SPOTLIGHT

Larine Y. Cowan
Make a Difference Award

The Larine Y. Cowan Make a Difference Award was presented to ESLARP Director Laura Lawson and FAA Dean Robert Graves earlier this month during the 24th Annual Celebration of Diversity breakfast on November 11, held at the I Hotel. Presenting the award to ESLARP was Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Robert Easter, and Menah Pratt-Clarke, Interim Assistant Chancellor and Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.

 ESLARP in Action Blog

The People of ESLARP

The East St. Louis Action Research Project (ESLARP) is a Community Engagement program within the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Under the direction of the ESLARP Director, a group of diverse faculty from across the University work together in an effort to provide expertise in their specific fields to address the immediate and long-term needs of marginalized communities. The ESLARP Director seeks advice from a Campus Advisory Committee (CAC) which meets regularly during the semester.

ESLARP staff (on and off campus) work with an ever-increasing number of residents and neighborhood organizations engaging in physical, economic or social development projects. ESLARP partners with residents, non-profit groups, faith-based organizations and municipal agencies in formulating strategies for meeting needs in the areas of community capacity building, neighborhood planning, urban design and construction, grant writing, parks and open space and digital information and technology.

ESLARP Graduate Assistants work closely with neighborhood organizations while providing valuable research activities to community partners. In addition to meeting the needs of their partners, students gain valuable knowledge by experiencing real-life situations in their community partners.