Media contact: Alicia Rohan
A new way to organize, promote and measure engagement and scholarship on campus and in the Birmingham community is available to faculty, staff, students and community partners through BlazerPulse. The online platform enables the University of Alabama at Birmingham to reduce barriers to community engagement, connects university expertise and effort with community needs and partners, and improves the university community’s ability to communicate quickly and directly.
“BlazerPulse will enable us to connect dots, fill in gaps, and support internal and community partners by creating a central place for seeking, fulfilling and documenting community engagement by faculty, staff and students,” said Emily Wykle, project director in the Office of the President at UAB. “It also will simplify access for community partners who noted that they had difficulty finding a single point of contact — a front door — when they needed our help.”
BlazerPulse is part of a comprehensive, integrated strategy for community engagement that began about two years ago to compile an inventory of outreach programs, survey faculty, staff and students about their activities and interests, and meet with community partners to discuss their goals, needs and obstacles to working with UAB. Its launch supports the strategic pillar of Forging the Future, community engagement, and coincides with 50 Acts of Service, a service-driven element of UAB’s celebration of its 50th Anniversary Year.
“BlazerPulse will be an asset not just to UAB, but to our community partners as well,” Wykle said. “Local nonprofits that come on board will be able to use BlazerPulse for volunteer management and event registration. They will also be able to post problems they need help with and connect to UAB resources and experts.”
During the past several months, liaisons have been identified in schools and administrative units and among longtime community partners to help establish their presence on BlazerPulse and post upcoming volunteer opportunities for the spring semester. UAB will continue to provide training and assistance to bring all eligible campus and community partners into the platform in 2019.
Community organizations interested in getting involved can contact Wykle at blazerpulse@uab.edu.