Community Bridges

Kinder Institute

A year-long, experiential learning program for undergraduate students designed to help alleviate poverty and inequality in Greater Houston.

Mission

The Community Bridges program pairs academic study with active fieldwork to address urban inequality and poverty issues.

Strategic Goals

While studying theories and practices on the topics in the classroom, students are also placed with a community organization in one of Houston’s disadvantaged neighborhoods to carry out a research-driven project that aims to reduce poverty in the community. Every spring, sophomore, junior and senior Community Bridges Fellows carry out faculty-supervised research projects that sustainably expand our partner organizations’ ability to address poverty-related issues in Greater Houston while enrolled in a sociology course on urban inequality. Students will earn a total of five upper-level credits while participating in the program. The Community Bridges program has different components in the fall and spring and the opportunity for fellows to apply for two summer fellowship slots and extend their placement through the summer.

Partners

Community Bridges works with a variety of community partners including Air Alliance Houston, BakerRipley, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation and more.

Click here to view an interactive story map about how last year’s cohort designed and conducted projects to address the needs of their partner organizations and communities.