The UniverCity Alliance program announced new partnerships with six different local governments across Wisconsin Feb. 19, according to a press release.

“The UniverCity Alliance is essentially a network of people on campus who are trying to make UW–Madison more accessible to local governments across the state and across the world,” Managing Director of the UniverCity Alliance Gavin Luter said. “The alliance has been our platform … think of us as a front door.”

The new partnerships are a leap toward furthering the goals of the alliance. One of the newest projects being introduced is located in Chippewa County, where the local government is looking to improve their cybersecurity infrastructure to exceed current standards, according to Luter.

Further south, the village of DeForest reached out with interest in implementing sustainability principles that will allow them to expand their community without harming the natural environment around them. Luter said this is only the beginning of a slew of projects to come from this partnership as the alliance keeps growing and expanding around Wisconsin and the rest of the world.

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Looking at alliance’s 2023 snapshot, since their creation in 2016, nearly 2,500 students have been involved and there have been 325 completed projects. This past year, now reaching over 12 counties, the alliance was able to complete 61 community projects, with almost 500 people involved in the program, according to the report.

Luter highlighted the many ways for students to become involved with the alliance.

“We run a Scholars Program that we’re actually actively recruiting for [where] students receive a $1,500 stipend for their work on a project defined by local governments,” Luter said.

The Scholars program is a great opportunity to get involved with the alliance but it is not the only one. For the future, UniverCity Alliance is looking to work with university departments to connect to students and get them involved in a range of projects, such as cybersecurity, Luter said.

Luter is excited about what is to come and how he and the rest of the alliance can continue to facilitate cooperation between the university and local governments.

“I’d like to think we’re making the Wisconsin Idea a two way street, we listen and we respond,” Luter said.