Community Development

Office of Community Development

The Office of Community Development (OCD) serves as an anchor between Weber State University and the communities we serve by connecting people, resources, and partnerships to support community-driven solutions. The Office of Community Development (OCD) brings this to life by aligning university resources, faculty expertise, and student engagement with community-identified priorities within five Community Pillars of Health: Healthy Lifestyles, Community Connection, Lifelong Learning, Vibrant Economy, and Safe & Strong Neighborhoods.

Our belief is simple, lasting change happens when institutions and communities work together with a shared purpose—
learning from one another and building solutions together.

Our Approach: From Neighborhoods to Regional Impact

Grounded locally and connected regionally, we focus on strengthening neighborhoods while aligning efforts across our service region,
ensuring Weber State University shows up as a committed, long-term community partner to improve health and opportunity.

OgdenCAN | Neighborhood Impact

OgdenCAN is Weber State’s place-based initiative, rooted in the East Central Neighborhood of Ogden. This is where relationships are built, trust is developed, and community-led work takes shape.

Through OgdenCAN, we work alongside residents, partners, and anchor institutions to strengthen leadership, support community-driven projects, and support action based networks in health and community connection.
Anchor Mission | Regional Impact

Beyond our neighborhood impact, OCD supports Weber State’s broader Anchor Mission by aligning the university’s hiring, purchasing, and partnerships to strengthen economic opportunity across the region.

This work is done in collaboration with other local anchor institutions, recognizing that when we align our efforts, we can have a greater economic impact on the communities where we are rooted
Membership | National Engagement

The Office of Community Development positions Weber State University as part of a broader national movement focused on Anchor Mission work. Through partnerships and national networks, we both contribute to and learn from others across the country to bring new ideas, practices, and insights back to the Ogden-Weber region.

Our office actively participates in the following national memberships:
CUMU (Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities)
AITF (Anchor Institutions Task Force)
ALN (Anchor Learning Network)
The Carnegie Foundation (Elective Classification for Community Engagement)
Academic | Campus-Level Engagement

We connect students, faculty, and staff to real community priorities, creating opportunities for applied learning, community based research, and service that are grounded in place and partnership.

Students gain hands-on experience through internships, leadership development, and community-based learning.
Faculty engage in applied research and community-engaged teaching.
Community partners help shape and inform this work, ensuring it reflects real needs and opportunities.