Elon services and programs in downtown Burlington, N.C., have boosted the local economy over the past three years by an estimated $8.1 million, earning an award this month from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Elon University and the Burlington Downtown Corporation were honored March 19, 2015, with an Award of Merit at the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Reception and Program hosted by the N.C. Department of Commerce.
Sponsored by the commerce department’s N.C. Main Street Program, the annual ceremony showcases local projects and partnerships that serve as models of best practices in the field of downtown economic development.
Elon and Burlington Downtown Corporation were recognized in the category of Organization: Best Innovation for programs that introduce students to academic and co-curricular opportunities in downtown.
The Burlington Downtown Corporation estimates an $8.1 million impact on downtown commerce over the past three years from its partnership with Elon University, including:
- Opening of Elon University’s Downtown Center for Community Engagement, which acts as a meeting space for student organizations, classes and local nonprofit groups;
- Implementing the “It Takes a Village” Project, an initiative that pairs Elon students studying to be teachers with local children in need of extra help learning to read. Families and Elon students meet in First Presbyterian Church in downtown Burlington. A component of Elon’s Center for Access and Success, the Village Project has expanded in recent years to include math, science and music elements, as well as ESL/Spanish language classes for parents;
- Introducing an Elon University BioBus downtown service loop to take students from campus to local agencies, schools and government offices for service work and internships;
- Creating the Downtown Innovation Group, a collaboration of university faculty and staff members who join with Burlington Downtown Corporation staff to coordinate student projects based in the downtown area.
- Establishing Elon-downtown Burlington student leadership liaison positions to increase student participation in existing downtown events, such as Active City Streets and the Carousel Festival, where students perform and promote their Elon University organizations.
“We are thrilled and humbled to be recognized by our statewide colleagues for the excellent work being accomplished on the behalf of Downtown Burlington,” said Anne Morris, executive director of Burlington Downtown Corporation. “We are excited to continue to grow our relationships and collaborations with the Elon University community. These achievements show the power of partnership and what can happen when public, private and nonprofit sectors work in concert for the betterment of the community.”
Morris was joined at the awards program in Morganton, N.C., by Tammy Cobb, assistant director for community partnerships in Elon University’s Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement.
“By thoughtfully working alongside the Burlington Downtown Corporation and other stakeholders, we are more deeply engaged in service and learning opportunities that offer reciprocal benefits.” Cobb said.
Burlington Downtown Corporation’s mission is “to create an environment for development that enhances Downtown Burlington as the cultural, historic, social and economic center of the community.” The nonprofit organization works to promote downtown as the place to live, work and shop.
The innovation honor alongside Elon University is the fourth Award of Merit for the Burlington Downtown Corporation in the past four years. It also received this month an Award of Merit with the City of Burlington for Best Economic Development Incentive for the Small Grants Business and Property Development program.
The corporation won an Award of Merit for Best Public Private Partnership for Company Shops Market in 2011 and for Best Public Involvement effort in 2013 for the “We Are Downtown” community-engagement process.