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| Cleveland State University Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs |
| Established | 1968 |
| Type | Public urban affairs college |
| Parent | Cleveland State University |
| City | Cleveland |
| State | Ohio |
| Country | United States |
| Dean | [Dean] |
| Website | [Official site] |
Cleveland State University Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs is an urban-focused professional college within Cleveland State University located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It offers graduate and undergraduate programs emphasizing applied public service, public policy, urban planning, nonprofit management, and community development. The college engages with municipal, philanthropic, and civic institutions across Northeast Ohio and nationally.
Founded in 1968 during a period of urban renewal and municipal reform, the college emerged amid initiatives led by figures such as Mayor Carl B. Stokes, Governor James A. Rhodes, and civic organizations including the Cleveland Foundation. Early collaborators included scholars and practitioners from Case Western Reserve University, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies alumni, and staff from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The college was later named for philanthropist Maxine Goodman Levin following significant private support associated with regional donors such as the George Gund Foundation and the Sagamore Hills Foundation. Its evolution paralleled federal policy shifts influenced by the Kerner Commission report and urban legislation like the Fair Housing Act and the Community Development Block Grant program. Over decades the college expanded amid collaborations with mayors including Michael R. White and Ralph J. Perk, and with nonprofit leaders associated with United Way of Greater Cleveland and Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.
The college offers degree programs that bridge practice and scholarship, including the Master of Public Administration, Master of Urban Planning, Master of Nonprofit Organizations, Master of Public Policy, and undergraduate concentrations in public administration and urban studies. Graduate curricula draw on methods from faculty with affiliations to institutions such as Harvard Kennedy School, Princeton University, Columbia University SIPA, University of Chicago Harris scholars, and practitioners from The Brookings Institution and Urban Institute. Certificate programs address areas connected to federal initiatives like the AmeriCorps program and state policy frameworks developed by the Ohio Department of Development. Interdisciplinary electives link with programs at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and the Levin College of Law partner organizations.
The college houses research units focused on urban policy, community development, and civic innovation. Centers have collaborated with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, and the Cuyahoga County administration. Projects have examined transit and infrastructure with partners such as the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and analyses of housing markets related to reports from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Urban Land Institute. Faculty-led initiatives have received support from foundations including the Ford Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The college’s research agenda has included studies aligned with federal programs like the Promise Neighborhoods and state programs administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Engagement strategies emphasize service-learning and applied technical assistance with municipal clients, neighborhood associations, and nonprofit agencies such as Habitat for Humanity International, United Way, and local community development corporations. The college has partnered with city administrations including those of Cleveland, Shaker Heights, and Lakewood, Ohio on planning, zoning, and economic development initiatives. Partnerships extend to philanthropic actors including the Cleveland Foundation and corporate civic programs from firms such as KeyBank and Parker Hannifin. Collaborative efforts have supported federal grant applications tied to initiatives like the Sustainable Communities Initiative and local revitalization projects aligned with the Hope VI program.
Admissions criteria reflect professional experience and academic preparation, with program applicants often holding backgrounds in municipal offices, nonprofit management, or federal agencies including Peace Corps alumni and former staff of the Department of Health and Human Services. Student life combines applied practica, internships with employers such as the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, and regional nonprofit coalitions, plus student organizations affiliated with national networks like American Society for Public Administration and Planning Accreditation Board-related student groups. Career placement has linked graduates to roles in state government offices such as the Ohio Governor's Office, regional planning agencies, and policy positions at national think tanks like The Brookings Institution.
Faculty and alumni have included municipal leaders, policy scholars, and nonprofit executives engaged with organizations such as Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland Metroparks, and the Cuyahoga County Council. Notable affiliates include former city officials, state legislators, and scholars who have gone on to work with the United Nations and federal agencies including HUD. Alumni have held elected office in Ohio municipalities and leadership roles at regional institutions like MidTown Cleveland and the Cleveland Clinic administration. Visiting scholars have included fellows from Harvard Kennedy School and practitioners seconded from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Located in downtown Cleveland, the college occupies facilities near landmarks such as Public Square (Cleveland), Cleveland State University Library, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame corridor. Campus access connects with transit operated by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and is adjacent to civic institutions including the Cuyahoga County Courthouse and the Cleveland Museum of Art outreach sites. Physical spaces include seminar rooms, a policy lab equipped for data analysis in collaboration with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and community convening spaces used for public forums with partners like the Cleveland Foundation and local municipal offices.
Category:Universities and colleges in Cleveland