For its efforts connecting with and serving Pennsylvania communities through the power of Penn State, Keystone Community Partnerships (KCP) was recently honored by the Community Development Society (CDS).
Penn State Outreach's Keystone Community Partnerships, which was established in 2024, helps align the University's resources with community-driven priorities to solve complex challenges, foster economic development, and enhance student success - while contributing to Penn State's land-grant mission.
With projects in communities across the state, including Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Philipsburg, KCP has collaborated with more than 40 community partners; provided hands-on learning experiences for more than 20 high school, college and graduate students; and received $70,000 in grants to advance community-driven initiatives.
For those efforts and more, KCP was awarded CDS's Innovative Program Award during its annual conference in July.
"Penn State Outreach's KCP connects graduate students and communities through engaged scholarship and community-based projects. In its first year, the initiative generated significant funding, community impact, and experiential learning opportunities, while building local capacity and trust," said Stephen Jeanetta, chairman of CDS.
CDS is a nonprofit corporation established in 1969 to strengthen and advance community development policy, practice, learning and research through educational and scientific means.
Member organizations include a broad and diverse network of researchers, practitioners and policymakers who share an interest in building and developing communities - socially, economically and environmentally. Penn State Outreach became a member in spring 2026.
The Innovative Program Award recognizes member organizations that have developed and implemented new, creative and promising programs contributing to community development. Past award winners include programs from Michigan State University Extension and Ohio State University Extension.
Jamison Malcolm, the director of KCP, said CDS is a valued partner and resource hub for his team as they work to make an impact in communities.
"It's amazing what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit. We don't do this community-engaged work and scholarship for the awards, but it's always nice to be recognized," Malcolm said. "The real privilege is being able to work with exemplary Penn State students to serve Pennsylvania residents and develop youth, community and economic capacity across the state."
Penn State graduate student Rachel Layvey served as a KCP Keystone Community Scholar from 2024 to 2025. The program provides graduate students with the opportunity to foster social and economic impact in real-world settings. Layvey's work included the establishment of a youth development program in Philipsburg and a Pre-Escalation Training for law enforcement in Philadelphia. She was one of three scholars on hand at the conference to see the program be recognized.
"For us to receive this award feels like an affirmation of the relational and trust-building values that have been guiding our initiatives. A lot of our work happens behind the scenes in conversations with community members, meetings in small rooms, and moments of trust that aren't easily captured in metrics. This is the most engaging part for me," Layvey said. "It is really inspiring to me as a student and growing professional to be recognized for the heart behind our work."
Layvey and former KCP scholar and Penn State graduate student Emma Steely spoke during the conference about KCP's work in Philipsburg, where it is fostering youth, community and economic development while providing Penn State students with an experiential learning opportunity. Steely said she left the conference excited about the future of community engagement and KCP.
"Throughout the conference, we engaged in dialogue about community discourse, climate change, and the importance of local libraries. There are many opportunities to find your niche and also dozens of avenues for collaboration," Steely said. "I believe this recognition is a lighthouse for KCP. It will help guide us and keep us on course as we develop new community partnerships and continue our work."
Penn State graduate student Aikumis Serikbayeva is a KCP scholar who is collaborating with Penn State Outreach K-12 Engagement to build partnerships and provide resources to schools across the commonwealth.
"Being part of KCP has given me opportunities to collaborate with schools, community partners, and colleagues on projects that make a difference," said Serikbayeva. "This award highlights the value of community-engaged scholarship and can help strengthen existing partnerships while encouraging new collaborations. I hope it will inspire continued investment in initiatives that connect graduate education with meaningful community impact and create opportunities for students to engage in applied, collaborative work."
Learn more about KCP's impact on the Penn State Outreach website.
