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
