Engagement Through a Regional Looking Glass

November 14, 2008
MSU Center for Community and Economic Development

  • Nancy Franklin, Ed.D.
  • Director, Strategic Initiatives for Outreach and Cooperative Extension
  • The Pennsylvania State University

Nancy Franklin pictureDr. Franklin provides leadership for strategic outreach initiatives at Penn State, planning regional engagement strategies, developing program and funding opportunities, and integrating communication and program delivery across Outreach and Extension. Previously, she led a large-scale engagement initiative for Virginia Tech to improve the long-term economic and social environment of Virginia's south central Piedmont. She has a background in telecommunications and computing marketing and earned her Ed.D. in higher education management from The University of Pennsylvania.

  • Timothy V. Franklin, Ph.D.
  • Director, Office of Economic and Workforce Development
  • The Pennsylvania State University

Timothy V. Franklin pictureDr. Franklin is responsible for developing Penn State's relationships with government agencies, economic development organizations, other educational institutions, and businesses and industries. He served for nearly seven years as director of University Outreach Programs for Virginia Tech and was founding director of a regional stewarding institution for the revitalization of Southside Virginia's economy. He also served for eight years as Associate Vice President for Government Relations and Planning at Indiana State University. He earned his doctoral degree in educational research and evaluation from Virginia Tech.


Abstract

*Recipients of the 2007 C. Peter Magrath/W. K. Kellogg Foundation Engagement Award for their work at Virginia Tech's Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

Imagine if you will.

Life—and former university colleagues—offer you a higher education Peace Corps-like opportunity: Move with your family to an economically struggling region and serve as a university emissary to develop and implement a plan in partnership with local leaders to chart a path toward regional economic renewal and vitality. Your work will provide a basis for the university to reshape its land-grant mission in the context of the 21st century. You will find yourself agreeing to accept this interesting proposition knowing that much uncertainty lies ahead. After six and a half years in the region (and more than a few battle scars), you will better appreciate the depth of the challenge and be able to point to positive economic and social trends emanating from the work you've been involved in.

Nancy and Tim Franklin will share the story of their engagement immersion experience—how they learned to understand the issues, engage university expertise, and shape policy arguments to resource the effort. Now back in mainstream academia and on the back side of dissertation research about distributed regional engagement, the Franklins will offer their thoughts about how universities can take the next step toward effective engagement.

View the flyer for the event Presentation File

Video of the Presentation

Sponsors

This NCSUE event is co-sponsored by the MSU Center for Community and Economic Development.