ANN ARBOR—Success breeds success, as the Community Information Corps (CIC) at the University of Michigan School of Information (SI) attests.

The growing CIC has been awarded a $206,600, two-year grant by the Packard Foundation to further its goal of placing public-interest-minded “informationists” in the work force. The grant will expand the CIC Fellows program to five fellows and award each a salary supplement of $5,000 a year over five years upon graduation.

The CIC program, established in 1999, is directed by Associate Prof. Paul Resnick and is open to all School of Information students. CIC students participate in weekly seminars that introduce concepts from social and political theory to frame the notion of public interest. They also meet national leaders of the community technology movement who make guest presentations.

“The current excitement surrounding information technology has convinced many public-serving organizations that they need to do something with technology, though they may not be sure exactly what they should do,” Resnick says. “Information technology is a tool that must be used in concert with organizational innovations to help these organizations achieve their goals.”

A major problem facing nonprofit organizations is that they recognize the need to expand information technology, but lack the financial resources to compete with private businesses for graduates of information-related academic programs.

“Despite the emergence of training programs for informationists, the shortage of ‘public’ informationists—those who devote their skills to enhancing the public good and reducing inequality—is unlikely to be reduced without deliberate efforts,” Resnick says.

SI awarded its first CIC fellowship last year to Laurel Sandor, who expects to graduate from SI this spring and pursue a career at a public library that emphasizes outreach and community activity.

In addition, Resnick says the Packard Foundation funding will allow the CIC program to place students in public-interest summer internships and provide them with $2,500 supplements. The potential internships include online political advocacy and program development and evaluation for nonprofit technology assistance providers and community technology centers.

Resnick adds that one of his goals is to take the CIC concept to other universities as a means of interesting information students throughout the country in public-interest jobs.

The School of Information offers the master of science in information degree and a doctorate. Master’s students

 

Community Information CorpsPackard FoundationPaul Resnick