Made possible by a generous grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Reducing Intergenerational Poverty Planning Grant seeks to integrate financial literacy curricula and initiatives throughout Richmond. In this initial phase, activity focuses on bringing aboard financial management consultants and additional Steering Committee partners. Ongoing collaborations with sister agencies include the City of Richmond’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS).

Recently hired Financial Literacy Projector Coordinator Adam Nathanson immersed himself in the task at hand beginning this week. With five years experience in the City of Richmond’s Department of Economic Development, as well as a distinguished track with Richmond Public Schools Adult & Continuing Education, Adam possesses an intimate professional knowledge of the developmental and cultural issues facing youth and economically challenged individuals in our city.

Contact Adam Nathanson at nathansonaw@vcu.edu

Pam Lepley
University News Services
(804) 828-6057
pdlepley@vcu.edu

Mary and Frances Youth Center Opens at VCU

Facility will provide youth in the Richmond community with life skills, mentoring, academic and athletic programs

RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 28, 2007) – Less than a year after breaking ground for the Mary and Frances Youth Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, the facility was opened and dedicated on Friday.

The Mary and Frances Youth Center, located at 120. S. Linden St., will provide youth in the Richmond community with a wide range of life skills, mentoring, academic and athletic programs.

The center was funded by a private, $1.5 million donation from Michael Fraizer and his wife, Elizabeth. Fraizer is the chairman and CEO of Genworth Financial. The center is named to honor the life-long volunteerism and commitment to philanthropy of the Fraizers' mothers, Mary Fraizer and Frances Royer. Both women were dedicated volunteers in their communities.

"Today marks the beginning of an exciting journey for the many young people who will be given the skills, coaching and support that are so valuable in shaping their futures and giving them better opportunities to succeed," said Michael D. Fraizer. "This youth center represents a model for such programs as it brings together the energies and resources of VCU, community partners, volunteers, families and donors and aligns them for impact."

The center initially will be home to Lobs & Lessons, a collaboration with William Byrd Community House, Sacred Heart Center and Northside YMCA to provide an after-school program that promotes the learning of tennis and life skills for more than 100 Richmond area youth each year. The program is a partnership of VCU's Division of Community Engagement, the VCU SportsCenter and Genworth Financial.

"The Mary and Frances Youth Center is a great example of a strong partnership that will improve the entire community and provide opportunities to children who otherwise would never be exposed to a college campus and all of the aspirations it holds," said VCU President Eugene P. Trani. "Whether they end up going to VCU or not, after spending time at the youth center, these young people will know that college can be in their future."

The 5,400 square-foot building includes instructional space for tutoring, a seminar room, offices, and catering space. The grounds include two hard-surface tennis courts and basketball court.

The Virginia Commonwealth University SportsCenter launched its new children’s book “Rodney Ram Teaches Teamwork” during a reading for students from two third-grade classes at G.W. Carver Elementary School in Richmond.

VCU men’s basketball head coach Anthony Grant read the book to the children. He was joined by mascot Rodney Ram.

“Becoming great readers will take you where you need to go,” Grant told the children. “If you are committed to getting a great education, you’ll be able to do anything you want to in life.”

The book was developed over a five-year period under the direction of VCU SportsCenter Executive Director Richard L. Sander. “Rodney Ram Teaches Teamwork” was written by VCU SportsCenter graduate Stephanie H. McNamara and illustrated by former VCU women’s basketball player and SportsCenter graduate Susie Fife. The book’s message is that everybody wins through teamwork.

The VCU SportsCenter donated copies of the book to the students. McNamara and Fife joined Grant and Rodney Ram for pictures with the children and autographs.

VCU has enjoyed a long collaborative partnership with the Carver Community. The VCU Division of Community Engagement supports efforts at the school such as the Carver Promise mentoring program and the Carver-VCU Partnership after-school program, which provides after school-tutoring and homework assistance.

“Rodney Ram Teaches Teamwork” costs $13.95 and can be purchased online at www.vcu.edu/sportscenter or by calling (804) 828-7821.

http://www.vcu.edu/insidevcu/0710teamwork/index.html

Community engagement at VCU relates to the teaching, research and service endeavors of our faculty, staff and students. This new series of workshops are designed to facilitate and enhance effective university-community partnerships. They are highly recommended as prerequisites for faculty who want to apply for a Community Engagement grant from the Council for Community Engagement or a Community-Based Research grant from the Institute for Women’s Health.

Stepping Out to Create Successful Partnerships:
Orientation to Community Engagement (CEWS1)
VCU is committed to establishing university-community partnerships as stated in the strategic plan, VCU 2020. In this workshop, faculty and staff will learn more about the university’s commitment and resources to support university-community partnerships. In addition, participants will learn effective strategies to initiate and sustain partnerships with the community; gain an awareness of diverse communities and their formal and informal leadership; and discuss opportunities and challenges with community engagement – for teaching and research. The discussion will also examine the costs and benefits of community engagement for the participant’s professional development.

Evelyn Reed-Victor, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Special Education and Disability Policy
School of Education

Michael Evans, MSW
Special Assistant to the First Lady
Children and Family Initiatives

Date/Time/Location:
11/6 12:00-1:30 pm Center for Teaching Excellence Conference Room
11/30 12:00-1:30 pm Richmond Academy of Medicine Conference Room, 1200 E. Clay St, Rm 1002

In Sync with the Community:
Applying CBPR Principles and Methods (CEWS2)
This workshop will present an overview of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), also known as Community-Based Research, including appropriate research designs, principles, and effective roles of the researchers and community. Benefits and barriers of CBPR will also be discussed. Participants will be asked to share their experiences of CBPR and lessons learned from the field.

Cornelia A. Ramsey, PhD, MSPH
Community Research Liaison
Center for Clinical and Translational Research

Judith Bradford, Ph.D.
Director of Community-Based Research
Institute for Women’s Health

Date/Time/Location:
11/12 12:00-1:30 pm Center for Teaching Excellence Conference Room
12/11 12:00-1:30 pm Richmond Academy of Medicine Conference Room, 1200 E. Clay Street, Room 1002

Breaking out of the Classroom:
Community-Based Learning (CEWS3)This workshop will provide a summary of the theory and rationale for community-based learning pedagogy which includes: service-learning, experiential education and community projects. We will explore how community service experiences can be integrated with course content, and how instructors and community partners work together to make this a mutually beneficial experience. Participants will learn about the resources offered through VCU’s Division of Community Engagement.

Vanessa Diamond, MPA
Service-Learning Program Director
Division of Community Engagement

Helen Ruth Aspaas, Ph.D.
Service-Learning Faculty Scholar
Associate Professor, Wilder School

Date/Time/Location:
11/14 12:00-1:30 pm Center for Teaching Excellence Conference Room
1/24/08 12:00-1:30 pm Richmond Academy of Medicine Conference Room, 1200 E. Clay Street, Room 1002

*To register for these classes, please send an email to Emily Gambill at ergambill@vcu.edu. In your email, please include the title and date of the class for which you would like to register along with your name, telephone number and email address.

These workshops are sponsored by VCU’s Division of Community Engagement, Institute for Women’s Health, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, and Center for Teaching Excellence