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Community Partners

Community Partners

Partnerships for Engagement


Educating students well means going beyond books and research. This includes enabling students to develop a strong sense of social responsibility. Through community engagement projects, service learning and open forums OU students can construct knowledge through addressing the social, economic and political concerns of their local and immediate communities.

The University of Oklahoma has a rich history of working with and within the community. To best meet the needs of partner agencies, provide valued community service and to ensure that students have meaningful community engagement, an advisory committee was formed to advise the university. Nonprofit representatives are members of the Community Engagement Advisory Committee and work with the university to build relationships in the community.

Student volunteers at event with concert stage in background.

Partnership Overview and Approach

OU Community Engagement focuses on reciprocity, long-term partnerships and cultural humility, cultivating mutually beneficial partnerships between communities and the University.

OU works with non-profits, schools and community organizations to understand their needs and priorities. Faculty and students look for opportunities for engaged learning and research to impact positive social change.  

Community Partnerships


Principles of Partnership

  1. Partnerships form to serve a specific purpose and may take on new goals over
    time.
  2. Partners have agreed upon mission, values, goals, measurable outcomes and
    accountability for the partnership.
  3. The relationship between partners is characterized by mutual trust, respect,
    genuineness, and commitment.
  4. The partnership builds upon identified strengths and assets, but also works to
    address needs and increase capacity of all partners.
  5. The partnership balances power among partners and enables resources among
    partners to be shared.
  6. Partners make clear and open communication an ongoing priority by striving to
    understand each other's needs and self-interests, and developing a common
    language.
  7. Principles and processes for the partnership are established with the input and
    agreement of all partners, especially for decision-making and conflict resolution.
  8. There is feedback among all stakeholders in the partnership, with the goal of
    continuously improving the partnership and its outcomes.
  9. Partners share the benefits of the partnership's accomplishments.
  10. Partnerships can dissolve and need to plan a process for closure.

Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH)

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Community Engagement
Old Science Hall, Room 223
Norman, OK 73019
Updated 1/4/2024 by Community Engagement: engage@ou.edu