Connect 2025 Community Engagement Conference
On November 14, 2026, the Division of Community Engagement hosted the Connect 2025 Community Engagement Conference, bringing together more than 170 participants from across Virginia Commonwealth University and the broader Richmond community. Guided by a 34-member planning committee, including 19 VCU representatives and 15 community partners, the event was intentionally co-created to foster meaningful dialogue, shared learning, and stronger collaborative pathways.
A Redesigned Experience for Deeper Engagement
Building on insights from last year’s conference, organizers redesigned the event structure to promote interaction and accommodate participant feedback. Panel and speaker sessions were shortened to create space for diverse engagement formats, including:
- Lego-based innovation activities facilitated by the da Vinci Center for Innovation
- Two World Café sessions exploring research partnerships and community-engaged AI
- An interactive scavenger hunt
- A curated community playlist
- Door prizes donated by the Virginia Department of Health, the City of Richmond, and the Mary and Frances Youth Center
- A dynamic “Find-a-Partner” gallery wall highlighting available collaboration opportunities
- Live visual illustration by VCUarts student Sophie Dellinger, who captured themes and moments throughout the day
In addition, conference attendees supported two impact-driven initiatives: a Coat Drive in partnership with the College of Humanities and Sciences and a Food Drive coordinated with the VCU Student Government Association.
Participant Feedback and Early Impact
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, reflecting both the energy of the day and the value of the redesigned experience. Participants noted:
- “The flow and communication throughout the conference was amazing.”
- “Sessions for networking for introverts and extroverts.”
- “A great mix of cultures.”
These responses affirm the conference’s role as an inclusive platform for idea exchange, collaboration, and community-building.
Continuing the Momentum
To extend the value of this year’s event and encourage even broader participation next year, we have created a dedicated conference webpage. The page features:
- A photo gallery of the event, available for download and sharing
- A compiled “Find-a-Partner” gallery, serving as a resource guide for future collaboration
- The community playlist, composed of songs submitted by conference registrants
- Digital copies of Sophie Dellinger’s live drawings
- A contact tree of participants who consented to share their contact information.
Acknowledgment
We extend our sincere appreciation to all attendees, partners, and contributors whose collaboration made Connect 2025 a success. The enthusiasm and engagement demonstrated throughout the conference reaffirm our collective commitment to strengthening community–university partnerships and advancing VCU’s mission of community impact. If you are interested in connecting with the Division of Community Engagement for next year’s Connect Conference 2026, please reach out to Shari Garmise, [email protected].
See you next year!
Division of Community Engagement
Office of the Provost
community.vcu.edu
Comments
VCU’s Connect 2025 was fantastic. The list of speakers and the networking was so valuable to the community work of Peoples Advantage Helping Hands. Thank you and we look forward to next year’s conference.