March 2024

NEWS

Since 1987, the achievements of women leaders and changemakers have been highlighted and celebrated each March during Women's History Month. To recognize and celebrate this month, the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences curated a list of resources centering women voices and stories. 

The Office of Community Engagement and Outreach within the Division of Access and Engagement will host the 7th Annual Engagement and Outreach Conference on October 1-2, 2024. The first day of the conference will be on campus, and the second day will take place in the community. The theme for this event will be Advancing the Modern Land-Grant Mission: UTK's Response to Grand Challenges, Complex Problems, and Broader Impacts.

The Request for Proposals closes on April 10. Please consider submitting an application for a symposium presentation, interactive workshop, roundtable, or panel. The tracks for 2024 include: 

Sign up now for one or both of the remaining sessions in the Community Engagement Seminar Series. The session on March 26 will discuss UT's Carnegie classification and flagship land-grant mission while also providing background and the framework for Carnegie's Elective Classification in Community Engagement. On April 1, Dr. Katie Cahill will highlight democratic engagement and share ideas for including this community-engaged learning strategy in a course or co-curricular program. 

The UT Office of Community Engagement and Outreach is pleased to host the Community Engagement Academy (CEA) Summer Intensive for graduate students June 4-5, 2024. We welcome graduate students that are interested in the fundamental concepts of community engagement, academic outreach, and community-engaged scholarship, which they can apply to their research, teaching, and practice. Through interactive sessions, guided discussions, and a community tour, participants will explore grand challenges and potential solutions. Benefits include individual consultation, access to background literature, strategies for successful engagement activities, and strategies for publishing community-engaged scholarship. The deadline to apply is April 26.

The Office of Community Engagement and Outreach in partnership with the Haslam College of Business Office of Access and Community Connections hosted high school students from the Knoxville Area Urban League National Achievers Society and Youth Leadership Knoxville at the annual Etiquette Luncheon on February 19.  Students were coached on proper dining etiquette, appropriate table talk, handshaking, and treated to a learning fashion show on occasion dressing from students, faculty, and staff.  More than 75 young people engaged in an experiential learning process that will prepare them for future formal events, interviews, and professional gatherings that will help them put their best foot forward and shine. 

Gamma Beta Phi’s National Conference was held in Knoxville March 1-2. Scholars from across Tennessee, the southern region, and as far away as Utah descended on Rocky Top to participate in a variety of personal, professional development, and leadership sessions.  Javiette Samuel, associate vice chancellor for access and engagement and director of the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach delivered the keynote address inspiring students on the topic Serving Your Community and Actualizing Your Purpose. She was perfectly suited for the national collegiate honor society whose mission promotes academic excellence and service. Immediately following the keynote, students were able to apply lessons while they made blankets for houseless individuals, care packages for those in need, and wrote letters to service personnel. UT’s local chapter, under the guidance of Sharon Jean-Phillipe, professor, director of undergraduate research and fellowships, and GBP advisor, was instrumental in the coordination and facilitation of the conference and service projects.

During his tenure at UTK, Dr. Bob Kronick inspired, encouraged, and influenced students, colleagues and community members. Recently, Susan Espiritu, one of the individuals deeply impacted by Dr. Kronick, shared her story of "Dr. K." with KnoxTNToday. As part of her reflection, she shared, "Not only did he teach at the university level for more than half his lifetime, but Dr. K learned the importance of how to enter a system different from his own and he always looked for the best in people." 

The UT College of Social Work is collaborating with HOLA Lakeway to launch a groundbreaking initiative to strengthen families in Hamblen, Jefferson, and Grainger counties. The pilot phase of the program will begin in April. C

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

The Office of Community Engagement and Outreach is hosting two Community Conversations for faculty, staff, students, and community members. Please join the following conversations if your schedule permits: 

The Chancellor’s Commission for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (CFAAPI) is hosting a signature event State of AAPI Forum on May 3, in the Student Union Room 362, to celebrate the AAPI cultural heritage month. 

The State of AAPI Lightning Talk is a pivotal segment within the Forum, offering concise and impactful insights into the Asian American and Pacific Islander community's status, challenges, and achievements. Featuring rapid-fire presentations, these lightning talk sessions will provide a platform for individuals to share their stories, experiences, research, and insights on topics related to Asian American and Pacific Islander identities, cultures, challenges, and successes. Please consider using the link below to submit a lighting talk abstract (200 words) by March 15. Submissions are open to UT staff, students, faculty, and community members who identify as members or allies of the AAPI. 

On April 9, from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach is hosting Nonprofit Day at UT. Area nonprofit and government agencies, along with university faculty and staff will showcase their programs in the Ballroom of the Student Union. UT faculty, staff, and students will have an opportunity to network and brainstorm collaboration opportunities such as research, internships, and other partnerships with community nonprofit organizations and government agencies. 

If your college, department, or program would like to have a table at the event, please complete the link below by March 18. If you have questions, or need more information, email Quannah Washington at qwashing@utk.edu.  

The Office of Assessment, Culture, and Education will continue to host Thoughtful Thursdays in March and April. Topics include: Religious Accommodations, Office of Asia Engagement and I-House, NAGPRA, and Student Disability Services. 

The first UT Global Engagement Summit is being held on Thursday, April 11, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in the Student Union. 

During the summit, participants will get firsthand data on global activities across the campus and engage in discussions and workshops on various global engagement services, activities, initiatives, and projects. The workshops aim to provide a better understanding of the process and support for international students and scholars, international faculty and staff hiring, study abroad programs, relevant global learning practices, global research and grant writing, innovative intercultural learning, global partnership, and responsive program development. 

ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES

Pond Gap Elementary School, one of UT's University-Assisted Community Schools, is looking for committed UT students who want to create a lasting connection with a local elementary student. Pond Gap Elementary School is starting a peer-mentoring initiative to help reduce chronic absenteeism and support the socioemotional needs of its students. Volunteers will meet weekly for approximately 30 minutes with a student at Pond Gap based. All majors are welcome, and no experience is required! If you have any questions, please email Sarah Lerner at slerner@vols.utk.edu or Blaine Sample at ksample2@utk.edu.

Postdocs make significant contributions to the research enterprise on the UT campus.  Their publications and grant work serve to raise the University's research profile.  The Postdoc Research Symposium offers an opportunity to showcase postdoctoral research work conducted on campus.  From accepted abstracts, postdoctoral scholars will deliver a brief 2-3 minute speech, using one slide.  

The symposium welcomes students, faculty members, community business leaders, and research staff to attend on March 8, from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. 

The Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) seeks proposals for its annual conference: Pathways to Prosperity: Building Sustainable Futures through Community Engagement. The conference will be held October 9-10, 2024 (Pre-Conference: October 7-8, 2024) in Portland, Oregon. 

The 2024 ESC Conference will be a place for engaging conversations about the many ways that we work collaboratively toward meaningful change. Attendees will share the outcomes and impact of community-engaged work, explore new ideas and approaches to mobilizing for and initiating change, and co-creating solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Proposals are due on April 1, and presenters are especially encouraged to consider how their submissions reflect the theme of the conference:

The 35th Annual Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) conference will be in Minneapolis-Saint Paul from October 20-23, 2024. Proposals for mini workshops, panel presentation, research presentations, poster sessions, and more are open until April 3. If you have questions about the proposal process, please RSVP to join the CUMU team for an informal session on March 20, at 2:00 p.m. 

Tracks for the conference include:

Metropolitan Universities journal (MUJ), published by the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) invites submissions for an issue on Exploring the Role of Higher Education in Prison and Returning Citizens on Campuses and Communities. This issue will explore how higher education institutions address issues related to education in prison, reentry, and returning citizens in the community. Manuscripts are due by May 1. 

FUNDING, FELLOWSHIPS, AND AWARDS

With support from Hershey’s Heartwarming Project, Youth Service Ameria will award up to $50,000 in grants for youth-led service projects and community-building activities during Global Youth Service Day (April 26-28, 2024). Youth (ages 5-25) may address any issue they view as important to their community and proposed projects should engage youth volunteers of all backgrounds. The 2024 application is open through March 10.  

The Terra Foundation for American Art is extending a helping hand to artists, scholars, and institutions passionate about American art and culture. Their Convening Grants program is a golden opportunity for creative minds and organizations to receive funding for conferences, symposia, and other gatherings that foster dialogue and exploration of American art. Whether you are an artist looking to share your work, a scholar eager to disseminate your research, or an institution keen to promote American art, this program offers the financial support to make it happen. Grants range from $10,000 - $25,000. Letters of inquiry are due by March 18. Click below to find out more.

The UT System is committing up to $5 million to community-tied projects and research that build new knowledge and bring about tangible improvements to the quality of life for Tennesseans. Projects will be selected through a competitive review process conducted by internal and external experts. 

The Grand Challenge Grants include two tiers of funding. Type 1 proposals are eligible for $50,000–$100,000. Type 2 proposals are eligible for $400,000–$500,000. These grants are open to all faculty and staff at all campuses, institutes, extension locations and field offices. To learn more, register here to join the virtual informational zoom session on March 19, from 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

The Engagement Scholarship Consortium’s Awards Program provides institutional recognition of excellence in community-engaged scholarship. Awards of excellence will recognize exemplary institutional programs in several categories: Student, Faculty, Staff, Community Partner, Institutional Leadership, and Distinguished Dissertation. The Call for Nominations will close on March 25.

Project Pericles invites applications from faculty and staff for the Civic and Voter Engagement Fellowship! This is a wonderful opportunity to support deliberative dialogue and/or address voter suppression on campuses. Fellowship details include: $1,000 award to promote civic engagement and social change through the humanities, Periclean Civic Engagement Resources for courses and/or projects in Spring-Fall 2024, and access to virtual learning communities. Applications are reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis. 

The purpose of the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program is to support high-caliber scholarly research in the social sciences and humanities that addresses important and enduring issues confronting our society. In 2024, the program will ask scholars to help Americans understand how and why our society has become so polarized and what we can do to strengthen the forces of cohesion in American society. The UT internal submission deadline is March 29. 

The William T. Grant Scholars Program funds five-year research and mentoring plans for promising early-career researchers. Researchers must select one focus area: 1) Reducing inequality in youth outcomes, or 2) Improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people. The UT internal submission deadline is March 29. 

The Brady Education Foundation is accepting Research Project proposals and Existing Program Evaluation proposals that have the potential to provide data that will inform how to address disparities in educational opportunities associated with race, ethnicity, and family income. The foundation is looking for sustainable, accessible, and strength-based projects. The next proposal deadline is April 1. 

NewSchools Venture Fund is a venture philanthropy that builds a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. Through its 2024 funding opportunity, NewSchools seeks to support early-stage organizations and new initiatives within existing organizations in the following areas: learning solutions, including content, tools, and models that accelerate reading and math growth for K-8 students, and teaching reimagined, including efforts that reimagine the role of teachers by evolving how they work and engage caregivers and community experts to support student success. Apply by April 3. 

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation provides grant funding to support literacy and education initiatives serving individuals of all ages. The Foundation funds nonprofit organizations, schools and libraries within a 15-mile radius of Dollar General stores in the states in which they operate. Youth Literacy Grants are due on April 25. 

The SPARKS: AI Collaborative Research Seed Competition for FY 2025 will facilitate multidisciplinary collaborations focused on highly collaborative artificial intelligence (AI) research in three select focus areas:

Outcomes can include team pursuits of external funding, partnerships with industry and community stakeholders, and new collaborative courses and certificate programs under the newly launched Applied AI degree programs spearheaded by CECS. Proposals are due before 5:00 p.m. on April 29.

Conducting scholarship that is mutually beneficial for both university scholars and communities is the very foundation of engaged scholarship. Through the Engaged Scholarship Research/Creative Activities Grants Program, the Engagement Scholarship Consortium is offering financial support to help facilitate positive outcomes for both scholars and communities.

Faculty and staff may apply for up to $5,000 to fund a one-year project. Collaborative projects among faculty and/or staff from more than one discipline and/or at more than one university are encouraged. Applications are due May 3.

The Office of Research Innovation and Economic Development (ORIED) is soliciting requests for proposals that advance knowledge and support areas of fundamental and applied research in human health and wellness. This research funding opportunity aligns with the UT Strategic Plan which envisions a university that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion across all areas of research, scholarship, education, and outreach. 

Human Health & Wellness Team Building Activities is available until June 30.

Office of Community Engagement and Outreach
within the Division of Access and Engagement
301 Andy Holt Tower
1331 Circle Park Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: 865-974-4742
Website: communityengagement.utk.edu
Email: communityengagement@utk.edu