[00:00:11] Speaker A: Hello and welcome to the Forward Together podcast. My guest today is Scott Wittick, the executive director of the Community Engagement Institute, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. The community Engagement Institute is dedicated to developing innovative solutions with organizations across the state of Kansas. To learn more about its history and work, visit Wichita. Edu cei. Welcome to the podcast, Scott. Well, Scott, it's good to see you today. Thank you for stopping by the podcast. How are you doing?
[00:00:40] Speaker B: Good to be here.
[00:00:41] Speaker A: How are you doing this morning?
[00:00:42] Speaker B: Good, good.
[00:00:43] Speaker A: Very good.
Well, we're celebrating several anniversaries this year. You know, our criminal justice school is 90 years old. We went to the state system as a university 60 years ago.
The Honors College is 10 years old. And now we're also celebrating the Community Engagement Institute's 40th anniversary. I was over at your place the other day where we had a big shindig.
[00:01:09] Speaker B: Nice celebration.
[00:01:10] Speaker A: Yeah. So 40 years is a long time. That's a major milestone.
Can you give our listeners a brief history of what the Community Engagement Institute is all about?
[00:01:22] Speaker B: Sure, sure. And we're a little unique in that we started outside the university.
Our founder was a Wichita social worker named Evelyn Mittelstadt. And near the end of her career she recognized the benefits of self help support groups. So groups for addictions like Alcoholics Anonymous, but parenting groups, groups for physical health challenges, cancer survivors and other types of groups. And so she started talking to her colleagues about the benefits of these types of groups to complement other forms of care and services.
And over time that turned into her wanting to develop a nonprofit and that became the self help Network.
[00:02:09] Speaker A: That's when I first, when I first came here. That's what it was called, yes. Been here about 30 years now.
[00:02:16] Speaker B: And her and her mother started this literally on their kitchen table and provided referrals to self help support groups. This is all pre Internet and being able to easily find information. They did training for health and human service professionals about the benefits of groups and then also how to start a group. But she knew it needed a permanent home and at her stage of career. And Dr. Greg Myosin, psychology professor at WSU, was on her board. And so through some board discussions, they decided a permanent home at WSU made a world of sense. And so the nonprofit dissolved and it moved over to Wichita State. At that time, throughout the 1990s, it really flourished. Focused on self help support groups. We became statewide. We had a 1, 800 number people could call into computerized database and also did a number of research and evaluation projects focused on self help Groups, leadership, why they were successful, the benefits of groups, and really developed some new partnerships with local and state agencies.
We worked with then what was called srs, now the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services, focused on mental health, self help groups and organizations. And so this all expanded during the 1990s.
By the 2000s, things had changed.
The Internet made it just a lot more accessible to find out about support groups and self help groups, and they had become more mainstream here in the area.
And so through our successful partnerships, community partnerships, we started to expand our services. And so we started doing organizational capacity work for nonprofits that included board development, strategic planning. We expanded our evaluation and research capacities to do needs assessments and other types of surveys for organizations. And so in the early 2000s, we changed our name from Self Help Network to Center for Community Support and Research.
To really recognize this growth and expansion. We also moved off campus. That was when we originally moved off campus down to third and Main.
[00:04:54] Speaker A: Yeah, I was wondering when that happened. You were right across from the federal courthouse.
[00:04:58] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, right across there. And were there for several, just over a decade, I guess, in that building.
By the end of the 2000s, Greg started a phased retirement plan.
I had been with the organization since it was the self help network early in my career and was named director of CCSR at that time.
We continued to expand our services.
After 2010, we started work with early childhood programs, health departments, had several new state agency contracts and partnerships.
And so by 2014 or so, we really recognized this could no longer be operational under one center. We needed an organizational change.
So the administration at that point and I worked together to approach the Kansas Board of Regents and establish the Community Engagement Institute. And that now houses several centers, projects and initiatives that work together.
We have about 65 full time staff and anywhere between 15 and 20 students and associates part time staff across the centers that each work independently, but they also often work together actually to work with our community partners.
[00:06:32] Speaker A: I didn't realize you had that many employees.
[00:06:34] Speaker B: Yeah, we're now located at WSU Old Town. And on any given day though, a lot of those employees are not in our office building actually they're out in the community doing the work. So.
And that is continues to be statewide as we, as we focus on Kansas communities and organizations.
[00:06:54] Speaker A: Well, you mentioned one of your areas is helping organizations build capacity plan, you know, helping them planning and planning strategic plans and other kinds of activities. And I know firsthand what that's like because I've used the Community Engagement Institute many times to do that, primarily when I was in the provost office because we had lots of different organizations that needed some of that work and it's always been really helpful.
What are some of your recent and upcoming projects that are happening at cei?
[00:07:30] Speaker B: Well, it's always hard to choose just a few because on any year we work with about 75 to 100 different community partners and projects. Some of those are very focused, like a strategic planning. We may come in for a day or lead a board retreat for a nonprofit or an organization, or do a health assessment over the course of several months. Others those involve multiple partners in last many years, like our Kansas Prevention Collaborative.
There we work with kdads, the Department of Aging and Disability Services, KU Greenbush, DECA Headquarters, and a number of others on that size of an initiative. But if I had to select some areas currently or that are up and coming, one of the interesting things is how artificial intelligence we're getting more requests by our community partners about how to incorporate AI technologies into their organizations, their nonprofits, their health department. So we've been providing a number of trainings and consultation to help their staff realize the potential of AI as a tool within their organizations. And so that's been exciting new work and responses.
[00:08:53] Speaker A: It wouldn't be one of the number one things I would think that you would be engaging in, but that's the thing about your organization. It crosses lots of different boundaries and.
[00:09:02] Speaker B: Issues and being responsive to where the needs are going. And so similarly, after Covid, we've had a lot of requests organizations that are just struggling with teamwork and how organizations or different departments are working together because some of their staff are virtual, some are in person. And the way we work together just has changed. And so we're seeing an emphasis in our training and org development area.
We actually started a workshop series called Rising to the Challenge on the heels of COVID We wanted to provide back to our community partners. And so we put on this workshop series that's free of charge on different organizational capacity issues, team work issues that our community partners are wanting to focus on.
Another area that I just want to touch upon, you mentioned anniversaries. We're also celebrating another milestone for our AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA programs. We serve as an intermediary organization supporting people who want to provide a year of service addressing poverty in their commun.
And so we link those individuals with an organization that addresses poverty and they do a year of service. And so we support those individuals during their year of service and support the organization.
And we're celebrating doing that for 10 years here in Kansas now, we've had over 240AmeriCorps members, many of them WSU students, who give that year of service and have placed them in about 80 different organizations here in south central Kansas and beyond. So that's exciting, both current and something we hope to continue in the future as well.
[00:11:07] Speaker A: Yeah. And the listeners don't know this, but I get an email every time Scott and his team gets a grant contract, a VISTA award, AmeriCorps.
And I always like seeing those because I know that that is someone who's going to be going out, a community of need or whatever the issue is. And it's an individual person that's going out there and I like to see that.
So the name has changed over the years. And so how has that reflected the way Communication Institute engages with the community?
[00:11:43] Speaker B: Yeah, certainly our focus has broadened. We still work with self help support groups, but not exclusively.
We work with all different shapes and sizes of nonprofits, health and human service organizations, from people who are just starting a nonprofit and are working through that process to large state agencies such as KDADs, KDHE or the Children's Cabinet. And so our scope has expanded, our services have expanded as well. And so no longer just focused on a clearinghouse of self help groups, but providing training, consultation, different types of research and evaluation services.
We actually do some creative design work now where nonprofits often are seeking some support around their websites or their graphic design and so they'll reach out to us with that. So quite a bit different in terms of the scope of services and our community partners.
I think what's the same though is our responsiveness, and you mentioned our responsiveness to artificial intelligence, for example. We meet the community where they are at, what needs do they have, and then try to figure out is there a way in which we can partner or be helpful through that process. So that's always stayed the same, focusing on the needs of our community partners. And. And we have a saying that good work leads to more work. And so we know that when we work with our community partners, if we do good work on this project or this partnership, that's going to lead some additional work down the road for us.
[00:13:37] Speaker A: Yeah, and I just love how this fits in so closely with our vision and mission of the university and our priorities and the urban serving focus that we have as an institution.
And one of the main focuses and priorities is to help our community solve problems. And we do that through research, other kind of creative activities, service initiatives, and you guys fit so nicely in that it's really nice to see. So how you've talked a lot about different programming that you're working on and projects. How does someone.
Sometimes I get asked this question, well, why don't you contact the Community Engagement Institute? Is it as simple as that? How does someone get involved? And the work that you do there.
[00:14:21] Speaker B: Is the technical side of just. You can visit our
[email protected] you can contact us via email at ceicontact Wichita. Edu or call us at 316-978-3458. Any of those technical ways you can reach out to us.
We also have a great staff who are well known and have worked at CEI for 10, 15, 20 years or more, and they're well known with those community partners. So we have people like Seth Bates, Sonia armbruster, Chad Childs, Dr. Tara Gregory, Dr. Sarah Jolly, Dr. Lynn Schrefferman, and others that can really work with organizations. And as they work with organizations and communities, they'll often get pulled aside and say, hey, can you also help us in this area or on this project?
[00:15:23] Speaker A: Just more a little bit organic in a lot of ways.
[00:15:26] Speaker B: Often it is organic. So we are out there in the community and through those conversations, they know of us. And we'll be facilitating something for an association of mental health organizations, let's say. And one of those organizations will turn to us and say, you know, could you help us on this as well? And so our great team is out there. Because they're out there so much, they'll get tapped for additional opportunities as well.
When that happens, we usually meet with the organization a couple of times just to have a conversation about their needs. What are they facing, what would they like to accomplish?
And from those conversations, we develop what we call a statement of work. It's usually two or three pages that outline what we heard and what types of services and supports we can provide that organization.
Usually that goes back and forth. A couple of times it's a draft document, and then usually we reach an agreement of what that would look like and what the costs would be. And then we put that with a contract and then we're off to the races and working with that organization. So. And throughout that whole process of developing the statement of work, there's no cost to do that, just to have those types of conversations with us.
[00:16:53] Speaker A: Yeah. And just so the listeners know, this a really easy process, because I had to do that several times and you guys are real pros at putting that together. Okay. I Want to switch topics a little bit? So I didn't know this, I didn't know all of this, but you're a triple shocker.
So that means you got your bachelor's degree here, your master's degree here and a PhD here. And now you're also employed here obviously and you're a first generation student. So we're very focused on that kind of student. That's who is in our backyard here at surrounding Wichita State. So we always like to highlight that and have conversations about that when we can. So tell me what it was like for you and how you ended up here at Wichita State, how you experienced the university and anything else you might want to share.
[00:17:47] Speaker B: Sure, sure. Well, it was quite a long time ago, so 30 plus years now. But I came to Wichita State because at that point it was known as the working person's college. And I needed to work as a first generation college student, help support myself through that time. I was originally a business major, wasn't really feeling that. So I think it was my second or third semester.
I was taking a social psychology class with Dr. Lou Medveen.
He was offering extra credit and said you can volunteer down the hallway at then the Self Help Network. And he put me in contact with Greg.
I volunteered two or three hours a week to earn that extra credit.
That turned into an internship the following semester where I didn't have to work outside that internship then. That allowed me to focus on really what I wanted to do. And I became a psychology major and just really fell in love with the mission and the purpose of the Self help Network. And I got to do interviews with self help group leaders about why they decided to give back to their community and volunteer in this way. And I was just fascinated by that process of somebody who had gone through a rough period in their life and benefited from the support group and now decided to lead that support group. And so opportunities like that were hard to resist and really hit home for me. So that that internship that I had was an applied learning experience. I think before we called them applied learning experiences, but allowed me to focus on what I wanted to do.
I looked at other graduate programs after I got my bachelor's in psychology and I asked myself this is what I really want to do, why leave? And I got to continue on a number of different grants and contracts that the Self Help Network then CCSR was working on. And it was just always so engaging. Different opportunities, different projects. There was always something new to work on and that that really was exciting to me and also to be able to give back to Kansas communities. Myself as a first generation Kansas student, I really enjoyed that. So went on and did my Master's and my PhD in community psychology, eventually became the research coordinator for CCSR and then as I mentioned, as Greg phased into retirement, took on the director and now executive director role.
[00:20:51] Speaker A: I like how you said that Wichita State was a working person's university and you needed to work. And that just kind of resonates with me because that is what we're trying to do with our students is to not just have a student assistant job, but some meaningful kind of employment where they help launch their career. So I never really have heard anybody say it exactly like that, but that is very true about the university. So one last question.
You've worked on lots of projects. The Community Engagement Institute has worked on lots of different things.
And this is probably going to be hard, but is there one project that you thought, man, this is really one that we can really wrap our hands around and be really proud of. It really made a big difference.
Not that any of your other programs don't, but can you point?
[00:21:54] Speaker B: Yeah. Boy, it's hard to pick one. And I don't being able to work with people in community who are wanting to give back and be a positive force in their community or their organization. So regardless of the project, I would say that is what's really my favorite aspect of what we do right now. I do more administrative type work. But when we get to have kind of those opportunities, when I get to have those opportunities, working closely with a community partner and they're wanting to make a difference on whatever issue it is, whether that's early childhood, whether that's healthy eating or other types of issues that they want to see progress on, those are my favorite opportunities.
I did have the opportunity to work on that. We had a program several years ago now, maybe a decade ago, I guess that was called the Compassion Kansas Initiative. It was a federal program where organizations like ours got to provide assistance to small and medium sized nonprofits. And the feds recognized they were providing grants and contracts to larger nonprofits and health and human service organizations. But they were trying to spur the development of kind of up and coming nonprofits. And so over the course of about, I think it was seven or eight years that federal program ran, we got to work with dozens of small and medium nonprofits across the state, providing them organizational capacity building. So that happened 10 years ago. Seeing where some of those organizations are at now and the work that they're doing in their communities to make a difference and that we played a small role in. It really brings a lot of excitement and joy to see that type of work being done.
[00:23:56] Speaker A: So are you, you said you're doing a lot of administrative work. Are you involved in any of these, or are the other people on the team more directly involved in a lot.
[00:24:04] Speaker B: Of projects that you're working on right now? It's usually members of our team that are directly involved, and so I help out here and there where needed. But really, because we have such a strong team of staff members and students and associates, they do the bulk of that work across the state. And then I'm helping more on things like hiring and the administrative process with the grants and contracts. There's a few community partners I have strong relationships with as well that I get more involved in, so some of that type of work. I'm sure you're a focus.
[00:24:42] Speaker A: I'm sure you're providing plenty of advice along the way.
Well, Scott, it's good to be able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of CEI and for you to be here today.
This is one way that we can help as an institution get the message out. And so hopefully you'll be able to utilize this podcast as getting that message out further and what you do. So it's good to see you and looking for many more emails about grants and contracts that you received. So good to see you.
[00:25:16] Speaker B: Thanks so much.
[00:25:16] Speaker A: Appreciate it and thank you all for listening and be sure to rate, review and subscribe wherever you listen to the Forward Together Podcast Go Shockers.
[00:25:35] Speaker B: Sponsorship for the Forward Together podcast is provided by Scott Rice Office Works and the Shocker Store.
Additional thanks to Nair Amp WSU Carpentry Shop and gocreate.
