2017 Civic Innovation

Institute
CONFERENCE
PROGRAM

FROM CHARITY TO
CHANGE
 WERE GLAD YOURE HERE!
Social change is not going to come from just knowing more information, but
from doing something with it.
-Pia Mancini

Welcome to the third annual Civic Innovation Institute! If youre a visitor to the Emory &
Henry campus, please know youre welcome here any time and that were so glad youre
with us for the next two days. If youre an Emory & Henry faculty or staff member,
please make sure our guests are greeted with the E&H spirit we all know and love!

It is our hope that the next two days will be meaningful, challenging, informative, and
maybe even a little fun! We have a very exciting agenda, with workshops and
roundtable discussions facilitated by local and national experts and plenty of
opportunities to network with folks who are interested in collaborating to make our
communities safe, healthy, and welcoming places for all persons. Take this opportunity
to learn, to share your wisdom, and to develop new relationships with others who care
about the people and the future of our region.

This program contains a number of materials that should be helpful during the institute,
but should you have any questions, please dont hesitate to find a member of the
Appalachian Center for Civic Life staff (well be wearing gold name tags). Well be happy
to help.

The opening quote of this letter shares the vision and hope we have for this gathering.
The change that happens in our communities only occurs when we put to ACTION what
we learn. Her words are powerful and we hope will inspire and guide our thinking over
the next two days. The future of this region is ripe with hope, but also with abiding
challenges. The vitality of our communities is dependent on the visionary, innovative
work of the people who live here. You. Me. Us. So, let us work together. Let us build
thriving, sustainable, and just communities together. Were glad youre here.
All Our Best,

Travis Proffitt
Associate Director, Appalachian Center for Civic Life
Emory & Henry College

Wi-Fi Network Access:

Want to access the E&H wireless network while youre on campus? No
problem! With your device, select the EHC Guest Wi-Fi network and
follow the instructions to register your device and get connected! Its that
simple!

CAMPUS MAP
Welcome to Emory & Henry College! Please use this map as a reference for navigating
our campus.
Institute Day One Thursday,
June 8
Schedule at a Glance:
All institute sessions will take place in McGlothlin Street Hall (MS), building number 44 on
the campus map that is included in this program. McGlothlin Street Hall is fully
accessible to all persons.
Time: Session Description:
Location:
8:00-8:30 a.m. Registration, Networking, Breakfast
MS Lobby

8:30-9:15 a.m. Welcome and Keynote Address

MS 102
Jake Shcrum, President and Dr. John Wells, Provost
Mr. James Shields Guilford College

9:30-11:00 a.m. Morning Workshops 1

Fundamentals of Community Organizing MS
147
Community Partnerships 101 MS 239

11:10-12:00 p.m. Morning Workshops 2

Paying for Change-Funding Strategies for Social Change MS
239
Getting Students Fired Up! Students as Advocates MS
147
College Student Development 101 MS
240

12:00-1:00 p.m. Lunch and Networking Van

Dyke Center
(Building 25 on the
campus map.)
1:15-2:45 p.m. Afternoon Workshops 1
From Charity to Change Systems, Not Symptoms MS 102
Cultivating Future Professionals MS 147

3:00-4:00 p.m. Afternoon Workshops 2

Critical Reflection Strategies MS 240
Preparing for the Long Haul MS 147
Developing a Policy Agenda for Your Agency MS 239

4:30-6:00 p.m. Wine, Hors d Oeuvres, and Networking

Macados
Enjoy fellowship, wine, and heavy hors doeuvres
with institute participants on the back patio of Macados
 Restaurant. This is a great chance to forge new relationships
and connect with old and new friends.

About Our Keynote Speaker

James Shields, Director of the Bonner Center

for Community Service and Learning
Guilford College Greensboro, NC
James Shields is a 2000 Guilford College
graduate and has worked in the Bonner
Center for Community Learning since
2001. He began as the Volunteer Training
Coordinator and later became director of
the center in 2002.

During his tenure as director, the center

has been nationally recognized for its
innovative community service programs.
He oversees a campus wide service
program that annually exceeds over
40,000 hours of service annually. In 2008,
North Carolina Campus Compact named
James Civic Engagement Professional of
the year.

James has nurtured established community partnerships that include: Project

Community, Project HOME, Pathways Tutoring Project, Glenhaven Tutoring Project, Prison
Literacy Program, and Campus AIDS Project, African Services Coalition. He also helped to
establish new partnerships that include: Greensboros Newcomers School, Latino Impact,
a tutoring and mentoring program for Latino youth and Guilfords Food justice initiative.

James community involvement includes being Chairman of the board for Snow Camp
Historical Society and Motherland International. He served as a member of Guilford
Countys taskforce to end homelessness, and was a change agent in the IMPACT
Greensboro project which seeks to forge collective ways to address and impact key
community interests and concerns in the areas of race, education, economics,
neighborhoods and criminal justice. Shields is most proud of his work around the issue
of racism and service work. He has partnered with his students to give presentations at
national conferences on Anti racist approaches to service, as well as support for
undocumented students. James is also a founding member of Guilford Colleges Anti
racism team and one of the lead facilitators for Guilfords Understanding Racism
workshops. His early activist work includes organizing protests against US policy in El
Salvador, apartheid in South Africa and the first Gulf war.
He is also known for his work as an actor and director in the drama produced by Snow
Camp Outdoor theatre, Pathway to Freedom which depicts the local history of the
Underground Railroad. James is currently working on a one man show about Fredrick
Douglass to debut sometime in 2017. He shares a home with his wife of nearly 30 years,
Elaine, their daughter Keisha and a 20-pound cat named Zorro. Welcome, James, to
Emory & Henry College!

Day One Detailed Workshop

Descriptions
Fundamentals of Community Organizing
Brian Johns, Southwest Virginia Regional Organizer, Virginia Organizing
This highly interactive session will give participants a thorough overview of the essential
skills for effective community organizing. Topics will include: developing strategies and
tactics, media relations, meeting planning, and much more!

Fundamentals of Community-Academic Partnerships

Beth Hilton - Executive Director, Highlands Educational Literacy Program
Travis Proffitt - Associate Director, Appalachian Center for Civic Life
This workshop will provide an overview of the characteristics inherent in a robust
academic/community partnership. Relying heavily on resources from Community Camps
Partnerships for Health, participants will have the opportunity to analyze current
partnerships and explore ways to strengthen them.

Paying for Change: Funding Strategies for Social Change

Shauna Gillespie, Paige Cordial, and Ashley Marie Browning - Appalachian Community
Fund
Let's face it: it takes resources to do the work. From staffing to funding programs, we
need capital to make our programs work. In this interactive workshop, participants will
learn strategies to fund their projects from representatives from the Appalachian
Community Fund.

Getting Fired Up! Preparing College Students for Advocacy

Caroline Twiggs - Community Partnerships Coord., Mars Hill University
Looking for ways to get students involved in Political Engagement? Learn how one
institution involves students through the Bonner Program, Community Advocacy
Fellowships, First Year Seminars and Social Welfare Policy classes. You will receive
syllabi, voter education strategies, and student advocacy program models.

College Student Development 101

Kyle Cutshaw - Dean of Students, Emory & Henry College
What's the best way to engage and work with college students? This session will provide
insight into the social and emotional development of an ever-changing generation of
students.

From Charity to Change: Changing Systems, Not Symptoms

James Shields - Director, Bonner Center for Community Service and Learning, Guilford
College

In this session, faculty and community partners will be encouraged to encounter the
underlying questions, challenges, and benefits of social change-oriented civic
engagement work. Learning from the experiences of Guilford College and Greensboro,
participants will be asked to consider what long-term, change-oriented work might look
like in their home communities.

Cultivating Future Professionals

Amanda Gardner, Director of Career Services, Emory & Henry College

Students can gain so much for their internships, service-learning, and volunteering--and
you can be a part of that! Join us for a discussion about the kinds of skills students seek,
what their next employer might want them to know, and how to develop their "inner
professional." Examples will be shared!

Day One Workshops Cont

Looking Back and Looking Forward on Critical Reflection

Maggie Obermann - Civic Engagement Coord., Appalachian Center for Civic Life
Dr. Tracy Lauder - Director, Ampersand Center at Emory & Henry College
We cannot move beyond charity without good reflection. Thinking about what we're
doing makes it possible for new discoveries, insights, and paths forward. This interactive
workshop will ask participants to think about their own reflective practice and to
integrate critical reflection into their work.

Working for the Long Haul: Caring for Yourself and Your Team
Travis Proffitt - Associate Director, Appalachian Center for Civic Life
We are dedicated to our work; but it can be draining! This session will focus on the
importance of building a culture of self-care and will offer a range of strategies for
maintaining a sense of wellness and balance in our lives.
Developing a Policy Agenda for Your Agency
Caroline Twiggs - Community Partnerships Coord., Mars Hill University
Explore best practices and boundaries for non-profits engaging in social action. Learn
how to use volunteers to support the advocacy work of your organization.

Networking, Wine, and Hors d Oeuvres

Macados Restaurant, Emory, VA

Located just across the tracks from the E&H campus, Macados is a quick walk from the
institute location. Please join us for fellowship and refreshments following our first day of
meetings. This event is an institute favorite and one youre sure to enjoy! See you at
Macados!

Institute Day Two Friday,

June 9

Schedule at a Glance:
All institute sessions will take place in McGlothlin Street Hall (MS), building number 44 on
the campus map that is included in this program. McGlothlin Street Hall is fully
accessible to all persons.

Time: Session Description:

Location:
8:30-9:30 a.m. Registration, Networking, Breakfast
MS Lobby

9:30-11:30 a.m. Roundtable Discussions

MS Classrooms
11:30-12:30 p.m. Lunch and Networking MS
Lobby

12:30-1:00 p.m. Closing Remarks and Departure MS

102

Day Two Roundtable

Discussions
Friday morning will be a time for productive conversations and big-picture thinking. Four
roundtable discussions, led by regional leaders and E&H faculty, will give participants the
chance to learn what efforts are already underway and what new approaches might be
possible in addressing the largest questions and challenges in our region. It is our hope
at Emory & Henry that these roundtable discussions will give us the concrete directives
for our future partnerships and civic engagement work across the region.

Please plan to attend these informative and exciting discussions. The roundtable leaders
have planned and organized meaningful exercises to generate fruitful conversations.
Your contributions and experience in the region will make these discussions lively and
productive. We need your input and perspective!

Health and Wellness MS 147

Bryan Haynes - CEO, Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems
Michael Armbrister - Director, Mel Leaman Free Clinic
What are the pressing healthcare needs of our region and what is being done to meet
them? How do health outcomes in our region affect other areas of community life?
What does a healthy SWVA look like?

Economic Development MS 239

Sandy Ratliff - Community Impact Advisor, Virginia Community Capital, Inc.
Dr. Deborah Spender - Professor of Economics, Emory & Henry College
What is the future of economic development in Southwest Virginia? Is there a future
after coal in the region? How can we attract high quality employers to the region? What
impact can a new economy have on our region?

Environmental Sustainability MS 240

Carol Doss - Executive Director, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
Dr. Ed Davis - Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, Emory & Henry
College
The regions natural beauty is what draws many of us here. What are we doing to
protect it and restore it? What does a greener and cleaner SWVA need? How can we be
better stewards of our regions natural resources?

Arts and Culture MS 225

Diana Blackburn - Executive Director, 'Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan
Network
Manda Remmen - Professor of Art, Emory & Henry College

Our artistic and cultural heritage is a source of great pride for many. What role do the
arts and cultural preservation play in the future of our region? How can they impact
economic development and increased community spirit? What does a creative culture
and economy look like in SWVA?