Second Outreach Forum Explores University Engagement
by Lois Stephens

As an engaged institution, Virginia Tech is creatively seizing opportunities to act and build its future as a leading international university. This observation was among the thoughts shared by C. Peter Magrath, senior presidential advisor of the College Board and president emeritus of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, during his keynote address at the recent Outreach NOW conference.

More than 200 Virginia Tech faculty and staff gathered at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center on September 27 to hear and talk with Magrath, learn about the talents and scholarly outreach efforts of their peers, and explore the vital role of engagement in the success of contemporary land-grant universities.

Outreach NOW: Inventing the Future Through Engagement was the second annual forum sponsored by the vice provost for Outreach and International Affairs and the Commission on Outreach and International Affairs.

John Dooley, vice provost for Outreach and International Affairs, provided opening remarks for the event and Virginia Tech President Charles Steger introduced Magrath.

The afternoon session included eight presentations by Virginia Tech faculty.

Rumen Conev from the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research discussed Beautiful Gardens, a new plant intro-duction program for Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region. George Glasson, Absalom Phiri, and Ndalapa Mhango from the Department of Teaching and Learning talked about ecological sustainability, indigenous cultures, and education in Malawi. Eugene Brown, Mary Kasarda, and Whitney Edmister shared information about educational outreach in the College of Engineering. Engagement as a Construct for Empowerment was presented by Ed McPherson from Learning Technologies.

University Provost Mark McNamee (right), talks with Jerzy Nowak (left), professor and head of the Department of Horticulture and Rumen Conev, a faculty member and researcher at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, during the reception following the Outreach NOW conference.

C. Peter Magrath (left), senior presidential advisor of the College Board and president emeritus of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, Jeri Childers (center), conference chair and director of Outreach Program Development, and Virginia Tech President Charles Steger (right), react to introductory comments during the Outreach NOW 2006 conference.

Patricia Hipkins and Don Mullins from the Virginia Tech Pesticide Programs talked about pesticide safety education in Mali, West Africa. Transformative ESL Teacher Education Through Service-Learning was presented by Kris Tilley-Lubbs of the Department of Teaching and Learning. The value of work-integrated learning to students, Virginia Tech, and the commu-nity through the Cooperative Education/internship program was offered by Pam Herrmann from Career Services. A session developed by Robert Dunay, Joseph Wheeler, and Robert Schubert on the Virginia Tech Solar House was also presented.

Twenty-seven exhibitors from various departments and centers showcased their outreach efforts throughout the day and during the evening reception.

Following a ceremony for faculty awards for outreach excellence, Mark McNamee, university provost and vice president for academic affairs, offered closing remarks and reflections.

"This year's conference highlighted the importance of engagement as part of the university's new strategic plan," said Jeri Childers, director of Outreach Program Development and conference chair.

"Dr. Magrath's remarks chal-lenged the university community to seek ways to fully integrate discovery, learning, and engagement to address critical issues confronting our society, and I believe Virginia Tech is uniquely positioned to respond to this challenge," said Dooley.

Next year's Outreach NOW conference is scheduled for September 24, 2007. Sterling Speirn, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is the invited speaker. For more information, visit the web site at www.cpe.vt.edu/outreachnow/.