Institutions of higher education have been described as anchor institutions in communities, providing opportunities for committed and sustained collaborations to address community and public issues. As partners in community engagement, it is incumbent on all of us to create space for sustained collaborative action toward common goals. In that context, staff from the Center for Civic Engagement at Washington State University will facilitate a community conversation about the role of community engagement in creating coalitions for change. As an introduction to the discussion, WSU staff will share examples and strategies from their own work to build and support successful collaborations including: Palouse Food Project, Palouse STEAM Coalition, Town-Gown Collaborative, Cougs Vote Coalition, and Palouse Health Network. This conversation will be framed around the following questions: • Why are coalitions emerging as critical vehicles for change? • What is the role of centers for community engagement in fostering effective coalitions? • How are community-campus coalitions created, supported, and sustained? Through this session, participants will: deepen their understanding of the critical importance of coalition building, collectively imagine the role of community engagement centers in creating space for coalition building, and determine strategies for creating sustainable coalitions to ensure lasting change in communities.
