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