About this Showcase

In today’s fast-paced world, meeting community needs has never been more urgent or as challenging. Place-based sites and place-centered work deliver solutions and impact at the highest point of need. Place-based strategies are essential for serving community members directly, building trust, networks, and layers of connectivity across the campus, the community, and the region, ultimately becoming transformative infrastructure for thriving students, neighborhoods and regions.

The showcase at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA takes a deep dive into the power of place through a tour of the different ways we engage in place to advance community needs and VCU’s impact. 

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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 25 participants. Teams are encouraged to attend. 

Logistics

Wednesday Nov 11, 2026- Places for People: VCU’s Place-Based Sites

  • 8:00 - 9:00 - Breakfast and Network Game at the Mary and Frances Youth Center, 120 South Linden Street, Richmond
    • Meet your fellow participants and the VCU team
  • 9:00 - 9:30 AM - Welcome and VCU Introduction
  • 9:30 - 11:30 AM - Enhancing the Life of Richmond Youth: The Mary and Frances Youth Center
    • Engage with Misti Mueller, Ed.D, Executive Director, MFYC, Vaughn Garland, Ph.D., Associate Director of Education and Outreach,MFYC,  Sharron McDaniel, Program Coordinator, and MFYC Students and community partners who serve Richmond’s youth, families, and the youth development community.
  • 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Travel to Health Hub by Van
  • 12:00 - 12:30 PM - Lunch provided at the VCU Health Hub at 25th 
    • Relax and refuel.
  • 12:30 - 2:30 PM Stronger Health, Stronger Community: The VCU Health Hub at 25th
    • Engage with Sarah McCall, Operations Manager, and Ryan Villagran, Program Coordinator, students, staff and community partners, and service providers who serve Richmond's East End.
  • 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. 
  • TBD - Dinner with the VCU Team

Thursday, Nov 12, 2026- Our People in Places: VCU Campus

  • 8:00 - 9:00 AM - Breakfast on your own
  • 9:00 - 11:30 AM - Building Civic Places: The College of Humanities and Sciences and the Baldacci Institute for Civic Discourse, STEM Building, Room 503, 817W. Franklin St.
    • Amanda Wintersieck, Ph.D. Director, Baldacci Institute for Civic Discourse and Associate Professor, Political Science, Catherine Ingrassia, Ph.D., Dean, College of Humanities and Science
  • 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM - Lunch provided by VCU
    • Relax and Refuel
  • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Student Civic Engagement in Richmond: The Division of Student Affairs
    • 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.
  • 3:00 PM -  Closure and departure (optional)

Optional Third Day:  Friday, Nov 13, 2026- Connect Community Engagement Conference, Midtown Green, 2401 W. Leigh Street, Richmond

  • 8:30-4:00 (Breakfast and Lunch Provided)
    • 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. 
  • 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 Sorrentino at amedina@compact.org 

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

Agenda Highlights:

  • The Health Hub at 25th, a partnership between VCU and VCU Health System, improves social determinants of health (SDOH) outcomes in Richmond’s East End by serving as a front door and home to the range of SDOH programs and services offered by VCU, VCU Health, and community partners.
  • The Mary and Frances Youth Center serves regional youth through a wide range of sport-based health and education programming, as well as programming for adults who work with youth, including family events and certificate-based training for childcare professionals. 
  • The College of Humanities and Sciences, The Baldacci Institute for Civil Discourse, and the Division of Student Affairs are finding ways to integrate Richmond as a learning lab into curricular and co-curricular activities, using place to nurture civic collaboration and empower communities.
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