Kansas City, Mo. – From a survey of every university, college and junior college in the nation, relatively tiny University of Missouri-Kansas City is ranked fourteenth for its work in the urban community. The survey was drawn by the president of Westfield State College in Massachusetts, Evan Dobelle.
Among the top 25 are University of Southern California and University of Missouri-St. Louis. Researcher Michael Konig found UMKC helping some 3 thousand businesses in metro Kansas City in creating jobs-- " and also what UMKC has done which I think is really remarkable, it's been involved in improving the city's Southtown and Brush Creek Neighborhoods."
Executive Director of Kansas City's Southtown Council, Marti Lee says the University has truly become a good neighbor in recent years, a vast change from days the back-lot of the school along Troost Avenue was a place of benign neglect. It now sports thousands of newly planted tulip bulbs. Lee says that is one small sign of the interest the University takes in it's neighboring area. She cites assistance the school has given local businesses.
The goal is for higher education institutions to provide community resources, both commercial and social.