2022 National Award for Community Engagement

Project Examples

The Archway Partnership completes an average of 100+ projects a year across eight active partner communities. The following examples are a representative sample of Archway’s work in addressing locally identified community and economic development issues with UGA resources and expertise.

  • Burke County- Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG)- CyberArch

Burke County recently completed a cybersecurity assessment, led by SBDC, CVIOG and a multi-disciplinary team of students. This assessment will help the county government build resiliency in an ever-changing and increasingly hazardous online environment.

  • Colquitt County- Terry College of Business- Moultrie Transportation Plan

A multi-disciplinary team from the Institute for Leadership Advancement worked with local stakeholders in Colquitt County to develop a creative and feasible public transportation plan for Moultrie, a regional hub city of 15,000 in Southwest Georgia.

  • Grady County- Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG)- Downtown Cairo Master Plan

The Archway Partnership collaborated with CVIOG to produce a locally driven master plan for Downtown Cairo, Georgia. The planning effort in Cairo served as pilot project for an initiative that has brought new life to more than 20 downtowns in the years since.

  • Hart County- Lamar Dodd School of Art- Color the World Bright

Through this initiative, dozens of UGA art students have traveled to Downtown Hartwell to work alongside community members in painting murals to bring new life to the city.

  • McDuffie County- College of Environment and Design (CED)- Little River Trails Charrette

Archway worked with CED to develop an illustrative Master Plan for additional boat launches and a land-based trail system along Clark’s Hill Lake to support the local application for state grant funds. The CED charrette process involves robust public input and produces a plan that respects the values of community stakeholders and current facility users.

  • Pulaski County- College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy- Community Health Needs Assessment

Archway has facilitated the last three Community Health Needs Assessments for Taylor Regional Hospital, utilizing the expertise of numerous students and faculty from UGA’s College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy. Taylor Regional credits cost-savings brought about by the CHNA with allowing the hospital to stay open.

  • Spalding County- College of Engineering- Wastewater Plant Design

Senior civil and environmental engineering students developed a shovel-ready design for a multi-million-dollar wastewater plant in Griffin, GA, which is now under construction.

  • Washington County- Franklin College of Arts and Sciences- Department of English- Highway 15: Traditions Highway

Archway collaborated with students and faculty from UGA’s Department of English to develop Traditions Highway Magazine, a publication that stimulates tourism and economic development along a rural country highway corridor through Washington County and the surrounding region.