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Tidings from the Director
"Confronting the Challenge of Hyper-Partisan Illiberalism"
Accomplishments
Ben Grove
Nada Berrada
Anna Erwin
Bryce Hoflund
Molly Todd
Cathy Grimes
Desirée Poets
Neda Moayerian
Max Stephenson Jr.
Leslie Ann-Robertson Foncette
Project Updates
- C2C Receives Third Year of COCLI Funding
- C2C Housing First Toolkit Now Available
- C2C Backpack Prototype Production in the News
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Welcome to Community Change Journal's New Editors
Conferences & Events
- Doug Jackson Visits with CCC
- VTIPG Invites You to Our Spring Open House!
- Upcoming Scholarship
Announcements
- VTIPG's New LinkedIn Page
- VTIPG is Hiring!
- Virginia Tech's Giving Day 2023
- Karen Boone's Retirement
Commentaries, Essays & Publications
- Soundings
- Five Pieces Worth Reading
- Books
- Articles and Conference Papers
Faculty Spotlight
Elizabeth Gilboy, Director, Community Design Assistance Center
Graduate Student Spotlight
Candace "Ali" Hartwick, Graduate Assistant, Master's Student in Public Health
Alumni Spotlight
Beth Olberding, Impact Management and Monitoring Specialist, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
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TIDINGS FROM THE DIRECTOR | | |
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Confronting the Challenge of Hyper-Partisan Illiberalism
BY MAX O. STEPHENSON, JR.
Director, Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance
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For this first Tidings column of 2023, I offer descriptions of three recent exemplars of the state of what passes for conservatism in the United States today and suggest their implications for our nation’s ongoing governance and policymaking, and for the Institute.
On December 14, 2022, the Brunswick Times-Gazette, the weekly newspaper for that Virginia county and surrounding area, published an opinion column by that region’s state senator, Frank Ruff, with the headline: “Our Children’s Future.”1 Ruff offers his constituents his views in each issue. In this commentary, he expressed grave concern that educators were “confusing young minds” in elementary schools regarding gender and that “what is currently happening at some of the most prestigious medical centers in the nation is that fortunes are being made mutilating kids, risking physical and often mental problems for the rest of their lives.”2 Ruff went on to contend,
"Too many of our school systems have allowed Critical Race Theory and Woke thinking into the classroom. Some teachers are more focused on radicalizing young people than teaching them the basics needed for a successful future."3
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Ben Grove, Planning, Governance, and Globalization PhD student and Associate Director for Strategy and Administration for Virginia Cooperative Extension successfully defended his dissertation proposal on December 5, 2022! His effort, which brings the higher education and Extension internationalization literature together, is entitled: "Understanding Extension Directors' Conceptualizations of, and Perceived Roles in, Internationalization."
His next steps will be finalizing his application for the Institutional Review Board and gaining its approval and then undertaking his field work. Special thanks to his committee: Chair and IPG Director Max Stephenson Jr., Professor Tom Archibald of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education, Professor Todd Schenk of SPIA, and Professor David Kniola of the School of Education.
Congratulations, Ben!
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Dr. Nada Berrada, International Project Coordinator at the Education Development Center in Washington D.C., participated in the African Union Capacity Building workshop on girls education and climate change in Kigali, Rwanda at the invitation of the African Union International Center for Girls and Women's Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA). Dr. Berrada was among a prestigious group to attend the December conference, as only 40 participants of 4,750 that applied to participate were accepted.
Dr. Berrada is a 2020 alumna of the Alliance for Social Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought Ph.D. program. Dr. Max Stephenson Jr. chaired her dissertation committee.
Congratulations, Nada!
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Dr. Anna Erwin, alumna of the SPIA Planning, Governance, and Globalization Ph.D. program, has been selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society (AFHVS). Her term will run through 2025. Dr. Erwin received the AFHVS Excellence Award at that group's annual national conference in May 2022 at the University of Georgia.
Dr. Erwin completed her doctorate in 2017 with Max Stephenson Jr. serving as her advisor. She is currently serving as an assistant professor in the School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences at the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley.
Congratulations, Anna!
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Dr. Bryce Hoflund has rejoined VTIPG as a facilitator and subject matter expert who will be leading efforts to develop a Food Systems Policy Workgroup for the Institute in partnership with the Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation. Dr. Hoflund is a Center for Public Administration and Policy alumna who previously worked with the Institute as a graduate research assistant and project associate. You can read more about her appointment here.
Congratulations and welcome back, Bryce!
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The contributions of VTIPG faculty and affiliated research partners were evident in the recently published issue of the Community Change Journal. Molly Todd, Cathy Grimes, Desirée Poets, Neda Moayerian and Max Stephenson Jr. offered "Reflections on a Cross-Border Collaborative Research Effort During Covid-19." You may find their article here. Former Institute graduate research assistant, Dr. Leslie Ann-Robertson Foncette, contributed "Sustaining Colorful Technologies of Resistance and Joy in T&T Carnival" to this volume. You may find her article here.
Congratulations, all!
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C2C Receives Third Year of COCLI Funding | |
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The Connection to Care (C2C) project, led by Principal Investigator Mary Beth Dunkenberger, Associate Director of VTIPG, with project support from Laura York, Mia Williams and Lara Nagle, will continue for a third year with renewed funding from the University of Baltimore's Combating Overdose Through Community-level Intervention (COCLI) program.
C2C has worked to convene community stakeholders including service providers, harm reduction, and peer specialists, law enforcement, criminal justice, emergency medical services (EMS), higher education and community leaders focused on the substance use disorder (SUD) crisis to launch innovative pilot projects. Those have included the design and distribution of a harm reduction backpack for housing insecure individuals with SUD through the Drop in Center, HOPE, Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition and other organizations; a peer-EMS referral program led by the HOPE Initiative and Salem EMS; a forensic discharge planning partnership led by Western Virginia Regional Jail and Blue Ridge Behavioral Health; and community education events such as REVIVE! Narcan trainings throughout the Roanoke region. These initiatives aim to connect with individuals in need of treatment and recovery supports at key intervention points to strengthen the substance use recovery ecosystem.
Funding in year three will also support Piedmont Community Services' (PCS) new recovery housing and treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women called PEARL, the opening of another PCS recovery wellness center, as well as expansion of EMS-law enforcement referrals to peer recovery specialists in Franklin County.
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C2C Housing First Toolkit Now Available | |
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As part of the larger C2C project, Mel Jones, Associate Director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research, and VTIPG Research Scientist Lara Nagle, created a Housing First toolkit for developers and housing operators. The project was overseen by Mary Beth Dunkenberger, Associate Director of VTIPG, with assistance from graduate student researcher Ali Hartwick.
Housing First prioritizes access to housing without preconditions for individuals pursuing treatment for SUD and mental health issues. It is based on a harm reduction philosophy that housing is one of the foundations upon which all other treatment and recovery outcomes depend. A 2021 recovery housing study conducted by VT partners in association with Roanoke Valley Collective Response identified the need for more Housing First facilities in the region.
This toolkit features Pro Forma budgets, position descriptions, annual reports, organizational leadership diagrams, rules and regulations for residents, harm reduction guides and other resources based on existing Housing First program materials from REAL Life in Richmond, VA, the Downtown Emergency Service Center in Seattle, WA and Virginia Supportive Housing. A virtual Housing First panel featuring these and other organizations will be held later this year. Please contact Lara Nagle (lkn4187@vt.edu) for more information.
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C2C Backpack Prototype Production in the News | |
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The Connection to Care backpack for individuals with substance use disorder who are housing insecure includes hygiene and basic supplies, as well as Naloxone, where training for its use is provided. While more than a thousand "off the shelf" backpacks have been distributed, VT faculty and students in Industrial Design (ID) and at VTIPG have been working to design and prototype an original backpack based on feedback from people with lived experience with SUD and housing insecurity. The ID students featured at left are pictured working with a waterproof, durable prototype at the UTS Systems production facility in Rockbridge County, which has partnered with C2C to produce the it (Photo credit: Lee Friesland, Virginia Tech). The backpack, which includes a built-in sleeping bag, is now being distributed for testing with target users, and students will receive feedback concerning how well their design functions.
The backpack prototype and production process have recently been featured by Cardinal News, WSLS, WDBJ7, and Virginia Tech News.
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Welcome to Community Change Journal's New Editors | |
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Community Change is an online, peer-reviewed, graduate student journal that explores multiple approaches to democratic community development and change. This interdisciplinary journal examines the practices, processes, and individual and collective struggles that produce social and political change at all levels of society. The journal is advised by VTIPG Director Max Stephenson, Jr. and Research Scientist Lara Nagle and affiliated with the Institute's Community Change Collaborative (CCC).
The journal welcomes a new group of editors who will serve on its editorial board, chaired by Executive Editor Jon Catherwood-Ginn:
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Brad Stephens, Managing Editor
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Farhad Mamshai, Submissions Editor
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Chayne Wild, Peer Review Editor
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Michael Coleman, Editor at Large
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Gabriella Ramirez, Editor at Large
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Marcel Worphy Pambo, Editor at Large
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Sharif Islam, Editor at Large
These graduate student editors have experience in a variety of fields in the humanities, social and physical sciences. The leaders of Community Change would like to thank John Marshal, a PhD candidate in Sociology, for his service as Managing Editor for Issue 4.1, which could not have been published without him.
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Doug Jackson Visits with CCC | |
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The Community Change Collaborative welcomed Doug Jackson to campus on November 14th. Mr. Jackson is a Capacity Development Specialist with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, where he provides facilitation and strategic support to Virginia communities. He also discussed his role as the City of Roanoke's Arts and Culture Coordinator, providing support and leadership for arts funding and cultural planning. His presentation highlighted a recent Roanoke project called Year of the Artist.
Mr. Jackson participated in a roundtable discussion and podcast interview and offered a public lecture. Links to these recordings and a reflection by CCC member Brad Stephens concerning Jackson's visit and work may be found here.
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VTIPG Invites You to Our Spring Open House! | |
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We are pleased to announce the date for our spring open house! Please save Thursday, March 30, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm for our Open House at 201 West Roanoke Street, Blacksburg, VA, 24060 and plan to stop by for conversation and lunch.
We will send event updates via the IPG email listserv. Meanwhile, please contact Billy Parvatam should you desire information (pbilly97@vt.edu).
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Dr. Desirée Poets (pictured at right, Assistant Professor of Political Science,) will present "Community Cultural Development and Collective Agency in a Brazilian Favela" at the upcoming International Studies Association Conference in Montreal, Canada March 15-18. Her co-authors are VTIPG non-resident research associate Dr. Neda Moayerian and Director Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr.
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VTIPG's New LinkedIn Page | |
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VTIPG has a new LinkedIn page! Please follow us to receive our latest news and updates.
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Virginia Tech's Giving Day 2023 | |
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Join Hokies around the world for Giving Day, a 24-hour celebration in support of Virginia Tech, starting at noon, EST, on Wednesday, Feb. 15 and ending Thursday, Feb. 16 at noon, EST. Please consider donating any amount to assist VTIPG's work in supporting graduate students and fulfilling our mission of research and praxis for vulnerable populations. No gift is too small and thank you for any support you may be able to provide.
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With deeply mixed emotions, we announce the retirement of our wonderful colleague and Fiscal Manager Karen Boone. We know that Karen is moving on to new adventures, but she will be greatly missed. Karen had been with IPG, managing our fiscal operations, since our founding in 2006, and she worked for Virginia Tech for many years prior.
Karen sat down with IPG Communications Coordinator Billy Parvatam to reflect on her tenure at the Institute. You may find the full interview here.
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COMMENTARIES, ESSAYS & PUBLICATIONS | |
Books
Book contributions and publications by VTIPG Director Max Stephenson.
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Maré from the Inside: Arts, Culture and Politics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Editor with Nicholas Barnes and Desiree Poets. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech Publishing, 2021. Paperback 978-1-949373-54-7; PDF978-1-949373-55-4.
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Also: for that volume, Max Stephenson Jr., “Truth-telling, Meaning Making and Imagining the Future” (Chapter 6) and “Conclusion: On the Struggle for Freedom and Dignity”(Chapter 7). To accompany the Art Exhibit: Maré from the Inside shown at Virginia Tech Newman Library, April 19, 2021-September 30, 2021 and virtually as well.
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This book also was published in Portuguese, Maré de Dentro, A exposição | Favelas do Rio de Janeiro | Complexo da Maré | Policiamento no Rio de Janeiro, Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech Publishing, 2021.
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Conversations in Community Change: Voices from the Field. Editor with Cathy Grimes. With Introduction, Foreword, Afterword and Index, 250 pages. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech Publishing, 2021. ISBN: EPUB 978-1-949373-40-0; Paperback, 978-1-949373-38-7; PDF 978-949373-39-4.
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Articles and Conference Papers
Research contributions and publications by VTIPG Faculty.
Accepted
“Community Cultural Development and Collective Agency in a Brazilian Favela,” for annual conference of the International Studies Association, March 15-18, 2023, Montreal, Canada, Accepted September 14, 2022. Neda Moayerian,* Desiree Poets, Max Stephenson.
Morshedzadeh, E.*, Dunkenberger, M.B., Nagle, L., Ghasemi, S., York, L., & Horn, K. (2022). Community Participation in the Design Process for Innovative Solutions: The Connection to Care (C2C) Project. Policy Design and Practice.
Published
“Conceptualizing Cross-sectoral Partnership Building in Two Small Appalachian Towns,” Community Development Journal, Neda Moayerian (IPG Non-Resident Research Associate)*, Lara Nagle, Max Stephenson. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsac012
“Community Agency, Cultural Development and Sustainable Tourism.” Annals of Tourism Research, Neda Moayerian*, Nancy McGehee (Department Head, Hospitality and Tourism Management), Max Stephenson.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160738322000068
*Corresponding author
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Elizabeth Gilboy is Director of the Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC), an outreach unit of the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design. Established in 1988, the CDAC provides conceptual design assistance to non-profit organizations, community groups and government agencies in the areas of landscape architecture, architecture, and interior design. The Center's participatory design process, paired with the creativity of student and staff employees, helps communities transform their ideas into graphic form. The process also builds capacity and positions partner communities to leverage funding for next steps.
Recently CDAC and VTIPG collaborated on the Critz Community Center visioning project in partnership with Reynolds Homestead, with funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The purpose was to collaborate with Envision Critz, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Critz (Patrick County) and surrounding communities, by creating a conceptual design and master plan for a community center in a 1930's residential structure and an adjoining ~13-acre park. The vision developed for the historic house and site was to create a community center that will provide enrichment programs and art classes for students attending the Hardin Reynolds Memorial School (HRMS) across the street and for Critz community members. VTIPG led a comprehensive community engagement process that included multiple in-person community meetings, online engagement, and surveys. Teachers and administrators at HRMS also completed a brainstorming activity with their students focused on what those youngsters would like to see at the proposed community center and park.
A team of three Interior Design students with guidance from Professor Lisa Tucker (Chair of the Interior Design Program in AAD at the time) and two landscape architecture students with guidance from Elizabeth Gilboy, worked on the design concepts. Their conceptual design work sets the stage for transforming the historic residence and surrounding site into a local hub for community gathering, live music, play and physical activity, social events, and local science and history education. In the park, which will be the only such facility in this area of the county, there will be walking trails through the woods, a playground, outdoor classroom, play pockets, and areas for outdoor music gatherings. The community center includes a small performance space, crafts room, community room, game room, and art studio.
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GRADUATE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT | |
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Candace “Ali” Hartwick received her B.S. in Water: Resources, Policy, and Management and her B.A in Geography, with and a minor in Leadership and Social Change from Virginia Tech in 2021. She is currently a master of Urban and Regional Planning student at Virginia Tech with concentrations in Natural Resource Management and Urban Community Planning. Ali’s work at VTIPG has focused on supporting two community needs assessments, as well as supporting a collaborative Heat Resilience project involving VT faculty, the City of Roanoke, Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action and Carillon Clinic.
Ali shared that, “Working at IPG has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my academic career. My GA role at IPG has given me the opportunity to learn and grow my skills through being able to study under incredible professionals in their fields. This role has not only helped me learn practical skills but also strategies and tools to give back to my community in meaningful ways. My personal philosophy is rooted in empowering others and creating positive and meaningful life experiences, and IPG has not only helped me achieve that goal, but also allowed me to experience new opportunities while equipping me with fresh capabilities to do so."
Outside of work and class, Ali enjoys painting, cooking, and competitive sailing.
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Beth Olberding received her Master of Urban and Regional Planning and Master of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech in 2018 and currently works as an Impact Management and Monitoring Specialist at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). DFC, the United States’ development finance institution, partners with the private sector to finance solutions in the Global South. DFC’s mandate to focus on impactful global development led to the creation of a new management, monitoring and learning team in 2021 that Beth joined in 2022. The team assesses the potential development impact of transactions at the pre-investment stage and then monitors, analyzes and reports the impacts of the investments DFC makes. As an Impact Management and Monitoring Specialist, Beth co-manages DFC’s annual survey, tracks project-specific impact indicators and conducts site visits to monitor transactions. Beth’s portfolio focuses on climate-related investments and transactions with funds and financial institutions.
During her time at Virginia Tech, Beth was affiliated with the Institute for Policy and Governance through her master’s thesis, “REDD+ and Costa Rica, another form of colonialism and commodification of natural resources? An indigenous perspective" when Max Stephenson Jr. served as her advisor for her thesis, and during her involvement in the Master’s International program with the Peace Corps. Beth was also involved with the Community Change Collaborative during her time as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement (formerly OED) during which she helped to conduct community visioning projects.
In her free time, Beth enjoys experimenting with new recipes and finding ways to tire out her shepherd-husky pup.
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Institute for Policy and Governance
201 W. Roanoke Street
Blacksburg, VA 24061
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