USU Transforming Communities Institute

04/04/2026

Congratulations to TCI Faculty Fellows, Drs. Wallis and Lawrence, on winning their respective college awards for Undergraduate Research Mentors of the Year and their mentees, Kaitlyn and Eva, for winning the Undergraduate Researchers of the Year awards! We are proud of you 👏🏻

04/02/2026

We are in the midst of training our second cohort of Community Justice Advocates (CJAs). This week, we are grateful to Judge Angela Fonnesbeck (Utah First District Court) for serving as our guest legal expert. She shared invaluable insights on courtroom etiquette, procedures, and available resources—helping our CJAs feel more prepared to support self-represented Utahns with confidence. We appreciate her willingness to answer thoughtful questions and connect real-world practice to our work. Visit cja.usu.edu to learn more about the CJA Program.

02/23/2026

IRB # 15584

Are you at least 18 years old and have attended events though Logan Pride or are a member or ally of the LGBTQIA+ community? Researchers at Utah State University are helping to inform planning for future events through Logan Pride by conducting an evaluation and research study of the Logan Pride Festival.

If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete a 5-10 minute online survey. Participants will be entered to win 1 of 4 $50 Amazon gift cards. If you have any questions, please contact the principal investigator, Dr. Dorothy Wallis, at [email protected].

To learn more or to sign up, please visit this link: https://bit.ly/4keq7Rv

02/11/2026

Are you someone who is going to go through menopause or has gone through menopause and would like more information? Or would you like to make sure others like you have the information they need? Please fill out this 5-10 minute survey for people who can go through or have gone through menopause to help us develop programming that meets your needs. Must be 18 years of age and live in Utah. Follow this link to complete the survey: https://tinyurl.com/4694acs5

01/28/2026

🎉 Double celebration at TCI! 🎉

We’re thrilled to share that Dr. Dorothy Wallis, Assistant Professor of Social Work and TCI Faculty Fellow, has been named the USU College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year, and Kaitlyn Line, Social Work senior and TCI intern, has received the Scholar of the Year Award! 👏

Over the past few years, Dr. Wallis and Kaitlyn have worked side by side on community-engaged research projects that connect students and community partners and result in meaningful change in areas of homelessness, food security, and substance use. Their work reflects the very best of engaged scholarship, benefiting the well-being of our fellow Utahns. We couldn’t be prouder -- congratulations to both on these well-deserved honors! ✨

01/28/2026

Advocacy in action. 💪 Last week, TCI Director Jayme Walters and TCI faculty fellows, Maureen Boyle, Vonda Jump Norman, and J.C. Sheen, alongside their Social Work colleague, Tami Curtis, led 115+ social work students to the Utah State Capitol for NASW-Utah Day on the Hill. TCI MSW intern Jamie Gibson shared, “It was such an amazing experience to be surrounded by so many people who care so deeply about making a lasting difference in our community.”

01/06/2026

IRB # 15727

¿Los ingresos anuales de su hogar superan los $70,000? ¿Tiene al menos 18 años y trabaja o vive en los condados de Cache, Rich o Box Elder? Los investigadores de la Universidad Estatal de Utah están ayudando a los socios comunitarios a obtener una comprensión básica de las percepciones de los residentes sobre los desafíos y las oportunidades de vivienda asequible.

Si decide participar, se le pedirá que complete una encuesta en línea de 5 a 7 minutos. Los participantes participarán en el sorteo de 1 de 5 tarjetas de regalo de Amazon de $100. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la investigadora principal, la Dra. Jess Lucero ([email protected]). Siga el enlace para obtener más información: https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b26yixVOgTpQcGG

01/06/2026

IRB # 15727

Is your household’s income more than $70,000 per year? Are you at least 18 years old and work or live in Box Elder County or Cache County?

Researchers at Utah State University are helping community partners gain a baseline understanding of residents’ perspectives on homeownership and an owner-builder program for middle-income households.

If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete a 5- to 7-minute online survey. Participants will be entered to win 1 of 5 $100 Amazon gift cards. If you have any questions, please contact the principal investigator, Dr. Jess Lucero ([email protected]). Please follow the link to learn more: https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b26yixVOgTpQcGG

12/22/2025

IRB # 15727

Are you at least 18 years old and work or live in Box Elder County or Cache County? Researchers at Utah State University are helping community partners gain a baseline understanding of residents’ perspectives on homeownership and an owner-builder program for middle-income households.

If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete a 5- to 7-minute online survey. Participants will be entered to win 1 of 5 $100 Amazon gift cards. If you have any questions, please contact the principal investigator, Dr. Jess Lucero ([email protected]). Please follow the link to learn more: https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b26yixVOgTpQcGG

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¿Tiene al menos 18 años y trabaja o vive en los condados de Cache, Rich o Box Elder? Los investigadores de la Universidad Estatal de Utah están ayudando a los socios comunitarios a obtener una comprensión básica de las percepciones de los residentes sobre los desafíos y las oportunidades de vivienda asequible.

Si decide participar, se le pedirá que complete una encuesta en línea de 5 a 7 minutos. Los participantes participarán en el sorteo de 1 de 5 tarjetas de regalo de Amazon de $100. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la investigadora principal, la Dra. Jess Lucero ([email protected]). Siga el enlace para obtener más información: https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b26yixVOgTpQcGG

12/19/2025

Our Annual Point-in-Time Count is coming up at the end of January and we're in need of volunteers! If you or someone you know may be interested in volunteering for this year's count, please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdZtoVK0e7E__Lm8b9G2s78AcNA66EthX_BKDGu40JHjxYIg/viewform

12/17/2025

Thank you to the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation for their support of the CJA program! To find a CJA who can help or apply for the next training cohort, visit cja.usu.edu.

USU's Transforming Communities Institute (TCI) has been awarded a grant from the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation (ACBF) to expand its Community Justice Advocate (CJA) training program