About
For years, universities have called on faculty and students to help local governments with their community challenges, but what has become known as the EPIC Model actually began with the Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) at the University of Oregon in 2009.
Two University of Oregon professors, Nico Larco and Marc Schlossberg, had good working relationships with the government of nearby Salem. Larco and Schlossberg asked the local government if it would be willing to underwrite the costs of coordinating interested university faculty—and their classes—in a concentrated, time-limited effort to work on many of Salem’s long list of identified problems.
Interest from both faculty and students was more than hoped for, which meant better gains for Salem. Faculty were interested in an easy opportunity to learn from colleagues about solving shared problems. Students were interested in improving the world they inherited. The combinatorial power of multidisciplinary expertise and the sheer number of students working made breakthroughs for the city. The Oregon program quickly attracted applications from other cities.
Assisted by the promotion of SCYP principals and their colleagues (notably the contributions of the late Robert Young), word of this new model spread quickly to other universities, including the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, San Diego State University, Texas A&M University, and St. Thomas University. Within a few years, an annual conference bringing together recent adopters of the model and potential recruits began and has continued since, to share problems and solutions, learn from others using the model, and develop materials for common use.
In the years following—and in keeping with the original SCYP emphases on utilizing existing university classes, aiming at the public good, remaining community originated and focused, and requiring that communities to be fully engaged, as is befitting of any real partnership—EPIC programs have revised the previous model in important ways: engagement with partner local governments/communities usually extends beyond one year; more than one community is often served simultaneously; non-municipal sources of financing are commonly sought after; and program commitment underscores social inclusion, fair treatment, and resilient public accountability, not solely environmental sustainability.
In the past few years, the EPIC-Network has grown rapidly. We are now more than 80 programs strong. That growth is due in part to the fact that we moved from an informal network to officially incorporating in 2017, with a formal Board of Directors and Advisory Board, and then establishing the organization as an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) in 2018.
EPIC-N has also expanded internationally. Initially, a few universities outside of the United States were involved with the EPIC-Network. The concerted effort to move beyond the US effectively began in 2018 with the formation of a fledgling EPIC-Africa Network. We have now continued our expansion into Asia and the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region.
Reflecting our international commitment, we adhere to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—the universal language of public-minded development. EPIC-N uses these goals as a uniform measure of our contribution to communities. As we like to say, “the EPIC Model is the GSD (‘get stuff done’) of the SDG.”
EPIC-US Staff
Ada Inman
EPIC-N Communications & Program Manager
ada@epicn.org
Ada supports EPIC-N members and programs throughout their exploration and use of the EPIC Model. She leads member engagement efforts and manages organizational communications. Along with these roles, she also provides support to the EPIC-N Board of Directors, in addition to the three regional coordinators.
Ada is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she obtained a degree in Environmental Studies and International Studies along with a certificate in Public Policy.
EPIC-US Programs
- Allegheny College
- Arizona State University
- Augustana College
- Boston University
- Bowling Green State University
- California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo
- CSU Chico
- CSU Fresno
- CSU Monterey Bay
- CSU Sacramento
- CSU San Marcos
- Drexel University
- Eastern Oregon University
- Florida Atlantic University
- Indiana State University
- Indiana University
- Montana State University
- Ohio University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Pennsylvania State University Behrend
- San Diego State University
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Texas A&M University
- Texas State University
- The Ohio State University
- Town + Gown
- University of California, Davis
- University of Iowa
- University of Maryland
- University of Minnesota
- University of Mississippi
- University of Nebraska Omaha
- University of Oregon
- University of South Carolina Beaufort
- University of South Florida
- University of St. Thomas
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Utah Tech University
- Western Washington University
EPIC-US Resources
- EPIC-N publications
- Community-Engagement Publications & Journals
- Partnership stories:
- Indiana University and Orange County collaborate to solve local challenges
- The City of Monona receives on-the-ground support to work toward a more sustainable, livable future
- The City of Glendale Receives Strategies for Local Sustainability Goals From the Project Cities Program
- ASU faculty and students help Apache Junction develop local histories and plans for a sustainable future
- University partnership gives Frederick a way to reimagine its downtown
- Rural Indiana county launches new strategies
- Five comprehensive development plans provide service opportunities in the midst of budgetary woes
- Auburn addresses the challenges of growth
- Salem staff re-energized by over $8 million in faculty and student efforts
- University of St. Thomas students improve their transit system through their learning
- EPIC-N Handouts:
- EPIC-N resources
- Member Commons sign-up
Events
Keep up to date with EPIC-N events including conferences, webinars, workshops, and more here.
News
Follow EPIC-N news, program updates, partnership stories, and more here.
