Experiences
On December 6th, the Business cohort along with the other ACRI cohorts (Sustainability, Urban Studies, and Political Science) returned to Connellsville to present our final deliverables to the community. Our community partners, the Fayette County Cultural Trust, graciously hosted us at the Connellsville Canteen where we were able to gain valuable feedback from the community about our research and final deliverables.
The Fayette County community is incredibly supportive and engaged, showing a genuine interest in the projects and initiatives we presented. Their openness and willingness to provide constructive feedback highlighted the strong partnership between our cohorts and the local community. I am very thankful to have been able to be a part of the fourth year of the ten-year commitment the University of Pittsburgh has with the Fayette County Cultural Trust. This has been an exceedingly rewarding experience for me, and I gained a real appreciation for the county and its people.
Final Deliverables
The main goal for ACRI is to promote economic development within the Appalachia region, specifically Fayette County, through a community-centered approach. This initiative recognizes the importance of involving local residents and stakeholders in the development process to ensure that the strategies implemented are both relevant and sustainable. Each of the ACRI cohorts specializes in a distinct area—such as Sustainability, Urban Studies, Political Science, and Business—that are all interconnected. This multidisciplinary approach allows us to tackle economic development from multiple angles, ensuring a comprehensive and holistic strategy.
Throughout the semester, the business cohort was tasked with creating programming for the Fayette County Cultural Trust’s Entrepreneurship and Education Center. This center serves as a hub for local entrepreneurs and business owners, providing them with the resources and knowledge they need to succeed. After careful consideration, we settled on creating “Crash Courses” in “Brand Management” and “Instagram/Facebook Marketing.” These topics were chosen based on a list of community interests compiled by last year’s business cohort, ensuring that our efforts were aligned with the needs and desires of the local community.
The “Crash Course in Brand Management” is designed as a mini lecture that aims to provide an overview of how to create and sustain a cohesive brand for a business. This course will cover essential topics such as the significance of color choices and their impact on viewer experience, the strategic use of different fonts, and the selection of images that align with the brand’s identity. Additionally, embedded in the presentation is a case study showcasing the concepts and tips included in the lesson in action by using the University of Pittsburgh as an example. By understanding these elements, local business owners can create a strong and memorable brand that resonates with their target audience and new entrepreneurs can enter the market.
The “Crash Course in Instagram/Facebook Marketing” emphasizes how social media is a powerful marketing tool if wielded correctly. This mini lecture will cover best practices for creating engaging content, how to create an account, and tips for leveraging advertising tools available on these platforms. We hope to provide participants with practical knowledge and skills to effectively use these social media platforms for business promotion. By mastering these skills, local small businesses can expand their online presence and reach a broader audience, which we hope will increase customer engagement. Additionally, we want to highlight tools that will empower new aspiring entrepreneurs to create their own business!
Overall, our goal is to empower the Fayette County community with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in today’s competitive business environment. Through these educational initiatives, we hope to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that will contribute to the long-term economic development of the region.
We also delved deeper into fundamental economic approaches to better understand the local job market dynamics. During our discussions with a representative from the Laurel Highlands School District, we gained valuable insights into the issue of student employment. He highlighted a concerning trend: many students are not taking up part-time jobs. While he partly attributes this to the lingering effects of the pandemic, he also believes that this trend had started even before the pandemic hit. This decline in student employment is troubling as it impacts students’ ability to gain early work experience and develop essential job skills.
Our research further revealed a significant number of entry-level job vacancies in the area. This mismatch between available jobs and the lack of student employment suggests a gap that needs to be addressed. To tackle this issue, we propose organizing a job fair specifically targeted at high school students and recent high school graduates. This job fair would not only aim to fill these entry-level positions but also serve as a platform to highlight various career development opportunities available to young people in the region.
In our research on existing career fair opportunities in Fayette County, we found that the options were quite limited and often very industry specific. This lack of general career fairs means that many students and young job seekers might not be aware of the full range of employment opportunities available to them. By organizing a more inclusive job fair, we hope to bridge this gap and provide a comprehensive overview of the job market. We hope for this event to come to fruition with the help of next year’s cohort. We aim feature a variety of employers from different industries, offering students a chance to explore diverse career paths and connect with potential employers.
Additionally, we think creating more “Crash Courses” in resume writing, interview skills, and professional networking and making them readily available at the Career Fair would further support the career development of attendees. These sessions would equip students with the necessary tools to successfully navigate the job market and what opportunities there are in Fayette.
Overall, we focused on three key areas that last year’s business cohort identified as areas where the community would like to learn about: Social Media Communication, Job Search Strategies, and Professional Development.
Lessons Learned
Throughout this process, I gained valuable insights into the importance of community engagement and effective communication. Collaboration across disciplines proved challenging, especially since we only met once a week. However, as we continued to communicate, we discovered how our individual deliverables were interconnected. Sharing resources and contacts became incredibly helpful, and we realize that if we had recognized this earlier, it would have streamlined our efforts significantly. Weekly group meetings allowed us to discuss ideas and work together on deliverables, fostering a collaborative environment. Additionally, periodic check-ins with faculty provided us with valuable feedback and kept us on track.
One key lesson we learned was the importance of staying in closer contact with the Directors of the Fayette County Cultural Trust, Michael and Dan, to ensure our work aligned with their vision for Fayette County. Their insights and guidance were crucial in shaping our projects to meet the community’s needs effectively. We also discovered a wealth of information from past cohorts, but sifting through it all to find what was truly useful was challenging. In hindsight, we strongly recommend reviewing the “necessary” materials posted by previous groups. Doing so will help you build on what we’ve already accomplished, saving time and avoiding unnecessary confusion.
Another lesson we learned from a guest speaker was more information on human-centered design. When you identify a problem, you hope to create a solution for, you must first identify who the problem affects. This is who you should be consulting to identify the best way to aid in creating a solution. It can be easy to stick with your primary contacts, like those at the County Commissioners office, but it’s important to communicate with the individuals most affected by the problem you are trying to solve. You also need to approach these conversations from a vulnerable place, showing genuine empathy and openness to their experiences and perspectives.
Moreover, we realized the significance of effective time management and organization. Balancing our academic responsibilities with the demands of this project required careful planning and prioritization. We found that setting clear goals and deadlines for each phase of our work helped us stay focused and productive. Utilizing project management tools and techniques, such as Gantt charts and task lists, also proved beneficial in keeping track of our progress and ensuring that we met our objectives.
In addition to these practical lessons, we also gained a deeper appreciation for the power of community-driven initiatives. Engaging with the local community and understanding their needs and aspirations reinforced the importance of grassroots involvement in economic development. This experience has shown us that sustainable change is most effective when it is driven by the people it aims to benefit. By fostering strong relationships and open lines of communication with community members, we can create more impactful and lasting solutions.
Overall, this process has been an invaluable learning experience, teaching us not only about the technical aspects of our projects but also about the importance of collaboration, empathy, and community engagement. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the development of Fayette County and look forward to applying these lessons in our future endeavors.