Hi, everyone!
My name is Maddie McCann-Colvard, and I am a Junior at the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. I am majoring in Finance, minoring in both Economics and Studio Arts, and pursuing a certificate in Leadership and Ethics. On campus, I am actively involved in several organizations: I serve as an Executive Board Member of the Student Government Board (SGB), the Director of Finance for Corporate Connections at Pitt Business, and the President of my leadership fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK). I am from southern New Jersey, and a fun fact about me is that I was adopted from China and came to America when I was 14 months old!
Project Information
The Appalachia Regional Resilience Consulting Project is an ongoing participatory research project focused on enhancing regional resilience. This is specifically done in a portion of the Appalachian region called Fayette County. In a partnership between the University of Pittsburgh and a non-profit organization called the Fayette County Cultural Trust, cohorts of Pitt students work together to focus on community economic development. Helping to address the phenomenon commonly known as “brain drain,” students from various fields, including business, social sciences, and urban and environmental studies, collaborate and build on the work of previous Pitt cohorts in this cross-disciplinary research project. This is the fourth year of a ten-year commitment that the University of Pittsburgh has promised the Fayette County Cultural Trust, and I am incredibly grateful to be able to be a part of the amazing work that has already been done.
My role as a business student specifically involves creating sustainable economic strategies to support the region’s development and its community stakeholders. I hope to collaborate with the other business students to create a program or mini-series that will highlight skills necessary to be successful in today’s world. Topics that we are looking into addressing include professional development and financial wellness. I also hope that we can create this program in a way that is fluid and can be tailored to different ages to maximize the number of people helped and the greatest community benefit.
This project is crucial because it addresses the pressing challenges faced by the Appalachian region, including the urban-rural divide, which leads to economic instability and population migration. By working closely with community partners, we aim to develop practical solutions that can foster long-term resilience and growth.
More About the Fayette County Cultural Trust
The Fayette County Cultural Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Their mission is to promote the area’s cultural, artistic, historic, and natural assets while fostering partnerships to revitalize communities and drive economic development. Collaborating with this organization gives us the unique opportunity to leverage their expertise and resources to create meaningful, sustainable solutions for the community. Some of their key initiatives and programs include the Downtown Connellsville Initiative, Connellsville Canteen, and much more.
The Downtown Connellsville Initiative is a program that focuses on promoting local history, tourism, and the arts to improve the quality of life for residents and attract visitors. Key projects include public art installations, such as murals depicting the town’s history, and efforts to support local businesses. By fostering a welcoming environment for both existing and new businesses, the program aims to create a thriving downtown area that benefits the entire community. The initiative seeks to enhance the economic and aesthetic appeal of the area, leveraging Connellsville’s natural and historic resources to boost tourism and community engagement.
The Connellsville Canteen is an initiative that celebrates the history and heritage of Connellsville. Along with the café serving breakfast and lunch in a reconstructed Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 1800’s-style train station, it also houses a World War II Museum. The museum is dedicated to honoring the over 800 volunteer women who served approximately 600,000 troops, and it houses an internationally acclaimed model railroad display. (Personally, I am excited to see this in a few weeks!)
Get to know our community partners a bit better by visiting their website! https://www.fayettetrust.org
My Personal Connection
Other than the amazing professional growth opportunity, something that really drew me to participating in the Appalachia Regional Resilience Consulting Project is my connection to the region itself. My parents come from a small town in North Carolina and moved to the Philadelphia area for more job opportunities – making them a part of this “brain drain” that this project aims to address. This personal link to the region and the central issue being faced in this project makes it particularly meaningful to me. Additionally, my involvement in SGB over the past two years has fueled my passion for giving back to the Pitt community, and I am eager to extend this impact to the greater Pittsburgh area, which I can proudly call my home away from home.
Alignment with Long-term Career Goals
Academically and career-wise, I aspire to work in the field of sustainable finance, where I can leverage my skills to promote economic development while ensuring environmental and social responsibility. The ACRI project aligns perfectly with these goals, as it provides hands-on experience in community engagement, strategic planning, and sustainable development. Through this project, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of regional economic dynamics and enhance my skills in project management and stakeholder communication. This project offers a unique opportunity to apply my academic knowledge to real-world challenges and make a positive impact on communities that personally resonate with me. Something that I am increasingly interested in learning more about is potential career paths in the non-profit space. I am hoping to eventually work in a space where art, finance, and non-profit work collide. Additionally, I hope to refine transferable skills such as leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving, which will be invaluable in my future career aspirations.
Again, I am super excited to get started on this project along with my fellow students to see how we can help contribute to this meaningful and impactful work and really make a difference in the community.
More later!!