Upstate Institute

The Upstate Institute at Colgate University provides connections between the university and the regional community to engage students, faculty, staff and residents in research and a reciprocal transfer of knowledge through five core activities. Our projects provide a model of community collaboration and civic engagement for our students and within higher education. The institute values scholarly collaboration as a way to support the Upstate New York region. 

Upstate Institute Activities

  • Research on the Upstate New York Region

    The Institute supports faculty and student research in various ways in the community. We seek to encourage faculty research on, or directly pertaining to, the upstate region of New York by providing support for both the costs of research as well as a stipend award for the Colgate faculty investigator. Students doing honors level senior research can be supported by being named an Upstate Research Fellow. In addition, we have funded several research projects in past years that benefit the region. 

  • Community Based Research

    Our Field School matches students with regional community, government or non-profit organizations to develop and implement projects that bolster organizational capacity. Field School fellows work with a community partner to create and complete projects that will have a positive social, economic, cultural or environmental impact on the Upstate region.  The Institute also supports engagement in the community within the framework of an academic course in a variety of ways. This engagement, often referred to as community based research, gives  faculty and students a new strategy for teaching and learning.

  • Skill Development

    The institute provides several opportunities for students to develop community-building skills in co-curricular courses. The Student Philanthropy Council gives sophomores and juniors invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience in philanthropy and the non-profit sector. The Youth Philanthropy Council provides the same opportunity to high school students in Chenango County. The Consumer Bankruptcy Law Project, initiated by Susan Conn '79, gives students the chance to work with the Legal Aid Society of Mid New York to study consumer bankruptcy cases and prepare documentation for several bankruptcy cases in Upstate New York. We also offer courses for students and community members on topics such as grantwriting, strategic planning and qualitative data.

  • Capacity Building

    The institute seeks to encourage capacity building and growth among partnerships and not-for-profit organizations through a number of programs. The Lifelong Learning Program supports continued education for the enrichment of adult lives in a variety of fields. Through a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Colgate provides workshops for local teachers through the Science Affiliates program.

  • Dialogue on the Upstate Region

    The Upstate Institute promotes the discussion of issues affecting the Upstate region through sponsorship of several events each year. Some of our recent events address cultural and heritage tourism, literacy, the history of Upstate New York, local food, and the public discourse on the proposed power line.