Virginia Tech Engaged Newsletter
Spring 2025
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Community-engagement champion drives transformative partnerships , articleSusan E. Short, associate vice president for engagement with Outreach and International Affairs, explains why the most meaningful partnerships involve faculty and students who approach communities with curiosity and respect.
RELATED:
- See a photo gallery from last year's ESC conference in Oregon
- John E. Dooley Student Engagement Grant applications open through April 15.
- Austin Michelle Cloyd Social Justice Scholarship applications are open through June.
Aida Hassani and Helya Sehat are graduate students working with the Institute for Policy and Governance, the Community Design Assistance Center, state and government officials, and community members on a redevelopment planning project in Floyd.
“I have learned that as professionals, our role is not to prove the importance of engagement but to ask deeper questions concerning it. When engagement occurs, how can we maximize its effectiveness on behalf of the broader community?”
Aida Hassani
Master's student, Urban and Regional Planning
“It is too easy to make assumptions about what a community needs or wants, but genuine connection begins, or should begin, with listening to residents’ voices and then blending our expertise with theirs to act on their priorities.”
Helya Sehat
Ph.D. student, Planning, Governance, and Globalization
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Did you know?
In FY24, Continuing and Professional Education delivered nearly 400 educational events, ranging from small local workshops to major international conferences. The Outreach and International Affairs unit brings conferences, workshops, and seminars to life for faculty, governmental agencies, and corporate clients.
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