a survey group to identify the ramps that need to be restructured. They then designed new ramps and curbs that would meet state and federal standards.

Another project addressed a particularly dangerous intersection. The team worked with the survey company to design a roundabout that would help reduce vehicle accidents as well as vehicle emissions from cars waiting to take their turn. Finally, the third project was to develop a water retention basin to have a way to mitigate the storm water runoff that much of Alton experiences. By locating the proper funding for these projects, and carrying them out, the City of Alton will be able to increase the quality of life for many of its residents. These projects will also help promote a more sustainable way of living in Alton. They will do this by increasing the safe accessibility to crosswalks and ramps that encourage non- motorized modes of transportation. The second project will help to reduce the amount of time people spend at the intersection as well as reduce the risk of accidents, and the storm water management project will help to reduce erosion.

Supporting Small Businesses in Alton

Alton, Illinois is seated in the heart of the United States on the Mississippi River. This modest city is rich with history, beautiful sights, as well as unique potential. Even with its historical past, there are still plenty of opportunities for economic growth. Small business entrepreneurs can utilize mentoring, training, and professional development resources that are available locally. Another way to stimulate economic development is through the use of incubators. Business incubators assist small business start-ups by providing crucial administrative support, they can also provide advice and guidance. By utilizing incubators, small business owners can get their organization off to a cost-efficient start.

A few types of incubators that would benefit Alton are business, technology, kitchen, farm, and healthcare. Funding for these kinds of spaces are also available on several different levels. If the City of Alton, entrepreneurs, and locals are mindful of the demographics and the needs of the residents then small business start-ups and incubator spaces could help the city flourish. Another group of students worked to develop a survey to identify the barriers to small business startups in the city. If you are from the Alton, Metro-East, or St. Louis area please take a few moments to take the survey.

Shout Out to Our New Partner.....Edwardsville, IL

We're excited to also announce our partnership with the City of Edwardsville for the 2019-2020 academic year! This upcoming year, we will be working with Edwardsville on their plans of building a new sports complex, addressing the parking downtown, and creating Earth Edwardsville. The sports complex will include a teen center and feature an ice hockey rink. To address downtown parking, students will work with city officials to design a multi-purpose, multi-modal parking structure. And finally, we will be helping in the creation of Earth Edwardsville, a commission that will unite like-minded groups who are interested in maintaining the historical and environmental value of the Edwardsville area