Long the foundation of Land-Grant Extension services, community engagement is increasingly central to the mission of public universities. Extension is a proven engagement and outreach platform for public university service. Engaging with a state’s people enables universities, in partnership with communities, to nimbly address local challenges. University-community collaborations are ideally poised to address transdisciplinary challenges such as climate change, pandemics, social justice, workforce, and youth development.

Universities can repurpose their Extension services to the challenges communities are confronting. Partnering with other higher education institutions including community colleges expands capabilities of both to bring the powers of education and research to communities. In doing so, they not only empower their citizens, they will empower themselves and their missions.

What are strategies for increasing community engagement in meaningful ways? What works? What doesn’t? In what ways are institutions innovating? In this panel discussion, we’ll chat with three experts who’ve helped land-grant universities and community colleges increase campus and community engagement in innovative and authentic ways.