News & Insights
Photo courtesy of: Greg Land
Three practices that turn modernization efforts into meaningful community engagement
When our team supported Monterey Peninsula College as it prepared to break ground on its new Music Center, we didn’t see the project as simply concrete, steel, and budgets. We saw it as an opportunity to connect with students, faculty, and the broader community — to reflect the values of the college’s arts programs, elevate community pride, and help frame the Music Center as something far more meaningful than a building.
One key part of our preparation drew directly on our creative and technical capabilities: designing a construction fence wrap.
Construction fence wraps are typically used to hide the visual clutter of a work zone, often appearing in flat, utilitarian colors. But in partnership with MPC’s Marketing Team, we chose to view the fence as a blank canvas — a chance to engage the campus community and reinforce MPC’s commitment to expanding participation in the visual and performing arts. MPC’s vision for a vibrant arts environment is one where students, faculty, and community members immerse themselves in local talent, creative expression, and the kinds of experiences that spark imagination and feed the soul
So instead of relying on the usual blueprints, construction facts, or long lists of logos, we designed a colorful, immersive wrap featuring bold imagery, QR codes, and inspiring messages. The goal: to turn a barrier into a beacon — something that invites curiosity, creativity, and connection.
This one creative, technical piece sets the tone for a broader message about MPC’s connection to its community. When institutions approach modernization and capital projects as opportunities for engagement, they lay out the groundwork for stronger trust, deeper alignment, and long-term support.
Drawing on what we learned through the MPC Music Center effort, here are three core practices that help ensure community engagement isn’t just another box to check, but is instead a foundational part of the project’s success.
1. Begin with clarity and transparent communication.
Whether it’s a new music building, a campus-wide modernization plan, or a bond-funded renovation program, stakeholders need clarity. What is being built, and why? What’s the timeline? How will funding be used? Who will benefit?
Clear, accessible communication tools, e.g., project overviews, explanatory materials, visually engaging renderings, and regular updates, help communities follow progress and understand the long-term vision. Transparency is not just courtesy. It expresses respect, builds credibility, and invites communities to invest not only emotionally, but intellectually.
2. Design engagement that reflects community values and identity.
Engagement works is most effective when it resonates with the individuals best when it resonates with the people who live and learn in these spaces. At MPC, that meant more than hammering out construction plans. The colorful, student-centered fence wrap was a visual representation of the institution’s commitment to the arts, embodying the spirit of creativity and belonging and turning a construction site into a communal canvas aligned with MPC’s broader arts identity.
By embedding community values into the physical presentation of a project — even before the first building is constructed — institutions send a powerful message: this investment is about more than just facilities. It’s about identity, inclusion, and the promise of better, shared spaces for future generations.
3. Expand engagement to include economic and opportunity equity.
Capital projects are often viewed solely through the lens of construction scope, schedule, and budget. But when institutions widen the frame and recognize the community ecosystem around them, they create broader value. True engagement includes economic opportunity and inclusive pathways for local contractors, service providers, and vendors.
For institutions managing modernization or construction, that might mean transparent communication about contracting opportunities, outreach to local or minority-owned businesses, or initiatives that encourage local participation. When communities see that projects support not only physical improvements but also economic and social benefit, the sense of shared ownership deepens — and so does public support.
Community-centered engagement is not an afterthought; it’s the foundation for lasting impact. The work at Monterey Peninsula College shows how a thoughtful, value-driven approach, from transparent communication to visually expressive design, from inclusion to economic participation, transforms a project from a standalone construction to a shared effort. When institutions take the time to engage deeply and intentionally, they don’t just build facilities — they strengthen relationships, reinforce community identity, and create spaces that belong to everyone.
Karen Summerville is B&D’s Senior Director of Communications & Public Engagement. She leads the firm’s Communications & Public Engagement practice and oversees strategic outreach efforts that help clients build meaningful community connections through large-scale education, municipal and sustainability initiatives. Her portfolio spans over $4 billion in capital programs and planning efforts across the U.S., covering engagement planning, brand strategy, media relations, social media, design, and major public events. She holds an undergraduate degree from Morgan State University and studied at the University of Baltimore’s Integrated Design MFA program. She can be reached at KSummerville@bdconnect.com.
