Officials from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the City of Springfield today formalized a new Greater Springfield-University of Massachusetts Amherst Partnership designed to promote collaborations that will lead to the revitalization of Springfield’s economy. The partnership aims to position the city in the long term as a center for environmentally beneficial green industries, to boost the city’s arts and creative economy, and to expand relevant university teaching and outreach initiatives.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and UMass Amherst Chancellor Robert C. Holub signed an official Memorandum of Understanding creating the partnership at a ceremony held downtown at the Old First Church. The agreement will help further engage the university and its research, teaching and outreach capacities with Springfield, the chief engine of economic growth and a key cultural center in western Massachusetts, Holub and Sarno said.

Hosting the event was Henry M. Thomas III, president and CEO of the Urban League of Springfield and a UMass trustee. Also participating in the announcement was Eric Nakajima, senior policy advisor from the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, and Paul Kostecki, UMass Amherst vice chancellor for research and engagement and chair of The Partnership Team at UMass. The Sankofa Dance Project, including high school students from Greater Springfield, performed as part of the ceremony. The Sankofa Dance Project, a UMass Amherst outreach initiative, celebrates African roots in American dance through intensive summer study, choreographic residencies, performances and events.

Funding to support the Greater Springfield-UMass Amherst Partnership comes from a $150,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, with matching funds from the city and university resulting in total support of more than $320,000.

Key goals include revitalizing Springfield’s economy and establishing an effective university-city framework for cooperative activities that benefit the citizens of Springfield and its surrounding communities. 

One of the first aims of the partnership is working toward making Springfield a center of green industries. The partnership envisions combining the strengths and history of Springfield as a manufacturing and industrial center with the advanced research capabilities in many aspects of energy conservation, green fuels production and other fields currently available at UMass Amherst.

The partnership also seeks to expand the arts and the creative economy in the city to boost its revitalization efforts, and to improve community participation in developing a vibrant downtown.

 In addition, the partnership will work with the businesses, neighboring communities and other higher education centers in the region to accomplish these goals.

Plans call for development of an inventory of existing strengths, needs and resources available to the city and the university through the partnership. These include longstanding collaborations in areas as diverse as nutrition education for low-income families, continuing and professional education and youth development. There will also be an assessment of research programs at UMass Amherst that can be dedicated to creating jobs in green technology and clean, renewable energy with the long-term goal of making the city a center for green industries.

The partnership will also assess the organizations at UMass Amherst and in Springfield that can contribute to the creative economy driven by performance arts and the overall artistic community that can be served in a downtown Springfield location. An assessment of the role the recent acquisition of the Old First Church can play in this process will also be undertaken.

The partnership is not exclusive to expanding green industries and boosting the city’s arts community alone. It will also focus on fostering relationships that will lead to improvements in community and workforce development, education and health, city infrastructure and public safety. UMass Amherst has renewed its commitment to being more engaged with Springfield with the ultimate goal being to re-position the city as a key hub of economic activity in Massachusetts.

</city></place>