THE TOMPKINS INSTITUTE
Dr. Tom Urbaniak, Director
902-563-1226
OVERVIEW
Founded by Dr. Greg MacLeod in 1973, Cape Breton University鈥檚 Tompkins Institute leads applied research demonstration projects and offers continuing education in 福利免费在线看 leadership and 福利免费在线看 regeneration.
The Institute is named after Dr. Jimmy Tompkins (1870-1953), one of Cape Breton鈥檚 leaders in adult education and 福利免费在线看 enterprise. An activist-scholar and priest, Dr. Tompkins championed inter-faith social action, giving rise to dozens of co-operatives, housing projects, credit unions, public libraries, and proposals for major changes in public policies. His work and the work of his contemporaries has been studied around the world.
CURRENT DIRECTOR
Dr. Greg MacLeod died on May 3, 2017, leaving an impressive legacy of thought and achievement.
His successor as director the Tompkins Institute is Dr. Tom Urbaniak, CBU Professor of Political Science. Dr. Urbaniak is Past Chair of the National Trust for Canada, Past Chair of Faith and the Common Good (national inter-faith charity dedicated to sustainability and the environment), and the author of six books and numerous articles and edited collections. He has led many non-profit organizations and is an experienced social entrepreneur. He has been active in crime prevention, child welfare, public libraries, neighbourhood regeneration, affordable housing, and as a leader in the Polish Canadian 福利免费在线看. He is a columnist and frequent media analyst on public policy, giving interviews in English and French.
Dr. Urbaniak works extensively with 福利免费在线看 organizations and faith communities. Among other services on behalf of Cape Breton University, he facilitates tailored workshops to help organizations renew themselves, govern themselves effectively, and realize their full potential.
Dr. Urbaniak is a Past Chair of the CBU Senate and is currently serving as University Parliamentarian (advisor on procedure and effective meetings).
Tom can be reached at tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca or 902-563-1226.
SISTER CITY INITIATIVE, 2019 to present
The CBU Tompkins Institute facilitated the sister-city agreement between the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and Wa艂brzych, Poland, in 2019. Both municipalities have similar population sizes, economic histories, and innovative approaches to revitalization. The Tompkins Institute is currently facilitating the Sister City Steering Committee, which oversees multiple initiatives, including a student-exchange program, collaboration on the development of the student-designed Twin City 鈥減ocket park鈥�, and, most recently, helping Wa艂brzych to look after more than 6,000 refugees in the city.
FIELD SCHOOLS
The CBU Tompkins Institute facilitated an innovative student summer field school in collaboration with Angelus Silesius University of Applied Sciences in Wa艂brzych, Poland, sister city of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. The field school took place in Wa艂brzych in June and July 2023. Using a remarkable curriculum of experiential learning, students examined Wa艂brzych鈥檚 鈥渃lean, green鈥� revitalization after the collapse of the coal industry in the 1990s. Students also examined best practices in sister-city collaborations, special economic zones, business incubation, poverty alleviation, recreation policy, and 鈥渦rban acupuncture鈥� using public spaces.
A second successful field school in collaboration with Angelus Silesius University was conducted in February 2025.
You can read about the summer field school below:
PEOPLE’S SCHOOL ON COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP — RADIO BROADCASTS 2020-2021
During of the pandemic, working with CBC Radio Cape Breton’s Mainstreet program, the CBU Tompkins Institute converted its in-福利免费在线看, continuing-education “People’s Schools” to radio. More than 30 episodes have been broadcast, with suggested readings, informative guests, and discussion questions.
. Please scroll down to find multiple links that start with the words “People’s School.”
RECENT BOOK PROJECTS
In June 2023, the latest book in the Tompkins Institute series was released. It is entitled In the Public Square: A Citizen鈥檚 Reader. It is authored by Tompkins Institute director Tom Urbaniak and is a sequel to the 2018 book Dignity, Democracy, Development: A Citizen鈥檚 Reader.
The next book in the Tompkins Institute series is currently in preparation. It is entitled Community and Conscience: A Citizen’s Reader. It will be released in January 2026.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS
The Tompkins Institute is currently facilitating the Neighbourhood Handyperson Pilot Project in the 福利免费在线看 of New Aberdeen (part of Glace Bay, Cape Breton). It is being supported by the recently established Cape Breton Tompkins Affordable Housing Fund, which the Tompkins Institute established within the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia. It is a legacy fund created at the time of the dissolution of the Cape Breton Council of Churches. The same fund is also supporting the Mechanic Street Housing Project (demonstration project using a revitalized historic 鈥渃ompany house鈥�), which is currently a collaboration of the Affordable Housing Renovation Partnership and Warden United Church.
GOVERNANCE TRAINING
The Tompkins Institute works with boards of 福利免费在线看 development organizations, non-profit societies, as well as municipal councils to deliver training modules on governance and effective meetings.