49507 Initiative

Transforming Community through Education: The 49507 Initiative
Continuing education programs (certificates, industry certifications, associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, and beyond) can transform the lives of individuals as well as the trajectory of communities.
MISSION
Calvin University, partnering closely with community organizations, institutions, and employers, will establish vibrant educational programs housed in a Center for Community Education with a specific focus on meeting the educational needs of adult residents in southeast Grand Rapids.
GOALS
- To use intentional place-based research and engagement to understand the educational landscape for adults in southeast Grand Rapids
- To collaboratively design - with institutions and employer partners - a set of unique learning experiences that address the opportunities surfaced
- To inhabit a space in the 49507 area, which will house community-focused educational programs
These goals are animated by Calvin’s mission and vision, which call us to be agents of renewal and to promote the welfare of the city.
WHAT ARE WE DOING?
While we continue to form and reinvigorate partnerships with community organizations, churches, and higher education institutions, we've highlighted some specific actions below.
- We listened to community needs and desires through eight, two-hour focus groups to residents' perceptions of educational opportunities, barriers to achieving their educational goals, industries where they desire to work, and ideas for programs that would help them reach their goals. We presented the data back to the community for further triangulation through four data-sharing focus groups.
- Based on community feedback, we developed the Wayfinder program - a free, 8-credit sequence of courses inspired by The Clemente Course in the Humanities for adults facing social or economic barriers with free wrap-around supports included.
- We convene a quarterly advisory council to shape and inform our future work in the community
- We secured two grants to deepen Calvin's capacity and expertise in serving adult learners and coordinate the efforts of various Calvin projects and people engaged in place-based work in 49507, including:
- Plaster Creek Stewards
- Community Nursing
- Service-Learning Center Partnerships
- Faculty scholarship
- We leased a space in the HUB 07 building (in Boston Square) to strengthen access and awareness.
FOCUS AREA

The locus of our initiative is the 49507 zip code, however the initiative has impacts beyond the geopolitical boundary. The neighborhoods we are engaging include Alger Heights, Baxter, Burton Heights, Garfield Park, Madison Square, Oakdale, Roosevelt Park, Southeast End, King Park, and Southeast Community Action. You can find a map, including many of the area's assets and our partners, here.