About this Showcase

In today’s fast-paced world, meeting community needs has never been more urgent or as challenging. Place-based work can deliver solutions where the need is greatest by serving community members directly, building trust, and establishing layers of connectivity across the campus, the community, and the region—ultimately creating a transformative infrastructure that allows students, neighborhoods, and regions to thrive.

Join TRUCEN members for our next showcase at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, for an immersive deep dive into the power of place. Learn more about Richmond, find out about the distinct ways VCU engages in place, and hear from campus leaders and community partners about how VCU is making an impact locally and regionally. 

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Who should attend?

This TRUCEN Showcase is open to all faculty, staff, and administrators at R1 institutions with active Campus Compact membership. Registration is limited to a total of 20 participants. Teams are encouraged to attend. 

Logistics

Wednesday, November 11, Places for People: VCU’s Place-Based Sites

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Breakfast and Network Game at the Mary and Frances Youth Center (120 South Linden Street, Richmond, VA)
Meet your fellow participants and the VCU team

9:00 - 9:30 AM

Welcome and VCU Introduction
Maghboeba Mosaval, Vice Provost, Community Engagement and Professor, School of Public Health

9:30 - 11:30 AM

Enhancing the Life of Richmond Youth: The Mary and Frances Youth Center

  • Lightening Rounds with Misti Mueller, Ed.D, Executive Director, MFYC, Vaughn Garland, Ph.D., Associate Director of Education and Outreach, MFYC, Sharron McDaniel, Program Coordinator.
  • Stakeholder World Cafe where attendees will meet with youth, community partners, interns, faculty and youth development certificate cohort members to understand the MFYC from a range of perspectives.
  • Moments of Reflection

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Travel to Health Hub by Van

12:00 - 12:30 PM

Tour & Working Lunch
Interactive Icebreaker with Sarah McCall, Operations Manager, HH

12:30 - 1:20 PM                          

“Voices of the Hub Circuit” The VCU Health Hub at 25th
Small groups rotate to four stations, each with a different stakeholder group and activity/topic:

  • Community Partners
  • Students
  • Faculty researchers
  • Staff & Community Health Worker

1:20-2:00 PM 

Collaborative Synthesis - The Co-Design Lab
Fishbowl and Interactive Action Wall to support attendees to evaluate how to apply insights to their own campus.

2:00-2:30 PM 

Closing & High Impact Takeaway
Voices of the Hub Lightning Wrap

2:30 PM

Travel to Quirk Hotel by Van

3:00 - 5:00 PM

Mending Walls Walking tour with Artist Hamilton Glass
Immersive exploration of Richmond’s public art scene, learning the history and partnerships behind each mural. 

5:00 PM

Dinner on your own
Restaurant List and List of Activities to do in Richmond will be provided

Thursday, November 12, Our People in Places: VCU Campus

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Breakfast on your own

9:00 - 11:30 AM

The College of Humanities and Sciences and the Baldacci Institute for Civic Discourse, STEM Building, Room 503, 817W. Franklin St.

  • 9:00 - 9:45 - Building Civic Places: the Virginia Government Simulation as a Laboratory for Democracy
    Amanda Wintersieck, Ph.D. Director, Baldacci Institute for Civil Discourse and Associate Professor, Political Science and Simulation Students.
  • 9:45-10:45 - Monroe Park Walking Tour
    Presented by The Valentine Museum. The tour begins at the corner of Laurel and Main across the street from the Altria Theater and combines history of the city and the campus.
  • 10:45-11:30 - Reducing Student Food Insecurity and Campus Food Waste through Decentralized, Anonymous Food Pantries/Fridges
    John Jones, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, School of Life Sciences and Sustainability & Visit a Little Ram Pantry

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM                       

Lunch provided by VCU
Relax and Refuel

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Student Civic Engagement in Richmond: The Division of Student Affairs, West Grace North Residence Hall, Room 1030J
Transform, VCU’s Living and Learning Community, and its Certificate in Leadership Studies and Experiential Learning

  • Michael Rackett, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Jimmie Gahagan, Associate Vice President for Transformative Student Experiences, Division of Student Affairs, Kelsey Jones, Assistant Director for Civic and Community Engagement, Division of Student Affairs, and VCU Student leaders

2:00-3:00

Panel of Student Leaders on why place-based civic engagement is important for students.  With students representing VCU Votes, the Transform Living Learning Program

3:00 PM

Closure and departure (optional)

(optional) Friday, November 13: Connect Community Engagement Conference

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM                                              

Connect Community Engagement Conference (Midtown Green, 2401 W. Leigh St., Richmond, VA)
Hosted annually, the Connect Community Engagement Conference is co-created by VCU and community partners and offers an engaging learning experience that strengthen existing relationships, foster new collaborations, and align ongoing efforts for greater impact across the Richmond community. Breakfast & lunch will be provided.
  • Recommended Airport:
  • Transportation from Airport to Campus Venue: 
    • Uber or Lyft is recommended
  • Recommendations for ease of transportation to and from the lodging accommodations and around campus: 
    • Attendees are encouraged to use the free GRTC Pulse, or ride share. The pulse bus is free. A shuttle service will be provided on campus to assist with travel between on campus sites. 

For specific questions regarding your travel or participation, please contact:
Misti Mueller at muellermr@vcu.edu

For questions on TRUCEN and Campus Compact, please contact:
Anthony Medina at amedina@compact.org 

  • Registration and program materials/events for this event are free.
  • Attendees will be responsible for travel and lodging.

Agenda Highlight:

Mending Walls Walking tour with Artist Hamilton Glass

Experience Richmond through public art. Day one ends with an immersive exploration of Richmond’s public art scene, learning the history and partnerships behind each mural and having rich conversations about collaboration, trust, community engagement and using art to build places.

Learn More
Register