February 2024

NEWS

The Division of Access and Engagement is supporting many events and activities on campus and in the community throughout the month of February to celebrate Black History Month. For 2024, the theme is "African Americans and the Arts " and activities will feature the impact Black Americans have had on visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, and more. 

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 will open on February 16, and close on April 10. 

On select Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the spring, the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach (OCEO) will continue to offer beginner and intermediate/advanced educational sessions on community engagement. Click on the button below or use the link on the OCEO website to register for any or all of the sessions. Upcoming sessions include: 

All departments that engage in programs or activities involving minors (people younger than 18 years old) must review and comply with University of Tennessee Safety Policy SA0575. UT Institute of Agriculture departments also must review and comply with the UTIA Programs for Minors Policy.

The policy includes the following requirements:

In 1980, the Office of Continuing Social Work Education was renamed the Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS). Since then, deeply committed "SWORPees" have provided a wide array of services to public, private, and non-profit organizations within Tennessee and beyond. 

The SWORPS Relative Caregiver Program provides wide-ranging support for those raising related children. The program promotes resource awareness and supports caregivers in their efforts to create a safe and nurturing environment for the children in their care. Services include home visits, support groups, resource linkage, financial assistance, and fun, free outings for the families. 

Chris Battle of Battlefield Farms & Gardens  was recently interviewed by People Magazine to discuss Battle’s journey from clergy to food activist started in college when he first felt a calling to preach. Click the button below to read the full article. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services and the Synergy Evaluation Institute are hosting an informative and important conversation on Research Transparency and Methodological Rigor in the Treatment of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture on Thursday, February 22 , from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Student Union, Room 169. 

On Tuesday, March 5, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., the UTK Center for Career Development & Academic Exploration will be hosting the 2024 Education, Non-Profit, and Social Service Career Fair in the Pilot Flying J Ballroom of the UTK Student Union. Agencies can register for the fair now by clicking on this link.

The Office of Assessment, Culture, and Education within the Division of Access and Engagement will continue to host Thoughtful Thursdays on a broad range of topics.  The next session will be held on Thursday, March 7, and Erin Darby, Jill Malolepszy, and Crystal Hardeman-Ikem will share information on Religious Accommodations. To register for this session, or view future sessions topics, please click the link below.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is welcoming nominations of current students, faculty, and staff members of public and private, two- and four-year colleges and universities who are engaged in dedicated public service for the 2024 Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Awards. All nominations should be submitted online on or before Friday, March 15. 

ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES

The City of College Park and University of Maryland, College Park invite you to apply to be a presenter at the 2024 International Town & Gown Association (ITGA) City & University Relations Conference, “The Power of Partnerships: Solving Grand Challenges Together,"  June 5 through June 7, 2024. The following are a few of the "challenges" that will be tackled at the conference: community & civic engagement, social injustice, health and safety, racial equity, disparities in education, and climate change.

The Call for Proposals is open until Friday, February 23 . Each proposal must connect to one of ITGA's Core Competencies of Building Community, Transforming Relationships, Wellbeing, and Resiliency. The tracks for the conference include: 

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 Friday, March 8, from 3:00 p.m. - 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, 2024 , 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, 2024.

Tracks for the conference include:

The Faculty Women of Color in the Academy (FWCA) conference will take place April 11-14, in Arlington, Virginia.  FWCA is a unique educational and professional opportunity for indigenous and women of color in higher education to network, engage, and learn with colleagues from around the country. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a proud sponsor of this conference.

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, 2024. 

FUNDING, FELLOWSHIPS, AND AWARDS

The City of Knoxville is providing grant funding between $500 to $3,000 to non-profit and community-based organizations to provide services focused on building awareness, education and prevention related to reducing youth violence. Grants will be awarded in March 2024 for programming to be carried out during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, April 22-26, 2024.  Applications must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 23. 

The City of Knoxville has funding available between $5,000 to $40,000 for non-profit and community-based organizations providing high-quality youth programming and or youth/employment in or around Knoxville. Proposals should specifically engage young people between 16 and 24 years old identified as being at the highest risk of involvement in violent crime based on opportunity youth criteria. To be eligible for funding, organizations must agree to serve, at minimum, three youth referred by the Knox County Juvenile Court. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 23. 

The Whole Kids Foundation is dedicated to improving children’s health and wellness through their nutrition. The Foundation’s Garden Grant Program provides support to schools and nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Canada to turn outdoor spaces into hands-on learning gardens that connect kids with food, spark their curiosity, and support classroom curriculum. Grants of $3,000 support new and existing edible educational gardens at K-12 charter and public schools, K-12 private schools with nonprofit status, and nonprofit organizations that serve children in the K-12 grade range. There will be a Garden Grant Q&A Webinar on Thursday, February 15, and applications close on March 1. 

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. Students can receive up to $5,000 if awarded the Gilman for a study abroad program. Applications will open again in mid-January, with a deadline of Thursday, March 7, 2024 for programs starting between Maymester 2024 and Spring 2025.

The W. K. McClure Scholarship Program is awarding up to $5,000 to support research and creative projects abroad aimed at enhancing and promoting education for world responsibility. The scholarship can be applied to any project that offers the potential for the development of knowledge relative to significant issues or problems associated with world affairs and the reduction of international conflict, principally through legal, cultural, political, economic, social, and scientific studies.

The deadline for applications is March 10, 2024 , and the scholarship is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The funding is eligible for use between May 1, 2024 and June 30, 2024.

The Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development is launching FY2025 seed funds for artificial intelligence (AI) research, team building and an AI Tennessee Distinguished Seminar Series.

The solicitation requests proposals that advance knowledge and team building in multidisciplinary AI – both fundamental and applied – that help the University of Tennessee, Knoxville grow its capabilities, reputation and impact in AI-related research across disciplines as part of the AI Tennessee Initiative . The solicitation also requests proposals for administering a transdisciplinary AI Tennessee Distinguished Seminar Series for the academic year 2024-2025.

The deadline for applications is March 30, 2024, and the opportunity is open to full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty, or to full-time research faculty, with a primary appointment at UT, the UT Institute of Agriculture or the UT Space Institute. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

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 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 Sunday, June 30.

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. Click below to find out more.

The Brady Education Foundation is currently 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. 

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: 865-974-4863
Website: communityengagement.utk.edu
Email: communityengagement@utk.edu