MEDIA ADVISORYSeptember 8, 2000
Contact: Chris Riley Connecticut College860/443-5320
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE TO HOST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT
NEW LONDON, Conn. - Connecticut College, active in the economic rebirth of New London, will host "A Summit on Leadership in Community Development by Academic Institutions" September 21 and 22 that will bring together colleges and universities doing similar work around the nation. The summit will be held at the college, 270 Mohegan Avenue (Route 32) here.
The conference will examine the emerging national trend of colleges and universities that are taking a leading role in the redevelopment of their communities. It will also provide a foundation for discussions between institutions already successfully involved in community development work and institutions that are now in the early stages of this important work. The list of institutions taking part in the conference includes Connecticut College, the University of Pennsylvania, Howard University and Trinity College. Other participants include the University of Notre Dame, Louisiana State University, LeMoyne Owen College, and Bates College.
"During my 12 years as president of Connecticut College," said Dr. Claire Gaudiani, in announcing the summit, "the college and I have become deeply involved in the efforts to promote economic development and greater social justice in the city of New London. This involvement has been a profoundly enriching experience for the college, and has provided crucial opportunities for students to experience and participate in transforming change."
In addition to Connecticut College, the conference will be hosted by the non-profit New London Development Corporation (where Gaudiani also serves as president), Pfizer Corporation, and the City of New London, with collaborative support from Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE), the nation's largest source of financing for home mortgages, and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Connecticut College has always had a strong tie to the New London community. As President of both Connecticut College and the NLDC, Dr. Gaudiani, with the full support of the Board of Trustees of the college, spends a significant portion of her time, talent and energy on the work of redeveloping New London.
The NLDC is actively involved in more than $700 million of proposed economic development in the City of New London, including the development of a 90-acre Municipal Development Plan (MDP), which includes a four-star hotel/conference center, a restaurant, the New London Athletic Club, 80-units of waterfront housing and bio-science office space. The MDP area is directly adjacent to Pfizer's new Global Research and Development World Headquarters, a $270 million facility scheduled to open in early 2001, will employ up to 2,100 highly skilled scientists and researchers and will indirectly create another 1,900 jobs in the region. Other projects include a new waterfront park, an enhanced state pier, and plans for downtown housing and retail space to revitalize New London's urban core.
"Fannie Mae applauds Connecticut College's efforts in bringing educators together from around the country to discuss the leadership role they are taking in redeveloping their communities, as well as the attending institutions for their commitment to making community redevelopment a priority," said Rob Levin, executive vice president, Fannie Mae.
In addition to the "city building" work of the NLDC, Dr. Gaudiani and Connecticut College have focused on "community building" in New London as well. Believing that "economic development and social justice are two sides of the same coin," Connecticut College, through the Holleran Center for Community Action and Public Policy, has developed and implemented programs in five areas: health and wellness, early childhood development, K - 12 education, economic opportunities, and arts, culture and public space.
These programs are all part of the Local/Global Citizenship and the Liberal Arts Initiative, an important component of the recently adopted Strategic Plan of Connecticut College. The initiative seeks to "help meet significant and quantifiable goals that correspond to enrichment in the quality of life in the New London area through inclusive partnerships with residents and governmental, non-profit and private sectors. As a result, members of the college and wider community will become more effective citizen leaders." In this regard, Dr. Gaudiani is leading by example.
The focus on both sides of New London - the city as well as the community- are consistent with the goals of the NDLC, to expand the tax base of New London, increase the number of jobs in the region, and improve the quality of life for all who live in the city.
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Fannie Mae is a New York Stock Exchange company and the largest non-bank financial services company in the world. It operates pursuant to a federal charter and is the nation's largest source of financing for home mortgages. Over the past 31 years, Fannie Mae has provided nearly $2.9 trillion of mortgage financing for over 35 million families. More information about Fannie Mae can be found on the Internet at http://www.fanniemae.com.
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