We are excited to announce the City of Tualatin as our primary partner for the 2025-26 academic year. SCYP will match resources from university courses to high priority projects identified by the Tualatin community, with a particular focus on supporting downtown revitalization efforts. Student projects will include a market study, site analysis and land use planning, an examination of connectivity among different travel modes, floodplain research, stormwater management, park structures for the new Riverfront Park, and an architecture design studio, with additional class matches possible throughout the academic year. 

Continuing year two of a partnership with the City of Oakridge, students and faculty will leverage work from the nine projects completed last academic year to address additional community priorities. Fall term classes include promoting tourism with local businesses, community event planning, and middle housing planning and design, with additional project matches made throughout the year.

The City of Gresham first partnered with SCYP in the program’s inaugural year and has continued the relationship with special projects. This fall, law students taking the Land Law Use course will examine the City's existing sign code, research code provisions, and draft policy on common legal issues related to sign codes.

As we prepare for another academic year, we also want to pause and celebrate the 15th year of the program. Last year, students across 10 disciplines and over 27 courses worked on applied projects to help provide solutions to six different communities across Oregon. Thank you to all the community partners who supported projects, faculty who offered their expertise, and students who engaged in hands-on projects to create long-term impacts across the state!

Check out the SCYP 2024-25 Annual Report for highlights of the year. Final reports from last academic year's classes are posted in community collections on the University of Oregon Library Scholars Bank.

We're starting outreach for our next partner and are ready to help your community explore solutions to its biggest challenges! SCYP makes it easy to access the full breadth of expertise at the University of Oregon, as well as tapping expertise at OSU, PSU, and EOU as appropriate. If your community is trying to figure out how best to address climate change, housing, transportation, land use planning and design, economic development, revenue alternatives, community outreach, and more, let’s work together to advance your goals while also jointly training the next generation Oregon workforce. 

SCYP staff will be attending the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) in October. Come stop by the University of Oregon table to say hello and learn more. We'd love to talk and see if a partnership is right for your community!