At a glance
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently hosted 10 Alfred State students at the 17th annual Appalachian Teaching Project (ATP) symposium.
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently hosted 10 Alfred State students at the 17th annual Appalachian Teaching Project (ATP) symposium.
Supported by ARC and organized by the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services at East Tennessee State University, ATP coordinates student teams from participating colleges and universities in Appalachia to develop applied research projects on topics related to building a sustainable future for the Appalachian Region. As part of ATP, student teams travel to Washington, DC, to formally present their research to other participating schools and ARC leadership.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a regional economic development partnership of federal and state governments across 420 counties in 13 Appalachian states. ARC's mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.
The 2017 ATP symposium was held at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, VA, and featured 150 students representing 13 schools from 10 Appalachian states. The team from Alfred State included fourth-year students in Design Studio 5: Urban Studio. They presented their research titled “Connecting Built and Natural Environments: A Vision for Preservation, Sustainability and Growth in Canaseraga, New York,” which discussed the Community Visualization Study completed for that community in fall 2017.
The research team was led by William Dean, a professor in Alfred State’s Department of Architecture and Design. Dean was also named an Appalachian Teaching Fellow for the 2017–2018 academic year, along with Dr. Craig Clark, Alfred State vice president for Economic Development.
As part of their ATP visit to the Washington, DC, area, the Alfred State team also toured a number of monuments and museums on the National Mall, including the recently renovated National Gallery of Art.
Led by the Consortium of Appalachian Centers and Institutes, the ATP offers students a unique opportunity to conduct active community-based research on their campuses. Nearly 2,000 students from 20 colleges and universities across Appalachia have participated in the ATP since the program began in 2001.
