DCE September 2025 Impact Highlights
Welcome to our Month-at-a-Glance Report for the Division of Community Engagement. Each month, we lead and support a wide range of initiatives across the university and the community. This “at-a-glance” format provides an overview of our collective efforts, showcasing the scope of our activities.
Read our DCE September Newsletter.
Additionally, the Division has released the 2024–2025 Annual Report, offering a more in-depth examination of our impact and achievements throughout the year.
The Division of Community Engagement offers community-engaged scholarship advancement with a series of upcoming programming, initiatives, and events:
- Community Engaged Research Series – With Speakers Dr. Kimberly Battle and Dr. Ana Diallo on the Mobile Health and Wellness Program | October 9, 2025 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Virtual Zoom | Register Here
This professional development session is designed for faculty and staff seeking to enhance their skills in community engagement, with a focus on fostering stronger relationships between institutions and the communities they serve. Participants will explore key strategies and best practices for effective outreach, partnerships, and community-engaged research.
- Advancing Scholarship through Community Engagement – in-person workshop | October 22, 2025 | Register Here
This workshop will feature tenured VCU faculty members who have leveraged their community engagement into successful promotions and tenures. Participants will also join small group discussions to share experiences and explore strategies for their own scholarship. Mentorship opportunities will be available.
- Community Engaged Writing Group – Weekly virtual session (every Friday) | begins October 2, 2025 | Register Here
Faculty and staff are invited to join a dedicated writing group for community-engaged scholarship. Whether you are working on a manuscript, a grant, or other scholarly output, this group offers fellowship, accountability, and shared time to focus. Sessions are held weekly on Fridays, 11:00-12:30 pm via Zoom and facilitated by Division staff—come write alongside colleagues and start your fall semester with the support you need.
- Collaboratory Drop-In Sessions – Weekly virtual session (every Friday) | 12:00–1:00 PM | Join Here
VCU faculty and staff are invited to drop in and learn about Collaboratory, VCU’s Database for Community Engagement Activities and Partnership, and its many benefits. These informal, weekly sessions provide an opportunity to explore how the database works, ask questions, and discover how it can showcase your community-engaged projects.
- Connect 2025 Community Engagement Conference – In-person event | November 14, 2025 | 8:30 AM–4:30 PM | Register Here
Hosted by DCE, Connect 2025 is a dynamic, full-day conference highlighting how faculty scholarship, community voice, and innovation come together to build meaningful connections. Participants will gain practical skills and principles of engagement, see partnerships in action, and take part in interactive design activities to spark future collaborations.
- National Rural Health Day – Virtual & In-person events | November 20, 2025 | Register Here
VCU will celebrate National Rural Health Day with a series of virtual and in-person events highlighting the impactful rural health programming led by VCU and VCU Health faculty, staff, and students.
Additional Upcoming Events & Activities
- Health Hub Spirit Week – In Person | October 6, 2025 – October 10, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM | See Details
Join the VCU Health Hub @ 25th for a week of fun, wellness, and community connection during Health Hub Spirit Week! Each day features a special theme filled with engaging activities, creative expression, and opportunities to connect with neighbors and partners who help make the East End thrive.
- Attorney-Led Legal Education Series at the Health Hub – Healthy Housing: Maintenance & Housekeeping in Rental Properties – In Person | October 8, 2025 & November 5, 2025 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Register Here
Join the VCU Health Medical-Legal Partnership for a free, attorney-led session focused on healthy housing rights for renters to learn about maintenance standards, landlord responsibilities, and best practices for safe, clean living spaces.
- Design Thinking for Mental Health and Well-Being – Virtual | October 14, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Register Here
Join this free, virtual workshop open to VCU students and community members and explore how creativity, empathy, and collaboration can drive better design solutions for mental health and well-being. This event is a collaboration between the VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation, the School of Social Work, and the Health Hub at 25th.
- MFYC Family Night: Parenting on Purpose: When Love Needs Limits – In Person | October 17, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Register Here
Join Curtis and Yolanda Hall of Unbreakable Minds Coaching and Nu Collar Solutions for an engaging, interactive workshop on building stronger family connections through healthy boundaries. Hosted at the Mary and Frances Youth Center
- 2025 – 2026 Data Dissemination Grant Info Session – Virtual | October 29, 2025 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Register Here
This session will provide an overview of the funding opportunity, which offers up to $5,000 for innovative, community-engaged dissemination initiatives that enhance scholarly impact while fostering meaningful community partnerships.
Community-Impact Spotlight Series
Watch our Community-Impact Spotlight Series on YouTube to learn how to create meaningful and lasting partnerships between the university and the community.
Community-Engaged Impact Collaborative
We have convened two community stakeholder meetings focused on why community engagement matters and how to measure its impact. These conversations stemmed from our 2024–2025 year-long Community-Engaged Impact Collaborative workgroup, which brought together faculty members across the university who are engaged in community-centered work.
Our workgroup members include:
- Ana Diallo, PhD, MPH, RN, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
- Emily Zimmerman, Phd, MS, MPH, Professor, School of Public Health, Dept of Epidemiology; The Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research
- Sonya Hung, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Dept of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Maria Thomson, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Dept of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Community Engaged Research Scholars Collaborative – (CERSC)
The CERSC kicked off this semester, bringing together five faculty scholars to deepen their expertise in community-engaged research through monthly sessions, peer consultation, and partnership-building opportunities. Together, they will explore best practices, share experiences, and strengthen their ability to integrate authentic, collaborative approaches into their research. Our 2025 – 2026 Cohort includes:
- Anthony M. Starke, Jr., MPA, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Administration, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs; Affiliate Faculty, Department of African American Studies
- John Jones, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences and Sustainability, College of Humanities and Sciences
- Radhika Barua, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering
- Laura Battaglia, AIA, LEED AP, IDEC, Assistant Professor in the Department of Interior Design, School of the Arts
- Shu-Fang Shih, PhD, MSc, MBA, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Administration, College of Health Professions
Community-Engagement Grant Updates
Our 2024 Academic-Community Planning Grants concluded with powerful reflections from grantees, underscoring the value of funding in advancing community-engaged scholarship. One community partner shared:
“This grant created a space where my voice as a community partner was genuinely heard. My recommendations shaped real outcomes; we weren’t just invited to the table to review something—we were building it together. Now that we have developed a quality product, I intend to share it with every researcher who wants to work with La Casa de la Salud.”
—Dr. Antonio Villa, Executive Director, La Casa de la Salud
We are now accepting proposals for the 2025-2026 Community Engaged Data Dissemination Grants.
Carver Elementary School Initiative
Our long-standing partnership with G.W. Carver Elementary School has continued to thrive this year, demonstrating the power of civic engagement. In August and September, over 100 volunteers from across VCU and VCU Health came together for Spirit Days and Field Day at Carver Elementary. This partnership, led by the Richmond Public Schools Engagement Office and School administration in collaboration with Richmond Kiwanis Club and Carver Elementary.
VCU will launch a reading buddies and mentorship program in partnership with Richmond Public Schools, supporting parent engagement initiatives. To volunteer, you’ll need to complete a background check and attend a training session. One in-person training will be offered in October 2025 at the Mary and Frances Youth Center, along with several convenient virtual options throughout the fall. Click here to complete the interest form.
Click here to Register For In-Person Training in October 2025
This initiative is powered by a powerhouse lineup of VCU partners, each bringing unique strengths to the table:
- VCU Office of the President – Presidential Student Ambassadors
- VCU Office of Government Relations
- Enterprise Marketing & Communications Department
- VCU Student Affairs
- VCU Police Department
- VCU PD Safety Ambassadors
- VCU School of Education
- VCU School of Medicine
- College of Humanities & Sciences
- University College – Transformative Learning
- Mary & Frances Youth Center
- VCU Athletics
- Office of Student Leadership & Engaged Learning (OSLEL)
- Student Government Association (SGA)
- VCU Sorority and Fraternity Life
- VCU Student Chapter NAACP
- Various VCU Student Organizations & Individual Faculty/Staff
- VCU Alumni
- Rodney the Ram & McGruff the Crime Dog
- VCU Health Hub at 25th
- VCU Pathways to Healthcare Program
These partnerships ensure that Carver students benefit from diverse perspectives, resources, and role models, while VCU students and staff gain hands-on opportunities to give back to the Richmond community.
Mary and Frances Youth Center
The Mary and Frances Youth Center, in partnership with the Greater Richmond Youth Development Network, launched Cohort 2 of the Advanced Certificate in Youth Development Management this semester with 15 dedicated members committed to deepening their knowledge and practice in positive youth development.
This semester, the Center is also collaborating with Richmond Public Schools to support out-of-school time learning with Carver Elementary, Star Seed Academy, Cultural Roots, Wilder Middle School, CodeRVA, and the Peter Paul Development Center. At Carver Elementary, fifth graders are participating in the Rise Above Program, which emphasizes social-emotional learning and physical activity. Meanwhile, Cultural Roots Cooperative is engaging its high school students in health and physical education programming and providing opportunities to visit VCU schools and departments as they explore future career pathways.
Every Friday, middle and high school students participate in the Together We Run 5K training program, in addition to other sports activities. The program is delivered in partnership with Dr. Tammy Buck from the College of Health Professions, who brings more than 30 Doctor of Physical Therapy students each week to volunteer and support the youth.
In addition, the Center is hosting interns from Social Work and HPEX, as well as a student completing practicum hours for their Recreation and Wellness minor, to help develop a curriculum focused on emotional and physical well-being.
Beyond programming, the Center offers daily open pickleball and court hours and provides facility space for the VCU Pickleball Club. If youre interested in connecting with the youth center, visit mfyc.vcu.edu
The Health Hub
The Health Hub at 25th offers a range of ongoing community programs. Each month, certified community health worker Ivy Bell leads the Hub Club, while entrepreneur-in-residence Malique Middleton (partner facilitates monthly sessions for residents interested in farming and growing their own food safely. The Hub also partners with the Medical-Legal Partnership to offer a monthly series of free, attorney-led workshops on Virginia’s landlord-tenant laws, along with weekly legal consultation hours every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Additionally, Mobile Health & Wellness and Fitness Warriors offer weekly services and programming, including complimentary wellness checks and community-led fitness classes.
The Health Hub hosted its first faculty open house, bringing together 42 faculty members, staff, and community partners to explore pathways for engagement with the Health Hub. Attendees appreciated the Health Hub’s commitment to community engagement and emphasized the importance of collaboration between faculty, providers, and community partners. Many suggested extending the hours and holding these gatherings more regularly to allow for deeper connections, while also noting the barriers that limited engagement opportunities. Overall, participants expressed enthusiasm for future partnerships and affirmed the Hub’s role as a valuable space for collaboration.
The Hub is also excited to collaborate with the VCU DaVinci Center and the School of Social Work to host Design Thinking for Mental Health and Well-Being, a free virtual workshop open to all VCU students and community members. Register Here
Volunteer & Collaboration Opportunities
Call for Faculty Collaboration: Join a 10-year Food Justice Research Plan through CBPR
The Richmond Grows Garden Initiative—a city-sponsored initiative focused on equitable access to fresh produce—is seeking faculty partners, postdoctoral researchers, and doctoral students to co-develop and enact a 10-year food justice research plan rooted in the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR).
The initiative aims to build a city-wide network of sustainable community gardens that addresses food insecurity, promotes health equity, and empowers residents across Richmond.
They are currently seeking faculty and research partners.
Contact Saba and Nathaniel: [email protected] and [email protected].
This initiative is sponsored by the City of Richmond
Become a Reading Buddy at Carver Elementary
Richmond Public Schools is seeking caring volunteers at VCU and throughout the city to serve as Reading Buddies for our elementary students.
As a Reading Buddy, you will:
- Listen to students read and encourage their progress
- Help build the confidence of students and their love of reading
- Be a consistent, positive role model
No teaching experience needed…just patience, encouragement, and a passion for helping kids succeed.
Sign up today to become a Reading Buddy: Click here to complete the interest form. A background check is required
Call for Collaboration: Partner on Youth Mentoring Grant to Address Substance Use
A community partner is preparing a federal grant proposal through OJJDP to expand mentoring for Richmond youth affected by substance use. They are seeking a VCU referral/collaboration with a substance use facility that have a written MOU to refer to the local community in the event they are in need of treatment.
This opportunity could expand programming capacity, showcase VCU’s commitment to community engagement, and connect youth and families with federally funded mentoring and prevention services. Faculty or staff with relevant contacts or interest in collaboration are encouraged to connect.
If you are interested or want to learn more, please reach out to Montana “Leo” Hairston, CEO | Author | Fox 5 Plus Anchor at [email protected]. The deadline is October 28th.
Thank you for reading! Please reach out to [email protected] for any questions or visit Community.vcu.edu