{"id":5917,"date":"2025-03-13T08:49:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T12:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dae.utk.edu\/communityengagement\/?page_id=5917"},"modified":"2026-10-06T16:32:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T20:32:01","slug":"oceo-conference","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dae.utk.edu\/communityengagement\/oceo-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"9th Annual Engagement and Outreach Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"9th<\/span><\/p>\n

UT\u2019s Office of Community Engagement and Outreach will host the 2026 Engagement and Outreach Conference<\/strong>,\u00a0Changing\u00a0Lives\u00a0and\u00a0Improving Society:\u00a0Data Driven\u00a0Engagement and Innovation<\/em>,\u00a0on Friday<\/strong>, October 9, 2026.<\/b><\/p>\n

The 2026 Engagement and Outreach Conference will feature presentations from Engagement Scholarship Consortium conference presenters, showcasing innovative approaches to community-engaged scholarship and partnership. The conference provides a forum for students, faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and community leaders to explore how collaborative engagement strengthens communities locally, across Tennessee, and around the world while advancing the land-grant mission of the University of Tennessee.<\/span><\/p>\n

October\u00a09th | Student Union | UT Knoxville Campus<\/b>
\n1:00 p.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.
\nRegistration is open<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

For inquiries or\u00a0additional\u00a0guidance, contact\u00a0Christopher Williams, Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Outreach (OCEO)<\/i>, at\u00a0cwill451@utk.edu.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Presenters
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Abigail Rivera
\n<\/strong>Amplifying Rural voices: Cultivating Community Vibrancy in a Rural County<\/em>
\nThis community-engaged project explores youth retention and opportunity in a rural, southeastern county.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Caitlin Steele, Mickee(ya) Murray Harrison,\u00a0&\u00a0Hailey B. Crowe-Sprague\u00a0<\/strong>
\nCommunity Trust and AI-Supported Drone Healthcare Delivery in Rural Tennessee\u00a0<\/em>
\nWe present findings from an NSF-funded, community-engaged initiative examining perceptions of AI-supported drone healthcare delivery in rural East Tennessee<\/span>.<\/p>\n

<\/span>David Ndiaye<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Beyond Borders: Community-Engaged Global Learning<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/span>This presentation explores how the Division of Access & Engagement\u2019s Global Immersion Program (GIP) integrates community-engaged learning into international experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Temvelo Matsebula
\n<\/strong>Code, Culture, and Community: Reimagining STEM in an Afterschool Program<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/span>This presentation shares lessons learned from an afterschool community-engaged math and coding program co-created with community partners, using embodied and situated learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Francia Iszamar Zelaya Zapata
\n<\/strong>Participatory Action Research that Sparks Innovation in Parent Engagement<\/em>
\nThis presentation examining how Black and Latina mothers build leadership capacity for parental engagement in education through family, school, and community partnerships.<\/p>\n

Amy Maples<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Evaluating STEM Community Engagement Through a Culturally Responsive Lens<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/span>This presentation shares a process for evaluating STEM family and community engagement resources using a culturally responsive scorecard for leveraging community voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Yingying Han
\n<\/strong>Curating Cultural Heritage: Digital Preservation With Community Partners<\/em>
\n<\/span>This workshop provides training on how to select and evaluate digital platforms for curating marginalized communities’ histories.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Lisa East<\/strong>
\n<\/span>UT, Knoxville’s Community-University Research Collaboration Initiative<\/em>
\n<\/span>This presentation highlights the UTK Community-University Research Collaboration Initiative (CURCI), a model that leverages university research & community expertise to address local needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Megan Mundie<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Engaging Collegiate Students in Research Practices Towards Mutually Transformative Outcomes<\/em>
\n<\/span>This workshop explores how graduate and undergrad students conduct collaborative action research with local communities and translating findings into meaningful community impact.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Cognitive Interviewing in Community Engaged School Partnership Research<\/em>
\n<\/span>A graduate student\u2019s experience in a University-Assisted Community Schools partnership demonstrates the value of community-engaged research in strengthening school collaborations.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Paris Harrington
\n<\/strong>Building Together: Marginalized Caregivers\u2019 Social-Emotional Parenting Goals and Practices<\/em>
\n<\/span>This presentation explores Asian, Black, and Latine caregivers\u2019 perspectives on children\u2019s social-emotional development, highlighting culturally grounded parenting practices.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Kirsten Benson<\/strong>
\n<\/span>The Flagship Writing Project: Cultivating partnerships to bridge postsecondary access barriers<\/em>
\n<\/span>This poster highlights the Flagship Writing Project, a partnership between the UT and local high schools that uses college admissions essay tutoring to expand college access.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Chad Wagoner<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Community-Engaged Needs Assessment for Healthy Lifestyle Support in Primary Care<\/em>
\n<\/span>This presentation highlights a community-engaged needs assessment developed with River Valley Health aimed at reducing cardiometabolic disease risk in Appalachian communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Menglin Wei-Wise<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Community-led Adaptation of Relationship Education for LGBTQ+ Adults<\/em>
\n<\/span>This presentation explores how focus groups with LGBTQ+ adults, conducted in partnership with a local Pride organization, better address community needs, participation barriers, and well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Marcus Walker\u00a0&\u00a0Quannah Washington<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Vol Youth Leadership Academy (VYLA) Empowering Tomorrow\u2019s Leaders, Today<\/em>
\n<\/span>This poster presentation chronicles the conception, planning and executing of a highly successful model for youth leadership that builds from the notion of community serving the next generation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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