Arnold Weinfeld has been appointed to lead Urban Policy Initiatives in Michigan State University’s Office for University Outreach and Engagement.
Weinfeld will serve as a university-community connector and boundary spanner, working with MSU faculty and external partners to develop partnerships that address critical community needs and societal issues.
“Occurrences in the recent past have led to heightened discussion of the serious issues facing our cities," said Hiram E. Fitzgerald, associate provost for University Outreach and Engagement. "Arnold Weinfeld’s experience will bring an added dimension to our ability to work collaboratively with community leaders and concerned citizens.”
Weinfeld will be responsible for expanding community connections, identifying opportunities for community-based scholarly work and developing educational and training experiences that bring about urban and systems change.
“With assets in place across our state, MSU possesses an energetic and dynamic approach to engaging university resources with community needs. I look forward to this opportunity for employing a collaborative approach to bring about systems change. We will utilize community knowledge and maximize engagement to keep our communities moving forward toward greater prosperity in the 21st century,” Weinfeld said.
Prior to joining UOE, Weinfeld served as the chief executive officer of Prima Civitas, a nonprofit organization founded by MSU in 2005 to serve as a catalyst between university resources and state economic development. President Lou Anna K. Simon envisioned and supported the Prima Civitas mission, and worked closely with Weinfeld and his predecessors to effectively address Michigan’s economic revitalization and growth.
Weinfeld holds a bachelor of science degree from MSU’s College of Social Science multi-disciplinary program.
More information is available at engage.msu.edu.
The Office of University Outreach and Engagement facilitates university-wide efforts to create an ecosystem of engagement by supporting the engaged activities of faculty, staff, and students; fostering public access to university expertise and resources; and by advocating for exemplary engaged scholarship, nationally and internationally.