About the Office of Community Development

The Office of Community Development (OCD) serves as an anchor point connecting Weber State University and the communities it serves, strengthening collaboration and connection to create lasting, positive change. Rooted in community-centered design and collective decision-making, the OCD fosters authentic partnerships that drive community impact.

We align 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. To support these priorities, OCD applies frameworks such as Design Thinking, Asset-Based Community Development, Collective Impact, and Anchor Mission work to create sustainable, positive change in Ogden-Weber communities.

As the driver of Weber State’s Anchor Mission, the OCD convenes partners, aligns resources, and propels the university’s commitment to civic engagement into action with, for, and by the communities we serve.

Who We Serve

Local Communities – OCD houses the Ogden Civic Action Network (OgdenCAN), a hyper-local, place-based initiative focused on building leadership and improving health and opportunity in Ogden’s East Central Neighborhood. By concentrating efforts here, OCD develops innovative, community-led strategies that directly benefit residents while also shaping engagement across the broader Weber-Ogden area.

Anchor Institutions & Partners – Nonprofits, local government, and community organizations collaborate with OCD to align resources, share expertise, and co-create solutions. These partnerships strengthen collective impact, ensuring that programs and investments are coordinated, sustainable, and responsive to community needs.

Weber State University – Faculty, staff, and students engage with OCD to translate academic knowledge into practical community-centered solutions. By connecting research, service-learning, and institutional resources to community priorities, the Office strengthens both student learning and community well-being, while advancing the university’s civic and anchor mission.  

How We Work Within Weber State 

The Office of Community Development works within Weber State’s broader Community Engagement community alongside: 

The Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) – engages students, faculty, and staff in service, civic engagement, and community research to strengthen civic participation, build community capacity, and enhance learning.

The Office of Community Research and Evaluation (OCRE) – advances positive social change through research and program evaluation, informing policy, improving organizational effectiveness, fostering innovation, and expanding community knowledge. 

Together, this three-part partnership ensures a collaborative approach to advancing health and well-being in Ogden-Weber communities, including the East Central Neighborhood.  

National & Regional Partnerships
The Office of Community Development also connects Weber State University to national and regional networks advancing anchor mission and civic engagement work. We are active members of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), the Anchor Learning Network (ALN), the Anchor Institutions Task Force (AITF), and Campus Compact, ensuring our local efforts both inform and are informed by broader best practices.