SUSI

What is SUSI?

Susi buildingSUSI: Simpson Urban Studies Institute

SUSI is committed to Community Service through Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities

SUSI is a collaboration between Simpson College and Urban Dreams to construct a better environment for the River Bend neighborhood and residents of the Des Moines Metro area, as well as to enhance experiential learning for Simpson students.

SUSI is a research center. One of SUSI’s primary objectives is to identify the most pressing needs affecting the River Bend neighborhood and its residents. SUSI produced its first River Bend Needs Assessment report, which can be found in the reports section of this website.

SUSI is an experiential and service learning gateway. After community needs are identified SUSI staff, in collaboration with CVIL, recruits Simpson students and faculty to participate in volunteer projects and to construct service learning components to existing courses.

SUSI is a resource for Urban Dreams. Urban Dreams runs over 20 human service programs that help thousands of residents of the inner city Des Moines and surrounding area. It is SUSI’s job to assess the programs offered at Urban Dreams in an effort to maximize the benefits provided to the program clients.

SUSI is a community resource. As SUSI’s presence in the River Bend neighborhood becomes more known and trusted, community residents will see SUSI as a source of community volunteers and positive change, in the form of community needs and human service program assessments. A report about the volunteer work done by SUSI volunteers can be found in the reports section of this website.

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Last Updated: 3/26/09