The Augustana Accelerator is the cornerstone of the UMC’s efforts to build learning partnerships that both enrich the liberal arts education and help communities solve pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. The model establishes a one- to two-year partnership between Augustana and a community partner, aligning existing courses, independent research, internships, and other learning experiences with community-identified priorities.
In this collaboration between Augustana and community partners, you identify high-priority projects that strengthen local and regional economies, foster vibrant and livable communities, promote healthier and happier individuals, and support a more sustainable environment. Experienced faculty from a diverse array of disciplines will lead teams of passionate, creative students to tackle your priority initiatives. Expertise is available in many areas:
- Accounting and Finance: financial planning & budgeting
- Business and Marketing: plan & strategy development
- Graphic Design: website & social media design
- Biology and Ecology: wildlife & plant survey inventories
- Environmental Science: soil & water quality assessments
- GIS and Data Science: mapping, geospatial analysis, predictive modeling, & database design and analysis
- Public Policy and Administration: ordinances and management plans (stormwater, urban forestry, watershed)
- Urban and Transportation Planning: park & community masterplans
- Resiliency Planning: stormwater & flood mitigation strategies
- Archival and Historical Research
- Survey and Interview Research
Types of partnerships
Interdisciplinary projects
Community partners work with the UMC on large or multifaceted projects that require expertise from multiple disciplines and a variety of courses. Partners have included: the City of Davenport (Assessing Health of Urban Watersheds), Scott County Health Department (Live Lead Free), and Cities of Clinton, Rock Island, and Geneseo (diverse group of projects). Typical interdisciplinary projects range from $10,000-$25,000.
Disciplinary projects
Community partners collaborate with the UMC on smaller, focused projects that typically involve one or two classes and address specific issues. Typical disciplinary projects range from $2,000-$5,000.
Stay in touch/Contact us
If you have any questions about the program, want to learn more, or have research needs you’d like to discuss before submitting a proposal, please reach out to Dr. Michael Reisner, UMC Director, michaelreisner@augustana.edu and/or Alyssa Klauer, Sustainability Program Manager, alyssaklauer@augustana.edu.
Current 2025-2026 partnerships
The City of Davenport and Partners of Scott County Watersheds
In partnership with the City of Davenport and PSCW, Augustana’s UMC students assess water quality, biodiversity, and riparian zone integrity across local creeks in Scott County. These efforts support regional watershed health and planning, enhance community education, and contribute to long-term environmental sustainability.
Martin Luther King Center and West End Revitalization
The UMC partners with the MLK Center and West End Revitalization on community-rooted projects that explore the social and environmental landscape of Rock Island’s west end. Through a photovoice project, oral histories, and mapping, students help elevate resident voices and inform revitalization efforts.
Public and Private Land Stakeholders
Now in its second year, this UMC-led project engages students in wildlife research through camera trap surveys on public and private lands. Partnering with local parks and landowners, students analyze species presence alongside ecological covariates such as forest patch size, landcover, and species interactions. This project supports regional biodiversity and habitat management.