Section: Metro State News
College establishes partnership with Jewish Community Center
Apr 23, 2008

Metro State, in partnership with the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Denver, will begin offering workshops and seminars at the JCC this summer under a new program called the Lifelong Learning Network.

Special Assistant to the Provost for Institutional Development Charles Branch, who is coordinating the partnership, has been meeting with representatives of the JCC since September 2007 to determine the logistics of the program and areas of interest. The “summer school” will offer four noncredit seminars in both art history and political science in June and July. The two coordinators are Assistant Professor of Art History, Theory and Criticism Deanna Pytlinski and Chair and Political Science Professor Robert Hazan. The classes will be held off campus, mostly at the JCC, but possibly onsite at an art museum or as part of the Skyline Park series downtown.

“The Lifelong Learning Network is part of fulfilling President Jordan’s vision of integrating Metro State into the community and bringing the community into Metro State,” Branch said.

To add to the two-way community involvement, Branch said he is working to “involve Metro State students in field-based learning at the JCC,” also beginning this summer. In addition, he has asked JCC representatives to identify prominent members of the Denver Jewish community to invite to speak on campus.

The political science seminars will address the Middle East, the state of the Israel peace process, and Israel politics and Muslims, as well as 2008 election issues and polling. The art history seminars will be offered on Jewish and Islamic beliefs expressed in Jerusalem’s architecture, and women artists over different time periods.

“We will continue talking with the JCC,” said Branch, “adding or subtracting subjects depending on interest.”

Branch said he is planning to expand the partnership idea into other communities as well. In addition to his responsibilities with community partnerships, Branch has also been working with the 2+2 program (see http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/publish/branch_twv5040908.shtml) and the Title III Strengthening Institutions grant.