VCU community helps elementary school students prepare for a new school year
Mike Porter
VCU Communications and Public Relations
(804) 828-7037
mrporter@vcu.edu
8/25/2008

The Virginia Commonwealth University community is helping elementary school students in surrounding neighborhoods enjoy a strong start to the new school year.

For the first time, VCU’s Welcome Week activities included a university-wide school supply drive.

“We wanted to come up with a service project the entire VCU community could be part of,” said Meredith Schram, Welcome Week chair. “Anybody can participate. It’s not cost-prohibitive,” Schram said.

School supply donation boxes have been placed in residence halls and other “high traffic” university buildings. Organizers hope students, faculty and staff members will fill the boxes with pens, pencils, notebooks, binders, paper, rulers and other basic school supplies.

“Many of the schools start the year with a deficit, because some parents can’t afford to buy the basic supplies their children need,” said Ronald Brown, community development coordinator/liaison of the Carver-VCU Partnership. “This effort helps the students start the school year with what they need so the learning process is a positive,” Brown said.

The Welcome Week school supply drive began Aug, 16 and continues through Sept. 5. Volunteers will then sort through the donations and deliver the supplies to Carver and Maymont elementary schools in Richmond.

“And actually, we’re hoping we get so many contributions that we’ll be able to share any extras with other area schools,” Schram said.

While many in the VCU community are donating supplies, others are donating their time.

VCU staff members and students participated in the YMCA of Greater Richmond’s “Bright Beginnings” program, accompanying students from Carver Elementary School on a shopping trip to buy clothes for the school year.

On a recent trip to the Mechanicsville Target store, 30 Students from Carver Elementary were paired with adults who helped them shop for two school outfits, shoes, underwear, a jacket and shoes. Each student could spend up to $100. They carried calculators to carefully track the costs.

“This is a great way to give back to the kids,” said Stephanie Jones, a VCU senior majoring in accounting. “I remember how excited I was shopping for school. And I can see how excited the children are here today.”

Jones plans eventually to become a teacher. Her work with Carver Promise has allowed her to form close bonds with children in their classrooms.

“I usually see the students in school, so it’s fun to be doing something with them outside,” Jones said.

VCU’s efforts to interact with the community are coordinated through the Division of Community Engagement.

For the official VCU News Center story online, see http://www.news.vcu.edu/vcu_view/pages.aspx?nid=2605

“Generation Dream 08” honors civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Performance part of annual “Living the Dream” tribute

By Mike Porter
University News Services
Jan. 2008

Virginia Commonwealth University’s annual “Living the Dream” program will pay tribute to the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King with a musical and spoken word performance.

"Generation Dream 08: An Edu-concert in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." will take place Thursday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. at the VCU Singleton Performing Arts Center, 922 Park Ave. The event is free and open to the public.

“Generation Dream 08” will feature performances by the activist percussion group “Drums No Guns,” spoken word performances by Richmond actor and poet
Iman Shabazz, and music from the local rock-funk fusion band Think! The show also includes performances by youth members of the Richmond Youth Peace Project, including students from Middle Eastern, Asian, and African nations and productions by New Generation Theater and Theatre VCU.

The event is sponsored by VCU’s Division of Community Engagement, Office of Multicultural Affairs, NAACP at VCU, Department of Theatre and VCU Libraries. The Richmond Peace Education Center and “Drums No Guns” are serving as community sponsors of the event.

For more information, contact the VCU Division of Community Engagement at 804-828-1831 or the Richmond Peace Education Center at 804-232-1002 or visit rpec@rpec.org.

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.

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

1/24/08 12:00-1:30 pm Richmond Academy of Medicine Conference Room
1200 E. Clay Street, Room 1002

*To register, email Emily Gambill at ergambill@vcu.edu with your name, telephone number and email address.

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

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

7/9/2007

VCU and community partners awarded $100,000 Jessie Ball duPont Fund grant to prevent and reduce poverty

Mike Porter
University News Services
Phone: (804) 828-7037
E-mail: mrporter@vcu.edu
www.news.vcu.edu

Tesha W. Davis
Marketing and Public Relations Specialist
City of Richmond
Phone : (804) 646-2133
E-mail : tesha.davis@richmondgov.com
www.richmondgov.com

Kimberly Russell
Communications Officer
The Community Foundation
Phone: (804) 330-7400 Ext. 117
E-mail: krussell@tcfrichmond.org
www.tcfrichmond.org

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund has awarded a $100,000 grant to Virginia Commonwealth University’s Division of Community Engagement on behalf of a coalition of Richmond groups working to prevent and reduce poverty in adults and children.

“What this grant does is allow us to help people get on the path to financial security and avoid financial crisis,” said Catherine W. Howard, Ph.D., vice provost, Division of Community Engagement. “We also want to teach young people about the importance of saving and offer them strategies for saving money.”

The one-year planning grant will allow VCU to work with the City of Richmond, the Local Initiative Support Corporation, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia, First Market Bank, The Dominion Foundation and the William Byrd Community House in determining the best way to build financial assets for people, families and communities.

“We are optimistic that the planning grant and pilot programs will lead to a systemic approach to ending the cycle of poverty that can be adopted throughout our region. It is encouraging to see a commitment across the sectors of local government, education, the faith community, business and philanthropy to work toward promising solutions,” said Darcy Oman, president & CEO of The Community Foundation.

The grant will develop financial literacy curricula which can be added to existing programs such as Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS), in which the faith community assists families in financial crisis, Richmond’s Summer Youth Employment Program for low-income teens and the Richmond area’s After-School Programs.

“The duPont grant allows us to strengthen the City’s Youth Workforce and Development Division’s Summer Youth Employment Program by providing a savings bond incentive for completing financial literacy training,” said Saphira Baker, chief deputy administrative officer for Human Services. “Through our employment programs and this planning grant, we not only want to provide citizens of Richmond with access to resources that cultivate employability, but we also want to facilitate economic vitality and independence for youth citywide.”

The Division of Community Engagement brings together VCU and the surrounding community to enhance the quality of life for all who work, live and study in the Richmond metropolitan area.

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund is a national philanthropic foundation that offers financial awards to promote community problem solving and accountability, asset-building and the independent sector.

http://www.news.vcu.edu/news.aspx?v=detail&nid=2133

VCU receives recognition for community initiatives

Mike Porter
University News Services
(804) 828-7037
mrporter@vcu.edu
12/21/2006

Carnegie Foundation selects VCU for its Community Engagement Classification
Virginia Commonwealth University has received national recognition from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for its initiatives within the community.

The selection for the newly created Community Engagement Classification recognizes VCU and 75 other U.S. colleges and universities that promote community engagement as a central focus of their missions. In addition, the Carnegie Foundation selected VCU as one of 62 institutions of higher learning nationwide that demonstrated a commitment to community engagement in the classroom and to partnerships and outreach beyond the boundaries of campus.

“One of VCU’s key strengths is its very special relationship with the surrounding neighborhoods,” said University President Eugene P. Trani. “This designation confirms our belief that we are a campus without walls that seeks to integrate itself within the community.

“Our relationship with the community is mutually beneficial,” Trani said. “Our students are exposed to lifelong learning and service opportunities, and the community plays an active role in identifying needs and working with the university to address those challenges by taking advantage of the resources we offer.”

Under Trani’s leadership, VCU has worked with the surrounding neighborhoods to promote economic and community development. Initiatives include the Carver Neighborhood-VCU Partnership, VCU Community Solutions, Lobs & Lessons, FIRST Robotics and the Community Nursing Organization. In fact, VCU’s ongoing commitment to university-community partnerships was reaffirmed as one of the key themes in the “VCU 2020 Vision For Excellence” approved by the VCU Board of Visitors earlier this year.

Catherine W. Howard, Ph.D., vice provost, Division of Community Engagement, called the Carnegie Foundation designation a “validation that community engagement is a critical part of VCU’s mission.”

“Community engagement is being embraced by all units of the university because it is at the very core of our mission of learning and scholarship and service,” Howard said.

Howard led the group of faculty and staff that prepared VCU’s application and supporting documentation for consideration by the Carnegie Foundation.

Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an Act of Congress, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center whose charge is “to do and perform all things necessary to encourage, uphold, and dignify the profession of the teacher and the cause of higher education.”

http://www.news.vcu.edu/news.aspx?v=detail&nid=1898