Building connections

The CCE emerged 20 years ago, building off the University’s rich history of community involvement. At the time, several departments offered service-learning and community-based courses as well as independent service projects, and the Bonner Scholars Program provided scholarships to students involved in community service. But there was also a growing desire to bring these disparate efforts together in a more intentional and integrated way. 

With funding from the Bonner Foundation, the CCE launched in August 2004, and Douglas A. Hicks, now president of Davidson College, served as the founding director. Amy Howard, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement, joined as the first program manager.

“The central work of the CCE over the past two decades has been to catalyze relationships, partnerships, and lifelong learning,” said Howard. “What started as an idea on paper has grown into a vibrant, nationally recognized center with an outstanding, talented team dedicated to advancing our students’ learning, supporting faculty’s community engaged teaching and scholarship, and deepening community relationships.”

In the first five years, the center rapidly grew into an established part of the campus and community with a dozen full-time staff members and about 1,000 students participating in related courses each year.

The center also established relationships with local organizations, many of which continue to influence the region’s approach to public policy, sustainability, workforce development, education, healthcare, housing, immigration, and the arts.

“It's not static,” Gale said. “We listen for where our campus community and our surrounding regional community have something to offer one another and something to work toward together.”

One of the CCE’s longest partnerships is the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg, which sponsors the region’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). Richmond students take a series of courses to become IRS-certified volunteers and then provide free tax preparation services to qualified families and individuals.

The partnership has grown into more than tax preparation services. CCE and United Way staff also work closely to address evolving community needs and identify learning opportunities for students. That ongoing dialogue is what elevates the CCE’s work from one-off service opportunities to becoming full partners in making lasting change.

“We don’t just ask partner organizations, ‘What are your volunteer opportunities this year?’” said Alexandra Byrum, director of communications and community relations. “We want to know, ‘What are you focusing on this year? What are your priorities? And how can we connect?’”

Imagining the future

When the CCE marked its 10th anniversary, “learning” was the key word driving the center’s mission. That focus on learning is still a priority today, but Gale said the context has evolved.

This year, the center released new civic learning and action goals, created in collaboration with community members, staff, faculty, and students.

“We intentionally do not say these are student learning outcomes only,” Gale said. “We’re all learning along the way — our community members, our staff members, our students, our faculty — and that orientation is a little different than earlier years when we were really focused on student learning.”

The CCE continues to involve the campus and the community as it undergoes a strategic planning process that will build on their strengths and set a bold vision for the center’s future. While the shape of those plans is yet to come, their core mission — to be a model for lifelong civic engagement — remains.

“A lot of students come into our programs with the idea of finding a place to help or finding a place in need,” Gale said. CCE's desire for the students is that they not only take part in programs, but also learn from the community. “We are reorienting them to see that they now live in Richmond and this community has a resilient history and a lot of dynamic people who are already working on things that are important to them.”