Belmark Associates的奎因·布伦纳(左一)和萨尔玛·穆罕默德·阿里(右一), 作为与ACTS Housing合作的一部分，调查并收集了贝洛伊特社区的数据. The organization is turning renters into homeowners.

这是十大菠菜台子学生挨家挨户敲门的一个夏天 Quin Brunner ’21 and Salma Mohammad Ali’21, asking total strangers some very personal questions. Fueled with enthusiasm and frequent ice cream breaks, 两人走访了伯洛伊特的社区，目的是帮助把房子钥匙交给新房主.

It is not an easy jump from renting a home to owning one, 尤其是在中低收入的伯洛伊特地区的梅里尔和哈克特.

That’s why Acts Housing called on Belmark Associates 以及上门社区组织者布鲁纳和数据处理奇才阿里的专业知识，以便在2019年收集信息. The Beloit duo developed the Sense of Place survey 用于将租赁社区改造为业主自住住房，创造健康, safe, and prosperous communities.

Ali, then an economics 他认为这个项目是一种超越Excel电子表格的方式，可以更深入地研究. “这是一个了解十大菠菜台子以外的社区的机会，我可以为改善社区做些什么,” Ali says.

但布鲁纳和阿里收集的数据是否有助于将租房者转变为房主呢, and create a strong, vibrant community?

The Belmark way 

In 1985, 三位精明的十大菠菜台子经济学专业的学生创立了贝尔马克公司, a student-managed market research organization, 为客户提供专业服务，并在简历中加入真实的工作经验.

Belmarkians work with local businesses, non-profits, civic groups, and government officials, using analytical and data gathering skills to inform clients. Beloit College economics professors and CELEB faculty help guide the students.

“Belmark Associates的学生有机会在学年的简历上获得一些实际的工作经验,” says Laura Grube’08, Belmark Associates advisor and economics professor.

从调查伯洛伊特农贸市场的游客，到制作一份关于伯洛伊特市中心周围10英里半径范围内经济特征的年度报告, Belmark Associates has produced results for its clients.

When ACTS Housing landed in Beloit in 2019, 这家非营利组织需要了解中低收入家庭的居民对他们所在社区的看法. 最大的问题是，他们是否认为自己正在从租房者转变为房主. ACTS’ goal was to turn hundreds of renters into homeowners, using rehabbed old homes and reclaimed, foreclosed properties.

就在那时，Brunner和Ali介入进来，成为第一个与ACTS Housing合作的Belmark Associates.

“这个项目让我参与了一个研究项目的所有阶段:与客户会面, brainstorming how to answer a question, developing a survey, collecting survey responses, entering and cleaning data, analyzing the data, and presenting our findings in a report,” Ali says.

21岁的奎恩·布伦纳(Quin Brunner)在Belmark Associates-ACTS住房项目中热情地运用了他的社区组织者技能.Brunner’s 发展一个更好的校园社区的技能(海盗船屋和 bike sharing program)在与人打招呼、让对方在回答问题时感到舒适方面是非常合适的.

“They were a perfect team,” Grube says. “Quin loved to get out in the community and knock on doors. Salma was the bring-me-the-data person.”

ACTS Housing总裁兼首席执行官Michael Gosman对与Beloit学院的学生合作收集信息以了解居民对其社区的看法很感兴趣.

“我们对参与该项目的学生的质量印象最深刻，他们有能力挨家挨户地敲门，让居民分享他们对社区的看法,” Gosman says.

In three years, 梅里尔和哈克特社区的数百人通过ACTS Housing成为了房主, and Beloit College students had a part in that.

Brunner和Ali向ACTS住房和城市利益相关者展示了调查结果, the Beloit Chamber of Commerce, and Beloit’s Economic Development Corporation, and received kudos from all.

“Belmark Associates的学生提供了有用的调查分析，因为我们渴望通过房屋所有权帮助居民改善他们的生活, and in turn, improve neighborhood conditions,” Gosman says.

Beloit College is one giant sandbox 

The Belmark Associates-ACTS Housing project, Ali says, 磨练了她的定量和定性技能，并建立了公开演讲的信心, problem-solving, and writing. 她说，最好的部分是与一群充满激情的学生和教授一起工作.

The project not only changed how Ali saw herself, but how others would see her in a post-graduate world, 这就是她向十大菠菜台子的学生推荐贝尔马克公司的原因.

“这段经历会让你体验到现实世界的市场研究/咨询项目，也会让你在申请实习时做好更充分的准备, jobs, graduate school, etc.,” Ali says. “如果你想挑战自己，提高自己的技能, it’s the perfect opportunity to do so.”

Ali is an economics Ph.D. 他是乔治亚州立大学安德鲁·杨政策研究学院的学生. 她的简历突出了在Hendricks CareerTek和Filene Research Institute的实习经历.

作为伍斯特学院年度捐赠/发展的副主任, 布鲁纳称他在贝尔马克公司的工作是他在贝尔马克学院最有意义的一年.

“伯洛伊特学院是一个巨大的沙盒，学生拥有所有的资源和导师来帮助他们建立任何他们想要的东西,” Brunner says. “这就是贝尔马克公司，这就是我来贝洛伊特的原因.”