Making a difference in Rock County
Daniel Mrzena’23 supported the development of a transitional living project for Rock County in a year-long internship.
How do people get from homelessness to stable housing? As Daniel Mrzena’23 learned, it takes more than just a house. It takes a community partnership.
Daniel spent his senior year working with Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois in Beloit, Wisconsin to advance a plan to build an 18-unit apartment building with a 79-unit childcare center to support families transitioning toward stable housing and self-sufficiency. In this opportunity made available through the Duffy Community Partnership program, Daniel worked with a diverse group of partners in Beloit, advocated for $6 million of public and private funding, supported the purchase of a retired elementary school and organized with volunteers to clean the property.
At the 2023 Beloit College Student Research Symposium, Daniel presented his work over the last year, and shared his reflections on community-based learning. “I learned what makes a good society. Community.”