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Vol. 5, Issue 4, August 31, 2023

Sarah Toothman |

Blue and Yellow logo: West Virginia University Center for Community Engagement

ACADEMIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT NEWSLETTER

Volume 5, Issue 4 - Updated Copy

August 31 2023
 
The WVU Center for Community Engagement (CCE) aims to leverage university knowledge and resources to support effective partnerships with communities that enhance discovery through community-engaged teaching, scholarship, and action. The Center supports faculty, staff, and students in working with external partners to meet reciprocal and mutually beneficial needs and advance WVU’s land grant mission.
    
/ An Impactful Beginning 
Welcome Week 2023, 341 Hours Served, 20 service projects were completed by Mountaineers over a seven-day period, Estimated value for each hour service is $26.67 (clip art hand holding a circle with a dollar sign in it), $9,113 impact value, West Virginia University Center for Community Engagement logo
During Welcome Week 2023, Mountaineers and community partners set the tone for an impactful school year of direct service and engagement. The  Center for Community Engagement   coordinated twenty service projects completed over seven days, inspiring students to engage in WVU's culture of volunteerism.  Without the partnership of local community organizations and non-profits, the success of Welcome Week 2023 would not have been possible. The Center for Community Engagement is grateful to all the volunteers and partners for their participation!
Two male students assist in weeding a tomato plot at a community garden.
A female volunteer completes a face painting for a young child.
A male and female student work together to pack a donation bookbag for elementary aged students.
    / Upcoming A.C.E. Series Event
Fall 2023
Flyer: WVU Center for Community Engagement Logo. Text: Finding Purpose: Benefits of Service and Collaboration. Join us for our first ACE Seminar of the 2023-24 academic year. Guest Speakers: Gayle Manchin & David Campbell. Moderated by Kristi Wood Turner Assistant Dean for Extension, Director for Center for Community Engagement. Thursday, October 5, 8:45 a.m. EST Register at linktr.ee/wvucce
Photo images of Gayle Conelly Manchin, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission under President Biden (left);  David Campbell, Professor of Public Administration, Binghamton University (middle); and  Kristi Wood-Turner, Assistant Dean, Director of CCE (right).
The Academic Community Engagement (A.C.E.) Series returns to WVU this season!

Join us for a panel discussion centered around the theme "Finding Purpose: Benefits of Service and Collaboration," featuring distinguished voices of Gayle Conelly Manchin and David Campbell . This engaging conversation, hosted by the Center for Community Engagement. is tailored to faculty, staff, graduate students, and community stakeholders. 

Gayle Conelly Manchin, a dedicated advocate and educator, brings a wealth of experience from her roles in education and public service, including being the first West Virginian to serve as the Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. With a background as an educator and experience in various leadership positions, Manchin's insights delve into the intersection of education, community engagement, and regional development.

David Campbell, a seasoned researcher and practitioner in nonprofit management, has a deep understanding of collaboration and its impact on communities both locally and globally. His expertise in nonprofit organizations, accountability, and performance measurement will provide a valuable perspective on how collaboration can drive positive change and create meaningful outcomes.

From Gayle Manchin's hands-on expertise in education and regional development to David Campbell's research-driven insights into nonprofit management, attendees will gain practical strategies for fostering connections, amplifying impact, and discovering personal and collective purpose. 

The moderator of this discussion is Dr. Kristi Wood-Turner , Assistant Dean, and Director of CCE. 

Join us 
Thursday, October 5, 8:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Theme: Finding Purpose
Registration link:  https://wvu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6RR4g8rkeI4v4ou

Information about the 2023-2024 A.C.E. Series themes and panelists can be found on the  CCE website .
    / Classroom Outreach 
Service-learning initiatives for the Fall 2023 semester have begun! Many service-learning instructors invited the Center for Community Engagement team to join their classes to discuss community service benefits, best practices for successful partnerships, and how to track hours in iServe.
Public Health students in PUBH 352 met with their partners on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Students and partners discussed interests, class learning outcomes, agency mission statements, and completed a service learning contract for a service project.

WVU Engaged Scholar, Dr. Elizabeth Claydon , teaches PUBH 352: Introduction to Social and Behavioral Science and Practice. PUBH 352 is designated as a service learning class.
Honors students enrolled in BCOR 199: Honors Intro to Business listened intently to each volunteer opportunity presented by the Center for Community Engagement team earlier this week.  

For almost a decade, honors students from Chambers College of Business and Economics, guided by WVU Engaged Scholar , Dr. Li Wang , have worked hand-in-hand with community partners to develop marketing, management, and finance projects. Implementing strategic plans with local and remote organizations allows students to create connections and learn valuable skills for future careers in business. 

BCOR 199 is designated as a WVU service-learning class. 
    / Engaged Scholars News
Supporting Community, Youth Resilience Efforts through Environmental Literacy 
Portrait of Bradley Wilson.
Portrait of Megan Kruger
Nico Zegre pointing at the American Flag
Photos: Bradley Wilson (top left), Megan Kruger (top right), and Nico Zegre (second row).
Congratulations to WVU Engaged Scholar , Bradley Wilson (Geology and Geography, and Director of WVU Center for Resilient Communities ) ,  Nico Zegre (Forest Hydrology, Davis College), and Megan Kruger  (Evaluation and Research Specialist, WVU Extension) for receiving a NOAA award to develop a youth-focused community resilience planning curriculum that enhances environmental literacy, encouraging community participation in resilience planning, and inspires personal and collective action to mitigate the impacts of flooding in West Virginia. 
    / Update
A black computer display's the Center for Community Engagements new website. Included is the URL "Https://COMMUNITYENGAGAMENT.WVU.EDU/
Head over to our new site, which features our programs, courses, and areas of engagement across campus!  Operations coordinator, Mason Arbogast, updated the Center for Community Engagement's online resources and accessibility with creative touches.

Discover service and academic engagement opportunities today at the  Center for Community Engagement at West Virginia University (wvu.edu)  

/ Service Opportunities
Volunteer Fair - September 13, 2023
The Center for Community Engagement will be tabling a volunteer fair for students to learn more about general service during their time at West Virginia University. In addition to meeting with community partners, attendees can learn more about the Purpose to Action (P2A) Program, iServe, and service-learning courses while meeting like-minded volunteers!   

More information on iServe:  Volunteer Fair Table | WVU Center for Community Engagement                             
9/11 National Day of Service
AmeriCorps VISTA will be partnering with the WV National Cemetary for the 9/11 National Day of Service on September 11, 2023. Recognize and remember veterans and those who were affected by events on 9/11 by joining our volunteer need. During this event, we will be cleaning gravestones of West Virginia veterans.

Sign up and learn more information at: 
9/11 National Day of Service at WV National Cemetery | WVU Center for Community Engagement
Blood Donors Needed 
The American Red Cross, Allegheny Highlands Chapter, is urgently looking for blood donors. All WVU students who donate blood receive two service hours for their donation. This need occurs each month at the WVU Health Sciences Cancer Center Atrium. The next drive is on September 25, 2023. 
 Learn more at:  https://iserve.wvu.edu/need/detail/?need_id=84097 5
Text: A Human Kind Blood Drive, American Red Cross. WVU Diversity Week Blood Driver in partnership with American Red Cross, Tuesday, September 19, 12 - 5 p.m. Make an appointment today! Go to RedCrossBlood.org and use sponsor code WVU Diversity Help Increase Blood Donor Diversity. Logo: West Virginia University Center for Community Engagement

/ iServe Training for Instructors
If your students use iServe to track service hours for a class requirement or activity, then this virtual training is for you!  We'll share tips on how to enter student rosters, track student hours, highlight student volunteer resumes, and more.  You can bring your questions to this live virtual session.

Date: Thursday, August 31, 2023
Time: 11:30 a.m.
RSVP:  https://wvu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9TyY0laB5O2uHVs
    / iServe Support
iServe blue and gold logo. Do good. Be better. Go first!

WVU Faculty, staff, students, and community partners may schedule a 1:1 iServe consultation for personalized support with navigating the special features of WVU's volunteer management system.  Book your appointment by emailing iserve@mail.wvu.edu. 

    / Community Outreach and Resources
Strong community partnerships take time to develop. Jumpstart your Community Engaged course or project by contacting the Center for Community Engagement today!
    / VISTA Collaborative
AmeriCorps West Virginia logo in blue and white

AmeriCorps VISTA 

 
AmeriCorps VISTAs assist with building capacity and supporting the mission of host sites.  AmeriCorps VISTA members use their skills to develop, enhance, and sustain engagement programs.

VISTA members are awarded to West Virginia University, WVU Beckley, WVU Keyser, and Extension Service departments, colleges, and programs, including non-academic departments and programs.

Go to the Center for Community Engagement - AmeriCorps website to learn more about open positions or to become a host site.
    / Academic Community Engagement Consultations
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) works with faculty, instructors, staff, and graduate students within all disciplines to design or refine community engaged courses, programs, and reasearch.  The CCE is a resource hub; we aim to support your efforts in shaping impactful experiences for your students and partners.   

Considerations include:
You're invited to schedule a conversation with the Academic Community Engagement team.
.
We gathered some innovative external opportunities to inform and support your community engagement work, and to share your perspective on important topics.
    / Opportunity
 
Undergraduate students who wish to cultivate community-based research and foster transformative social change in Appalachia are encouraged to apply for an internship through the Center for Resilient Communities. 
Submit by September 20, 2023
    / Grants and Awards
NOSI: Social, Behavioral, Economic Impact of Covid-19 in Underserved and Vulnerable Populations
NIH Institutes, Centers and Office's participation in the Social Behavioral, and Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Vulnerable and Health Disparity Populations initiative are issuing this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) to highlight interest in research to strengthen the understanding and response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic and help us prepare more effectively for future public health emergencies. While research related to the direct clinical effects of COVID-19 is supported by other funding opportunities, there are additional urgent public health needs, particularly in populations who experience health disparities and in vulnerable populations. 
Deadline: September 8, 2024

Institutional Challenge Grant
W.T. Grant Foundation Institutional Challenge Grants support university-based research institutes, schools, and centers in building sustained research-practice partnerships with public agencies or nonprofit organizations in order to reduce inequality in youth outcomes. The grant requires that research institutions shift their policies and practices to value collaborative research.  Institutions also need to build the capacity of researchers to produce relevant work and the capacity of agency and nonprofit partners to use research.  The foundation will award $650K over three years.
Proposal Deadline: September 13, 2023
Pitch Southern West Virginia Business Idea Competition 
Pitch your business idea and win up to $2,000. The WVU Tech Launch Lab, in partnership with the WV Hire, invites WVU Tech students, faculty and staff, and entrepreneurs and businesses of southern West Virginia counties of Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Summers, Webster, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, Mercer, Wyoming, McDowell, Logan, and Mingo to submit their ideas. 

The business idea competition is limited to entrepreneurs of new start-ups and businesses in operation for less than three years, The best proposals submitted will be invited to give five-minute, in-person pitches of their business ideas before the reviews on October 12 at the Life Sciences Building on WVU Tech's campus. The reviewers will engage in a question-and-answer session with each presenter. 
Submit by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14th, 2023
 
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers over 400 awards in more than 135 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research, and carry out professional projects around the world. College and university faculty, as well as artists and professionals from a wide range of fields, can join over 400,000 Fulbrighters who have come away with enhanced skills, new connections, and greater mutual  understanding.
Applications due: September 15, 2023

Innovation Grants Program
For the innovative improvement of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in West Virginia.
Proposal Deadline: October 2, 2023,  by 5 p.m.
*FOR SATELLITE CAMPUS ONLY

Campus Compact Impact Award Applications Open
The Campus Compact Impact Awards are awarded each year to outstanding faculty community engagement professionals and campuses that have demonstrated transformational leadership in pursuit of the public purpose of higher education. Individuals may nominate others for the wards or submit applications on their own behalf.
Applications are due October 25th, 2023 

Nadinne Cruz Community Engagement Professional Award
Celebrating the ethical leadership and advocacy demonstrated by higher education community engagement professionals.
Nominations and applications due by October 25, 2023

Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award
Recognizing senior faculty for exemplary engaged scholarship.
Nominations and applications due by October 25, 2023

Ernest A. Lynton Award for the Scholarship of Engagement
Recognizing full-time, pre-tenure faculty who connect their teaching, research, and service to community engagement.
Nominations and applications due by October 25, 2023
 
Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC)
The S&CC program supports integrated research that addresses fundamental technological and social science dimensions of smart and connected communities and pilots' solutions together with communities. The S&CC solution will support research projects in the following categories: Integrative Research Grants and Planning Grants. 
Proposals Accepted by: April 1, 2024
    / Events, Workshops, and Conferences

REACH Webinar: Exploring Social Media Test Drive
Enda Bennet Pierce Prevention Research Center with Penn State College of Health and Human Development
Social Media TestDrive delivers education in the digital age.  This webinar will provide an overview of this resource as it prepares young people for the online world through experiential learning in a simulated social media environment. This project will develop and implement a three-component technical assistance (TA) approach for rural communities targeting substance misuse and mental health disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery in Appalachia. 
Aug 31st, 2023, at 12:00 PM 
Registration link:   Webinar Registration - Zoom

Place-Based Education Conference
The Great Lakes Stewardship Conference is convening place-based education experts, practitioners, and newcomers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for our 8th national Place-Based Education Conference. Multiple "strands" for placed-based education have been developed as a guideline for submissions. (Climate, social-justice, literacy, and STEM education)
Submit by Friday, September 15, 2023 


Fall Network Conversation
The Role of Civic & Community Engagement in our Cities—Past, Present, and Future

The Research University Civic Engagement Network (TRUCEN) works to advance civic engagement and engaged scholarship among research universities. TRUCEN members are R1 institutions that share a fundamental commitment to leveraging their resources, skills, and energy to address the most challenging issues in society.

Join TRUCEN network conversations to dive into contemporary topics, engage in dialogue & network with colleagues from R1 institutions across the country.
September 27, 2:00-3:30 P.M. EDT

Engagement Scholarship Consortium's 23rd Annual Conference
The ESC is a non-profit organization composed of higher education institutions that build strong university-community partnerships anchored in the rigor of scholarship.
October 4 - 5, 2023

Place-Based Education Conference
hosted by The Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative
November 9 - 11, 2023

Stepping into the Work: Expanding Understanding of Global Positionality, Responsibility, and Opportunity
hosted by the Collaborative Institute at Haverford College
November 9 - 11, 2023


West Virginia Rural Health Conference: Lighting the Way for Rural Health
hosted by WVRHA
November 15 - 17, 2023

Winter '24 Institute on Teaching Social Action
Bonner Foundation
There is no cost to join!
This three-day virtual institute will introduce faculty and staff to an experiential learning approach for incorporating social action campaigns into either a semester-long course or co-curricular workshop series. In this transformative experiential learning model, students develop and launch a social action campaign of their choosing during the semester the course is taught. The student campaigns seek to change a rule, regulation, norm, or practice of an institution, whether on campus or in the community.
Application due Dec. 15, 2023
January 3 - 5, 2024
    / Requests For Proposals

Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a Culture of Health
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is working alongside others to help build a better, more equitable future where everyone living in the United States has a fair and just opportunity to live the healthiest life possible. We call that future a Culture of Health. This foundation is seeking proposals from anyone who " has a new or unconventional idea that could alter the trajectory of health and improve health equity and well-being for generations to come. 
Call for Proposals Proposal Deadline: May be submitted on a rolling basis

The Story Collider; True, Personal Stories about Science
The Story Collider is looking for new and exciting, true, personal ten-minute stories about science! If you would like to tell a story at one of the shows, they would love to hear from you. The Center for Community Engagement encourages you to share stories about community-engaged science experiences.

Stories are performed in front of audiences in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, L.A., N.Y.C, Seattle, St. Louis, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, D.C. 
Rolling submission dates

Community-Engaged Scholars, Practitioners, and Boundary Spanners: Identity, Wellbeing & Career Development .
Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement.

Within this call is a special reflection essay category, a great place for new/reluctant journal article writers or practitioners to share their experiences, wisdom, and lived experiences in 1,000 words.   Brief proposals are due on Sept 1, with feedback and full invitations communicated by Oct 1.

The special issue is a collaboration between the  Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement , the  Engagement Scholarship Consortium , and a guest editorial team, including Jennifer W. Purcell (Kennesaw State University),  Diane Doberneck (Michigan State University ), Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez (Kennesaw State University), and Jeanne McDonald (University of Colorado Boulder).

Timeline:
Proposals Due: September 1, 2023
Invitation for Full Manuscripts: October 1, 2023
Manuscripts Due: December 15, 2023
Anticipated Publication: Fall 2024
 

Compact24 is calling for project submissions for their upcoming conference. This conference will take place over the course of four days and feature a wide variety of engaging, interactive sessions focused on civic engagement, community-engaged research, civic- and service-learning, institutional change, university-community partnerships and more.
Submit by Friday, September 8, 2023

Citizen  Science: Theory and Practice
Special Collection: AI and the Future of Citizen Science
In this special collection, Citizen Science is seeking a range of papers including research papers, review and synthesis papers, case studies, and essays.
Submit by September 8, 2023
 

For its two issues of 2024  ELTHE  seeks articles that develop broad, actionable definitions of experiential learning.

Much of the field’s current scholarship explores specific kinds of experiential learning or a given high‑impact practice, such as service learning, undergraduate research, or first-year experience. Yet institutions are creating offices with a broader purview, with titles like Center for Experiential Education, Director of Engaged Learning, or AVP of High-Impact Practices. This same generalized language appears in college and university strategic plans, accreditation projects, and mission statements, as institutions seek to differentiate themselves, locate college learning in real-world settings, and make the case for higher education’s value. As a result, at the same time experiential learning is getting new support and emphasis, decision-makers don’t have what they need to evaluate multiple, competing demands for the experiential learning designation, at a particularly urgent time.

See the latest  call for peer-reviewed articles  for details.

To be included in the April 2024 issue: Submit by November 1, 2023
To be included in the November 2024 issue: Submit by May 1, 2024


 

    / Share Award and Publication Notifications

Have you received notice that your community-engaged project will be funded?  Was your community-engaged scholarship shared in a journal or at a conference?

 Congratulations! Share the news with us at  serveandlearn@mail.wvu.edu
We want to help amplify your community-engaged work! 
Yellow and blue flyer with a blue hand holding a phone. Text includes: Attention Engaged Scholars. Do you have an inspirational story involving community partners? Share your story with us! WVU Center for Community Engagement logo.
Please share your story by emailing serveandlearn@mail.wvu.edu or by
filling out this Qualtrics form:  https://wvu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2gfaFOE62FiFfQq

The Center for Community Engagement team members are committed to:

  • Facilitating faculty and academic staff   in integrating civic and community engagement experiences seamlessly into their coursework, research, and programs.
  • Empowering students   to actively participate in positive change by providing opportunities for social action, leadership development, and meaningful engagement with civic and community initiatives.
  • Cr eating connections   between community organizations and dedicated students, faculty, and staff who share a common goal of promoting positive social change
Did you receive this Academic Community Engagement Newsletter from someone else? You can subscribe here . 
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