News
CRC Spotlight
February 25, 2026
As part of its ongoing commitment to connecting academic research with community impact, HUP recently partnered with the Cannabis Research Center to host a timely webinar on cannabis legalization in Minnesota, the current state of research, and broader public health and policy implications. The event convened researchers, practitioners, and community stakeholders to examine emerging evidence and identify areas for continued inquiry.
Designing Digital Services Around Resident Needs: Advancing Equitable Access in Hennepin County
February 25, 2026
As demand for online government services continues to grow, Hennepin County is working to ensure that digital access is equitable, intuitive, and responsive to the diverse needs of its residents. Since summer 2025, Graduate Student Researcher Chinmay Arora has supported Hennepin County’s Digital Experience (DX) team’s resident-centered, data-informed approach by identifying seven distinct resident segments, ranging from senior homeowners with low digital confidence to smartphone-dependent families and transition-age youth.
Resilience Beyond Climate: Jessica Spanswick and the Adaptive Power of Partnership
November 14, 2025
With administrative changes and an uncertain federal funding landscape, working towards disparity elimination can seem more difficult than ever. However, Climate Resilience Project Manager Jessica Spanswick is leveraging powerful partnerships to combat global warming and support Hennepin County communities one initiative at a time.
Whether it’s working with University faculty, leveraging talented students,or collaborating with other county departments, Spanswick is driving change with the help of focused collaboration. Read more about Spanswick’s involvement with HUP, and how she's been turning actionable research findings into additional funding to amplify community impact.
Inside HCRA: A Student’s Journey Behind the Research
August 28, 2025
The HUP Collaborative Research Assistantship has finished its fourth year, continuing to drive tangible change based on student research and collaboration with the county.
Graduate student Chimnay Arora’s research and story dive into the process of not only identifying structural disparities and resident challenges, but creating research-based solutions to address them.
Arora worked with county staff to explore how residents utilize the county’s digital products, segmenting audiences not by demographics, but by needs, behaviors, and access barriers. His findings, ranging from website accessibility issues to disparities in technology access became entry points for change. By working closely with the county and collaborating with community leaders, Arora is hoping to create actionable solutions to make important programs like SNAP and Health Care Assistance more accessible.
Turning the Page Together: How a researcher and a librarian co-wrote a new chapter for literacy equity in Hennepin County
June 24, 2025
Reading is for everyone! But not everyone receives the same educational resources to learn how to read. In 2024, PhD student Sophie Kasahara and Education Literacy Coordinator Bernie Farrell teamed up to understand how Hennepin County Library could improve literacy equity. As a part of the HUP Collaborative Research Assistantship, they explored common barriers to reading, diverse approaches to literacy education, and solutions that Hennepin County is already putting into action.
HUP Collaborative Grant Awarded to UMN Pediatrics
May 26, 2025
On April 2, a team from UMN Pediatrics received HUP's $50,000 Collaborative Grant for their proposal on "Libraries as Community Spaces to Promote Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing: Evaluating Hennepin County Library’s Drop-In Spaces."
Research Rooted in Relationship: Reflections from Dr. Ceema Samimi on the Value of Community-connected Research
March 19, 2025
When Dr. Ceema Samimi first came to the University of Minnesota during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were eager to better understand the landscape of people and organizations cultivating meaningful change in the Twin Cities.
HEA Spotlight: Bringing Evaluation and Empathy
January 8, 2025
Graduate student Sonia Harris led a year-long evaluation of Hennepin County’s Streets to Housing program, centering the voices of people with lived experience of homelessness. Her work highlights the power of community-engaged research to inform change, build trust, and humanize systems.
The HUP Fall Mixer Sparked New Collaborations to Support Youth Mental Health
December 10, 2024
Last week, the Hennepin-University Partnership hosted its annual Fall Mixer. This year’s focus was Youth Mental Health.
HCRA Spotlight: Exploring Conservation Easements in the Twin Cities Metro Area
October 30, 2024
How do conservation easements impact land value, taxes, and access to green space? Learn how a University of Minnesota student partnered with Hennepin County to explore how these legal tools can protect natural land while supporting equity and municipal sustainability goals.