The Center for Civic Leadership hosted its first Community Connections event in October, bringing together more than 150 community partners, undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty and staff.
The event was an opportunity for all stakeholders to learn more about the CCL and to connect with one another around common social issues and civic practices. Attendees heard from CCL partners, engaged with resources and materials provided by community organizations and Rice centers and offices, and participated in relationship-building through guided networking prompts.
Speakers included Allyssa Abacan, assistant professor and director of Public Health Programming at Baylor Teen Health Clinic; Luis Campos, Baker College associate professor for history of science, technology and innovation; Uilvim Ettore G. Franco, geospatial analytics and data visualization specialist from the Center of Research Computing; Keith Hardy, VIVA program manager at Bilingual Education Institute; and Alexia Rauen, co-executive director of Advocates for Immigrant Survivors.
They all shared their reflections as co-educators — partners in educational experiences. Each speaker discussed their experiences with the CCL and the benefits it has brought to them, their students and their organizations.
In preparation for the event, registered participants were featured in the Lookbook, which highlighted information about the CCL and the Rich Family Endowment program, along with a directory of 142 attendees that included their pictures, contact information, bios and ways to engage. The Lookbook served as a valuable resource both during and after the event, enabling attendees to connect with one another.
The event was designed to encourage people to be intentional in their engagement and to network with a focus on multiplying their impact. Thus, the event provided an opportunity for partners, faculty and staff to share resources, including infographics, volunteering opportunities and giveaways. About 40 different organizations and centers contributed materials to share at the event. This format allowed attendees to move around the space and connect with others they had identified through the Lookbook, while also learning more from each other.
Danika Brown, executive director of the CCL, encouraged all attendees “to become part of the change they want to see.” She added that “Challenges and pressing issues we are facing are collective, far-reaching and deeply ingrained in systems. Addressing challenges requires an amplification of agency and impact and that requires networks.”
JESSICA KHALAF
Director of Operations and Partnerships
Center for Civic Leadership