Community Engagement Café: Navigating Values-Oriented Work in Higher Education

Join the CLAS Council on Access and Community Engagement (ACE) and the Place-Based Justice Network (PBJN) for an interactive workshop designed to build solidarity, share strategies, and translate values into institutional action. Grounding our dialogue in community and real-world conditions, this session moves from shared reflection to concrete strategy across four key areas: Holding Space: Connect with peers to share current frustrations, challenges, and opportunities in doing values-centered community work today. National Insights: Explore national trends, offensive and defensive institutional strategies, and examples from universities across the country—including insights on navigating current political and organizational pressures. Institutional Action Planning: Map actionable pathways to advance values-driven engagement across three levels: your classroom/research, your college, and your broader university. Partnership Mapping: Identify, assess, and strengthen authentic, values-aligned community partnerships for long-term impact. Whether you are seeking mutual support, strategic frameworks, or fresh ideas for navigating institutional constraints, leave with actionable tools a…