The City of Magnolia found great success through the Community Catalyst program in partnership with the University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED), Entergy Arkansas (Entergy), and the Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University (MSU). Community wins include:
- Over 600 citizens participated in a community-wide survey that identified strengths and opportunities
- Development of a new community brand and logo (the first official brand and logo the City of Magnolia has adopted) in partnership with Thrive, Inc., UCA, and Entergy
- Creation of a mobile mural featuring an adaptation of the new community logo painted by Magnolia High School students
- Community leaders participated in a Strategic Doing workshop to identify Community Catalyst projects and learn a new organizing tool
- String lights have been hung in The Square Park in downtown Magnolia (outcome of completing one of the Community Catalyst projects)
You can learn more about the Magnolia branding process and view the new logo and mural HERE.
Partnership story within the Alliance:
To create more accessible training opportunities, the University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development, in partnership with Entergy Arkansas, Arkansas Economic Development Commission Community Development Division, and the Arkansas State University Delta Center for Economic Development, launched a virtual training series called Community Conversations to explore relevant community and economic development topics and develop new connections across the state of Arkansas. During Community Conversations sessions, Arkansas leaders also had meaningful discussions about what’s going on in their communities.
The Community Conversations partners recognized as we continue to move into the 21st century, cybersecurity is an increasingly important consideration for organizations and governments. Being aware of the potential cybersecurity threats is a crucial step in ensuring data is safe and protected from potential threats. It’s also more important than ever for organizations and communities to have an online presence in our ever-expanding digital economy. In September 2021, the Community Conversations session focused on “Cybersecurity” with UCA Alliance for Economic Impact partner Dr. Stephen Addison, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Central Arkansas. Dr. Addison shared best practices and had an open Q&A with more than 50 community leaders. You can view the recording here.