In 2018, Erica K. Yamamura and Kent Koth published Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher
Education describing place-based community engagement as “a long-term, university-wide
commitment to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to focus equally on
campus and community impact within a clearly defined geographic area”. Since then, colleges and
universities around the world have made an increasing number of commitments to place, leveraging
both financial and human capital to advance SDGs in their own communities. However, as the
sociocultural and legal landscapes of higher education shift, the success—in terms of community
impact—of place-based initiatives has varied. In this workshop, presenters will support participants in
navigating and responding to this changing landscape. By leveraging place-based community
engagement as a theory, tool, and practice, the presenters will guide participants through a SWOT
analysis of this work on their respective campuses and co-create a path forward, drawing on Yamamura
and Koth’s three phases of place-based community engagement: exploration, development, and
sustaining (i.e. a place-based community engagement action plan). Community engagement
professionals across a diversity of institutions are encouraged to participate. Community partner
organization representatives are welcome, too. Because of the unique anti-racist commitment and
practice of the Network, BIPOC faculty and staff will likely find this workshop to be a place of affinity,
affirmation, and solace. We also encourage those who hold positional leadership roles—whether on
individual campuses or in our field more broadly—to attend, as much of this work requires a robust
grasstops strategy for long-term, sustained success.

Presenters:
Dr. Jamilah Ducar
Assistant Vice Chancellor of The Engaged Campus
Office of Engagement and Community Affairs
University of Pittsburgh

John Loggins
Director, Community Engaged Learning
The Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action
University of San Diego

Dr. Gavin Luter
Managing Director, UniverCity Alliance
University of Wisconsin—Madison

Nairuti Shastry
Founder & Principal
Nuance Research, Strategy, & Consulting, LLC

Colleagues from the University of California, San Diego and LEAD California invite you to connect with our community partners to learn their insights on what makes for successful community-engaged collaborations. Partners from non-profit, government, and school system sectors will participate in a panel discussion to address the successes and challenges of working with campus faculty, staff, and students.

Interactive roundtable discussions with these community partners will follow for deep dives into topics identified by the session participants.

In this intimate setting, participants will engage directly with community leaders and fellow IARSLCE attendees to workshop their most pressing challenges.

Participants will also learn about LEAD California’s powerful network of colleges and universities advancing reciprocity in community engagement for an equitable and just democracy.

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to build and sustain mutually beneficial relationships that not only enhance the educational experience but also drive positive change within the community. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or new to community engagement, this session will offer practical tools, inspiring stories, and a collaborative environment to foster new connections and ideas.

Panelists:
Robyn Grand, Community Engagement Manager, Words Alive
Dr. Ron Lancia, teacher and ACES Program Director, Mission Bay High School, San Diego Unified School District
Dr. Bill Oswald, Associate Executive Director for Research and Evaluation, Global Action Research Center (ARC)
Dr. Keith Pezzoli, Teaching Professor, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, UC San Diego; Director, Bioregional Center for Sustainability Science, Planning and Design
Erin Tsurumoto Grassi, Associate Director, Alliance San Diego
Dr. Paul Watson, President and CEO, Global Action Research Center (ARC)

Facilitators:
Andrew Amorao, College Corps Director, Service
Learning Institute at CSU Monterey Bay
Dr. Audra Buck-Coleman, Associate Director, Changemaker Institute at UC San Diego