UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The 2019 International Town & Gown Association’s City and University Relations Conference, hosted by Penn State and the Borough of State College, will be held next month on Penn State’s University Park campus and in downtown State College. Scheduled for May 19-22, the event will bring together higher education and government officials for collaborative discussion on strengthening town-gown partnerships and communities. 

The International Town & Gown Association (ITGA) is a nonprofit group that connects and helps municipal and university leaders address opportunities and challenges between higher education institutions and the communities in which they reside.

“We’re pleased to have this opportunity to partner with the Borough of State College to host this conference on how to grow our town-gown initiatives and encourage collaboration,” said Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs at Penn State. “We have much to share from our decades of working together for the betterment of our campus and our community, and we know we can learn from others across the country who are facing many of the same challenges and opportunities that we do. It’s sure to be an enriching few days for those of us who live and work in college towns and cities.”

This year’s conference, with the theme of “Collaborate/Adapt/Change: Evolving Together to Grow a Thriving Community,” will address the broad range of issues and stakeholders involved in growing a thriving community and explore the complex, nuanced and ever-changing challenges facing colleges and universities, government entities and their community partnerships.

Registration is open to the University community and the public. Attendees are invited to register online for the conference by April 26 to receive a discounted rate. Special rates are available for ITGA members and students. Registration will close on May 6.

“It is especially pleasing that State College has the opportunity to host the 2019 International Town-Gown Association conference with our neighbors, Penn State University,” said State College Borough Manager Tom Fountaine. “State College and Penn State continue to enjoy a strong, collaborative relationship NS we are looking forward to showcasing our town/gown partnerships during this conference. We are also excited about the opportunity for attendees to learn more about State College’s historic neighborhoods, explore the vibrant and diverse businesses in Downtown State College and visit the Penn State Campus. I am certain attendees will find the 2019 ITGA City and University Relations Conference in State College and Penn State to be very valuable and enjoyable.”

The conference is divided into six tracks focusing on lessons learned, Greek life, crisis management, the challenges of drugs and alcohol, social justice, and sustainability.

Pre-conference activities begin on May 19 with two optional certificate programs, a community service project, walking tours of campus and downtown, and an evening networking reception. The core conference opens the morning of May 20 with a keynote address by Penn State President Eric Barron. The conference also will feature keynotes by Bloomberg News Senior Editor John Hechinger, author of “True Gentlemen: The Broken Pledge of America’s Fraternities; and Leon Andrews, director of the Race, Equity, and Leadership Program for the National League of Cities.

For Penn State and State College, the conference will allow local government, municipal and higher education professionals from around the country to learn about how University and borough officials collaborate to boost community engagement and safety, create a diverse and welcoming community, address key challenges, and expand local entrepreneurial efforts and other economic/job creation initiatives.

Town and campus have grown side-by-side since Penn State was founded as the Farmer’s High School in 1855. Today, University Park campus enrolls more than 46,000 students and is the largest employer in the region.

“It’s imperative in a town-gown relationship that university and municipal leaders partner closely to not only solve pressing problems, but also to create sustainable growth and new opportunities for our students, employees and residents,” said Charima Young, director of local government and community relations at Penn State. “Penn State and State College officials work together daily to address community challenges and promote the well-being and enhancement of our shared community.”

Over the years, local officials and the University have worked together to lead efforts to expand cultural and arts programming, build joint transportation and safety services, and more. Recent town-gown collaborations have focused on sustainability, student orientation, neighborhood relations, fraternity and sorority life, entrepreneurial initiatives and more. Key initiatives include:

• Establishing several partner projects to inspire entrepreneurs and foster economic growth in the area, including Invent Penn State, Happy Valley LaunchBox, New Leaf Initiative and Global Entrepreneurship Week.
• Addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion through the Racial, Equity and Leadership initiative with the National League of Cities, Task Force on Policing Communities of Color and the grassroots Community and Campus in Unity, established in 2014.
• Adopting a comprehensive set of University measures in 2017 designed to promote student safety and curb hazing, dangerous drinking and other behaviors within fraternity and sorority life, and other student organizations.
• Promoting quality of life, attracting new businesses, retaining alumni, and engaging the community through educational resources and recreational activities from the Borough’s Office of Community Engagement. 

Local conference partners include Penn State, the Borough of State College, Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the State College Downtown Improvement District.

To learn more about the ITGA City and University Relations Conference, visit itga.org.