Working from the grant proposal, here are some of the broad research questions raised by the plans for the Project and its initiatives.
1. Can an elite liberal arts college, steeped in tradition, fundamentally recast its approach to liberal education in a way that reflects an increasingly urbanized, interdependent, and changing world?
2. Can a prestigious liberal arts college help the surrounding, troubled urban neighborhood transform itself?
3. Can the College build and sustain a common ground of understanding and communications between itself and the surrounding neighborhood?
4. What role can technology play in building an extended community of learning?
Working from the proposal and discussions with the leaders of the various initiatives, here are some of the major outcomes in the community that we can anticipate. The numbers in parentheses refer to the research questions above to which these outcomes relate.
1. Creation of neighborhood linkages with faculty, students, and staff that will foster greater community self-reliance, resource access, knowledge and skill acquisition. (2)
2. Increased neighborhood use of information, technology, and technical expertise to address community concerns. (2,4)
3. Acquisition of knowledge, skills and habits that will help foster neighborhood health and responsibility. (2)
4. Development of an effective community voice and leadership role in the new educational and social service entities. (2)
5. Ensuring successful management of the Learning Corridor and its sustainability in the future. (2)
6. Obtaining additional external financial and institutional resources for the Learning Corridor and neighborhood initiatives. (2)
7. Effective communication among all elements f the Trinity community and neighborhood regarding the planning and operation of the learning Corridor and neighborhood initiatives. (3)
8. Development of communication linkages among the College, neighborhood institutions, residents, and businesses. (4)
9. Increased interactions between the neighborhood and the College through electronic communication. (4)
10. Development of new job skills for residents through access to computing facilities, computer-based training and technology support. (4)
11. Increased entrepreneurial opportunities by creating a demand for technology-related and technology-dependent businesses. (4)