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MANSFIELD, PA — Mansfield Thrive is a transformative Community Alignment Initiative to position Commonwealth University’s Mansfield campus as a model for public higher education in Pennsylvania, aligning with community needs through youth trauma reduction for foster youth and workforce development for community safety systems. Guided by Tyson S. Brunner’s 2025 paper, “Fostering Success: Trauma, Stability, and Academic Outcomes in demographic cliff, expanded accessibility for underserved populations, and implements trauma-informed strategies to empower foster youth, who face a 3-4% college completion rate and signifcant mental health challenges [Brunner, 2025, p.1]. It also establishes a Corrections Academy to address staffing shortages and enhance community safety, [Mansfield Thrive, 2025, p. 3]. Under President Bashar Hanna’s leadership, Mansfield will become a hub for innovation, equity, and community partnership, fostering resilience for foster youth and strengthening Pennsylvania’s social and economic fabric.

Why Mansfield?
Mansfield’s rural setting, strong community ties, and proven success in retaining underrepresented students make it ideal for fostering stability and supporting both foster youth and community safety initiatives [Brunner, 2025, p.18; Mansfield Thrive, 2025,p. 4].