The Bowen School of Law’s primary public service endeavor is the Altheimer Public Service Program. Through this program, Bowen students work with students from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service to develop and implement service-learning projects that contribute to the immediate needs of the community and the State of Arkansas. Working under faculty supervision, the students have primary responsibility for choosing, designing, and carrying out the service projects. Besides providing a definite service, the program also sponsors a public program for stakeholders in the project at which students may present recommendations, policy proposals, or other findings related to the project. Students also produce a tangible document or writing that addresses issues related to the project that will be available to the public.
For the Altheimer Program’s inaugural project, the students partnered with Southside Main Street, which is a local nonprofit organization working to revitalize part of the downtown area of Little Rock, Arkansas. The students created and designed a case-study project and a business recruitment project to complement Southside Main Street’s urban and economic redevelopment efforts. After the students completed the projects, they presented the findings of their research at a community symposium, and also sponsored a neighborhood block party and youth basketball tournament to promote community engagement and to highlight Southside Main Street’s work.
