Community Engagement Symposium to highlight best practices, recognize Outstanding Community Partner Award winners on Oct. 25

The Center for Community Engagement (CCE), in partnership with the Athens County Foundation, Sugar Bush Foundation and Community Campus Coalition, will host the third annual Community Engagement Symposium on Friday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., followed by a happy hour reception at the Ohio University Inn & Conference Center.

The symposium will feature robust professional development opportunities for Ohio University staff, faculty and community organizations through interactive workshops, networking opportunities, as well as honor the 2024 OHIO Outstanding Community Partner Award winners from each campus community, the recipients of the Sugar Bush Foundation’s partnership awards, and recognition of the Ohio University’s winner of the Community Campus Coalition Ping Community Service Award.

Outstanding Community Partner Award winners were notified by the CCE in September of their meritorious collaborative work with campus partners. The community partners were nominated by an Ohio University student, staff, or faculty member for creating student, community, and citizen advancement opportunities. The 2024 winners are:

• OHIO Athens Outstanding Community Partner: Impact Prevention
• OHIO Chillicothe Outstanding Community Partner: Adena Regional Medical Center
• OHIO Lancaster Outstanding Community Partner: Fairfield County Foundation OHIO
• OHIO Southern Outstanding Community Partner: Ironton Rotary Club Executive Board
• OHIO Zanesville Outstanding Community Partner: Muskingum County Library System
• OHIO Partner of the Year (OHIO Eastern): Crystal Lorimor, Community Improvement Corporation of Belmont County

The morning will feature a deep dive into priorities in Athens County – and collaborative approaches to addressing them – led by the Athens County Foundation and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, who will present the Project Co-Create and Athens County Report.

Presentations and workshop sessions in the afternoon will be focused on best practices in community engaged scholarship, service-learning, and partnerships, as well as skill-building for impactful community engagement and place-based education.

The symposium will also welcome two sets of Keynote speakers, the team behind True Pigments: Michelle Shively of Rural Action, John Sabraw, a professor in the College of Fine Arts and Guy Riefler, a professor in the College of Engineering, as well as Passion Works Studio and the Barbara Geralds Storytelling Institute, Patty Mitchell of Passion Works Studio and Lynn Harter, a professor in the Scripps College of Communication.

The registration deadline for the event is Friday, Oct. 11, at noon or when capacity is met. The link to register and to see the full schedule can be found at https://ohio.givepulse.com/event/473695-2024%2BCommunity%2BEngagement%2BSymposium?pkey=4e398f7782ed2e1b9211283345ba85e3.

Additional questions regarding the Symposium or sponsorship opportunities can be directed to Mary Nally at nallym@ohio.edu.