Student groups get big boost to improve river

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Two Purdue groups recently received $50,000 in the form of a Ford grant to improve the mighty banks of the Wabash River.

“Ford helps two Purdue student groups lead the partnership between Wabash River Enhancement Corporation, Clear-Blue-Green certified businesses, and Oakland High School to implement urban water projects in the community,” said Director of Education and Community Development at Ford Motor Company Fund Mike Schmidt.

The Boiler Green Initiative (BGI) and the International Association of Society and Natural Resources (IASNR) Purdue chapter collaboration, are one of only four institutions from more than 26 applicants to receive the national Ford College Community Challenge (C3) community grant this year.

The Ford C3 challenge supports student-led, community-based projects around the theme “Building Sustainable Communities.”

Ford offered the challenge to its key university partners nationwide.

With the funds, students will lead efforts to install urban water projects, such as rain barrels, rain gardens, green roofs and native plants in target areas.

The projects will be placed at Oakland High School, Purdue and two sites in the community that still need to be determined.

Volunteering is also encouraged in the projects.

Schmidt says unlike a lot of usual college-grant programs, Ford C3 gets colleges to create project proposals that have much student input, involvement and leadership from start to finish.

“Winning proposals have a distinctive student perspective on what it means to have a sustainable community,” Schmidt said. “Each year, we select up to five winning proposals to receive this prestigious, one-time award.”

"I'm very excited about this project because it addresses the issue from so many perspectives. To solve complex problems, such as improving the quality of a river, it is important to be able to communicate and collaborate with the different groups involved," Boiler Green Initiative Treasurer Amy Bare added.

"That's not always an easy task. I hope that this partnership can foster an open exchange of knowledge and ideas and lead to more projects that improve the community we live in."

Officials say these projects will provide learning and leadership experiences for Purdue students, as they will be charged with integrating their expertise into project development and implementation.

Students will be responsible for: identifying potential project locations; designing appropriate projects which meet site condition needs and water quality targets; and hosting community and campus volunteer days to complete project installation.

For more, you can head to Ford’s website .