Higher Education and National Service Building America’s Future
Please join us to celebrate the contributions of higher education to the success of national service over these last 30 years!
Check out our recap of the event day!
Higher Education institutions have been a fixture of national service from the beginning of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) through both AmeriCorps programs and the extensive contributions of Learn and Serve America Higher Education.
We convened on Thursday, September 12, beginning with lunch at 11:30 am, to celebrate the successes of the higher education programs in creating a sustained culture of community-engaged scholarship and academically rich community service at US colleges and universities. Please join us to participate in conversations about the foundations for this work, the exciting work that is happening today, and where we are headed for the future.
As Dr Martin Luther King, Jr said at Oberlin College in 1964:
'The time is always right to do what is right.'
Agenda
11:30 am – 12:45 pm Lunch and Welcome
- Amy Cohen, Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, George Washington University
- George Luc, Co-Founder and CEO, GivePulse
Grand Ballroom, 3rd floor, University Student Center
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Higher Education and National Service Building
America’s Future
Betts Theater, 1st Floor, University Student Center
Detailed Agenda
1:00 pm – 1:15 pm Welcome and Setting the Context
- Amy Cohen, Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, George Washington University
1:20 pm – 2:05 pm Significant Impact and Sustained Achievement
Stories of foundational investments in community engagement and democratic learning in higher education institutions that create positive impact for students, colleges, and communities and have continued to grow and develop.
Panelists:
- Erin McGrath, Director of the Office of Regional Operations, AmeriCorps
- Cory Bowman, Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania
- Agnieszka Nance, Center for Public Service, Tulane University
- Maureen Tracey-Mooney, U.S. Department of Education
Moderator: Elson Nash, Division of School Choice and Improvement Programs, US Department of Education
2:15 pm – 3:00 pm Strategies for Systems Change
Organizational design and network developments that sustained the growth and success of high-impact higher education community and civic engagement programs.
Panelists:
- Amy Cohen, Honey W. Nashman Center, George Washington University
- Andrew Furco, University of Minnesota
- Hillary Kane, Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND)
Moderator: Gail Robinson, American Association of Community Colleges (retired)
3:10 pm – 3:55 pm Higher Education and AmeriCorps Today
Exemplars of higher education and national service work together today to build student academic, civic, and workforce success; institutional citizenship; and community enhancement.
Panelists:
- Gayle Hilleke, EngageKY
- Saul Peterson, EngageNJ
- Kimora Williams, GW Jumpstart
- Zoi Burns, University of Massachusetts
Moderator: Matt Farley, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, Campus Compact
4:05 pm – 5:00 pm The Future is Now: Call to Action
Get inspired to continue your partnerships and build the future we want to see!
- Michael D. Smith, AmeriCorps
- John B. King, Jr., State University of New York (SUNY) and former US Secretary of Education
- Alexander Edgar, Made By Us
Moderator: Bobbie Laur, Campus Compact
Registration
A 30th Anniversary reunion celebration event for CNCS program participants and alumni will be held immediately following the conference from 5 pm to 8 pm in the Grand Ballroom on the 1st floor. There is a separate registration for the evening event. Register for the daytime conference here and register for the evening event here. Both are free.
Register for the Higher Ed Conference!
Location
The daytime event will begin with lunch in the Grand Ballroom (3rd Floor), George Washington University Student Center, 800 21st Street NW (between H and I Streets NW), Washington, DC. (Find a campus map here). Following lunch, we will move to the Betts Theater on the 1st floor for the seminar. The evening event will take place back in the Grand Ballroom
Participants
We expect people from institutions and organizations around the country to attend the event. This includes former Learn and Serve America grantees and subgrantees; AmeriCorps members; current and former CNCS staff; and staff from Congress, federal agencies, and higher education associations. We will post a participant list after the event.
Event Materials
We have created 2 google drives where you can upload and share resources such as stories, documents, evaluations, articles, and other media about your higher education, Learn and Serve, and/or AmeriCorps programs. Feel free to post examples of your institution’s service learning and community engagement work (e.g., resources for faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community partners) to share with other participants. We want to share the powerful work that has been accomplished -- AND we want to share CURRENT and FUTURE community-engaged scholarly work.
There is a second folder specifically for your photos from the past 30 years of AmeriCorps and Higher Education - we hope to be able to make a slide show!
Use of Laptops
At the meeting, we do not expect you to need to refer electronic materials. If you bring a laptop or tablet to access online resources, be aware that the Betts Theater has only a few electrical outlets.
Please note: GW does not allow single-use plastic bottles, so please bring your own refillable water bottle or container. There are water stations throughout the University Student Center.
Internet Access at GW
GWGuest is GW's new visitor wifi network. More information is available at https://it.gwu.edu/visitors
Getting to Campus
Taxi, van, and ride-share services to GW’s campus from area airports (DCA/Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, BWI/Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and IAD/Washington Dulles International Airport) range from $10 to $90 one-way. Check airport websites for additional information. You can also take the Metro subway from IAD/Dulles (~$7 one way), DCA/National (~$3 one way), or Union Station (Amtrak) (~$3 one way) to the Foggy Bottom/GWU station (2 blocks from the University Student Center). See https://www.wmata.com for routes and fares.
Directions
If you are driving to campus, there are 4 GW parking garages within a few blocks of the University Student Center, including one in the Center itself (enter on H Street NW between 21st and 22nd Streets NW). As of July 2024, daily rates are $23 per day. For visitor parking, see https://business-services.
Accommodations
We do not have a contract with any particular hotel or chain. You can check out these options to choose from below or stay with friends or family.
Local Recommendations
For tourist information, see https://washington.org. Most Smithsonian Institution museums and the National Zoo are open daily; see www.si.edu to explore what’s on view.
There are many restaurants adjacent to campus, up and down Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 20th Street NW, 21st Street NW, and other cross-streets near GW’s campus. Other nearby neighborhoods with lots of restaurant options include Georgetown to the west of campus, Dupont Circle to the north, 14th Street to the northeast, Penn Quarter to the southeast, and the Wharf to the south. Most are within walking distance or accessible by Metro. See https://washington.org/
Weather and Attire
There is no dress code for the event. We do hope to have congressional staff attend and there is the potential for elected officials to join us. Those folks wear business attire. Temperatures in Washington, D.C. in September may range from the 80s during the day to the 50s at night; rain is possible. Check your weather apps before you leave home.
Moderators and Panelists Bios
Cory Bowman
Associate Director and Director of UACS Network
Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania
Cory Bowman has been working for Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships since its inception in 1992 and its predecessor (the Penn Program for Public Service) since 1991. Cory helps direct the core functions of Netter, including developing academic partnerships with schools, non-profits, and communities of faith. These partnerships emphasize the integration of the teaching, research, and service missions of the University and engage Penn students, faculty, staff and alumni. He also works with the Penn’s Office of the Executive Vice President to help advance Penn’s development as a democratic anchor institution. Cory directs the development of University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) in Penn’s local community of West Philadelphia. In addition, he leads Netter’s local and national UACS adaptation and replication program, including serving as director of the UACS National Network and the Regional Training Centers program. Cory received the Dr. Judith Rodin Community Education Award in recognition for his social justice work advancing education and educational opportunities in Philadelphia. He has been part of the Coalition for Community Schools since 1997 where he helped found the Research Practice Network and is currently serving on the Steering Committee and the Co-Chair’s network.
Zoi Burns
Assistant Director of Afterschool Programming
Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation
Zoi Burns has recently earned her B.A. in Political Science while minoring in both Data Analytics and Urban Studies. During their time as an undergraduate student, she applied her knowledge and skills to communities as a Civil Rights Intern at Boston Housing Authority, Racial Equity Research Assistant for Anti-Racist Community Engagement with Massachusetts’ Department of Higher Education, and a Fellowship with the Boston based non-profit, Chica Project, focused on the equity of women of color. Their AmeriCorps service was spent with Pine Street Inn, New England’s largest homeless services provider, as a D.E.I Strategic Initiatives Fellow through the College for Social Innovation program.
Amy Cohen
Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director
Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, George Washington University
Amy brings a wealth of experience in service-learning and civic engagement to her role at GW. She served for nearly a decade as the director of the federal service-learning program, Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is also the parent agency for AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. Prior to coming to GW she served as Associate Vice President for US Programs at Save the Children. Her career in academic service and civic engagement began at the University of Pennsylvania, where she worked at the Netter Center for Community Partnerships, an international leader in university- community partnerships. Amy holds a BA in Sociology from Brandeis University and an MA in History from the University of Pennsylvania.
Alexander Edgar
Youth Engagement Manager
Made by Us
Alex Edgar is a 21-year old UC Berkeley graduate reimagining America’s approach to civic and youth engagement. He works to change systems to better serve younger generations through his roles as Youth Engagement Manager for Made By Us, Civic Engagement Lead for the Youth Power Project, and the youngest member of the US Census Bureau’s 2030 Census Advisory Committee. At Made By Us, Alex leads the national nonprofit’s Youth250 campaign and Youth250 National Advisory Bureau, recruiting 100 paid 18 to 30 year old advisors. These youth advisors will consult with museums, nonprofits, and corporations as they find ways to center young people’s voices and beliefs in commemorating America’s 250th anniversary. In recognition of his leadership in Gen Z engagement, Alex was the 2021 recipient of the Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice Student Award by the California Council for the Social Studies, the 2022 recipient of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award by the National Association of Secretaries of State, and the 2023 recipient of the California Young Steward Leader Award from California Forward.
Matt Farley
Chief Strategy and Operations Officer
Campus Compact
Matt is honored to serve as the chief strategy and operations officer for Campus Compact. In this capacity, he leads efforts to enhance the organization’s capacity to continue its growth and deepen its social impact—helping to translate the organization’s vision into operational goals and work plans, overseeing administrative and operations functions, and increasing internal communications and coordination. Prior to the Compact, Matt served in multiple roles in higher education with academic affairs, student affairs, and campus ministry focused on civic learning and community engagement. He has served as the Director of the Office of Community Outreach at the University of Connecticut, Associate Director for GEAR-UP at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, and Assistant Director of the Center for Social Concern at Stonehill College. Matt has a BS in Business Administration (Finance) from Stonehill College and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Connecticut. Matt currently serves as a Commissioner of the Connecticut Commission on Community Service and a member of the Connecticut Civic Health Advisory Committee organized by the Office of the Secretary of the State of Connecticut and Everyday Democracy.
Andrew Furco, Ph.D.
Professor; Associate Department Chair, Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development
College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota
Primary research and teaching interests focus on the measurement and assessment of experiential education, community-engaged learning, and community-engaged scholarship in fulfillment of the public purposes of education. Firco is interested in examining these issues in the contexts of educational leadership, student learning, institutional change, program evaluation, character and values education, teacher education, prosocial youth development, and student civic and career development. Furco’s research spans K-12 and higher education and is rooted in national (U.S.) and international contexts. In recent years, he has become interested in transnational studies that explore issues of community-based learning pedagogies and educational reform within and across primary, secondary, and tertiary education systems.
Gayle Hilleke
Executive Director
EngageKY
In January, 2006, Gayle became the founding executive director of Kentucky Campus Compact (KyCC), the 31st state affiliate chapter of Campus Compact, a national coalition of over 1200 college and university presidents committed to the civic purposes of higher education. At KyCC, Gayle loves to brainstorm with faculty, students, and community partners to form creative partnerships that benefit the whole network. As an example, she worked with the University of Kentucky and other partners to create the annual Kentucky Hunger Dialogue. She also partnered with Berea College and Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority to create the Kentucky College Coaches AmeriCorps program. Prior to moving to Kentucky, Gayle spent eight years in Washington D.C. at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) where she served as an AmeriCorps program officer and as a project manager for a national assessment initiative, the State Administrative Standards project. Prior to working at CNCS, she was the first program officer of the Ohio state commission (Governor’s Community Service Council) from 1994-1997.
Hillary Kane
Director
Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND)
Hillary Kane is the Director for the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND). PHENND is a consortium of over 25 institutions of higher education in the Greater Philadelphia region that seeks to help campuses connect to their communities through mutually beneficial service and service-learning partnerships. Since Ms. Kane joined PHENND in 1999, the organization has increased its membership, developed new multi-university programs and partnerships, and become a leader in the field of service-learning.
John B. King, Jr.
Chancellor
State University of New York
John B. King, Jr. is the 15th Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the United States. As Chancellor, King and the SUNY Board of Trustees have established four pillars to guide SUNY's progress: student success; research and scholarship; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and economic development and upward mobility. Under Chancellor King’s leadership, SUNY has seen its largest operating aid increase in five decades, including double-digit percentage increases for every state-operated campus, the first operating aid increase for community colleges in nearly a decade, and dedicated recurring annual funding for expanding mental health services, services for students with disabilities, paid internships, and research, as well as addressing food insecurity. Before being appointed SUNY Chancellor, King served as president of The Education Trust, a national civil rights nonprofit, and Professor of the Practice at the University of Maryland College Park. Prior to this, Chancellor King served in President Barack Obama's cabinet as the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education. Upon tapping him to lead the U.S. Department of Education, President Obama called Chancellor King "an exceptionally talented educator," citing his commitment to "preparing every child for success," and his lifelong dedication to public education as a teacher, principal, and leader of schools and school systems. His service in Washington, D.C. followed Chancellor King's tenure as New York State's first African American and first Puerto Rican Education Commissioner, a role in which he oversaw all elementary and secondary schools, as well as public, independent, and proprietary colleges and universities, professional licensure, libraries, museums, and numerous other educational institutions. Chancellor King holds a Bachelor of Arts in government from Harvard University, a J.D. from Yale Law School, as well as both a Master of Arts in the teaching of social studies and a doctorate in education from Teachers College at Columbia University.
Bobbie Laur
President
Campus Compact
Bobbie Laur was named President of Campus Compact in January 2022. Campus Compact is the nation’s largest national organization dedicated to higher education civic and community engagement. Our mission is to advance the public purposes of colleges and universities by deepening their ability to improve community life and educate students for civic and social responsibility. Bobbie’s passion, research, and work have been grounded in the place-based mission of higher education and the necessity of developing mutually beneficial partnerships to address the needs for the communities and neighborhoods in which universities and colleges are located. Bobbie previously served as the Executive Director of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities and held several administrative responsibilities at her alma mater, Towson University, during her 15+ year tenure including serving as the Associate Vice President for Outreach. She is currently completing her Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Baltimore and holds a B.S. in Finance from Towson University.
George Luc
Co-Founder and CEO
GivePulse
George Luc is Co-Founder and CEO of GivePulse, a platform to match, track and assess all forms of community engagement activity (like service-learning, volunteerism, fundraising, philanthropy and public service). George is a TEDxAustin speaker, SXSW Dewey Honoree, and he and GivePulse have recently been honored for their work as White House Champions for Change. He believes the world will improve if volunteering, philanthropy and community engagement is social, beneficial and impactful. If you do too, he has an open invitation to partner together!
Erin McGrath
Director of the Office of Regional Operations
AmeriCorps
Erin McGrath is AmeriCorps’ inaugural Director of the Office of Regional Operations, leading more than 200 federal staff in administering the agency’s grants and awards. She previously served as the Deputy Director of AmeriCorps Seniors and NJ State Program Director. In 1998, as a student at Middlesex County College, Erin served her first of two AmeriCorps terms. Over the years, she gained a working knowledge of AmeriCorps’ programs by supervising AmeriCorps, VISTA, and Learn and Serve projects. She was the National Program Director at the Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation, focused on the expansion of service-based scholarships and community engagement on campuses nationwide. With a Master of Arts in Urban Affairs from the University of Delaware, she lives in Washington, D.C., but returns to New Jersey often--out of love for her nieces, nephew, and Springsteen.
Agnieszka Nance
Executive Director, Center for Public Service (CPS)
Tulane University
Agnieszka Nance is the Executive Director for the Center for Public Service (CPS) at Tulane. She joined Tulane University in 2005 as faculty in the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies. Currently at CPS, Agnieszka directs an office with over twenty employees to help ensure that Tulane fulfills its mission of public and community engagement. In 2004, Nance received her Ph.D. in Germanic Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Before moving to the United States, she lived and studied in Warsaw and Vienna, earning a Magister degree in Germanistik. Agnieszka serves as co-PI on several research and grant programs for the Center, ranging from AmeriCorps VISTA program to organizing institutes for young international leaders, participating in academic exchanges with national and international universities. Agnieszka Nance serves as the Treasurer and Board Member of the International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement as well as on the National Advisory Board for Public Service at Harvard College. She is also involved in the Place Based Justice Network, Campus Compact, and TRUCEN. On campus, she is the co-Chair of the campus-wide Coalition on Civic Engagement, member of Team Equity and the Leadership Educators Collective.
Elson Nash
Director, Division of School Choice and Improvement Program
US Department of Education
Elson B. Nash has worked in the education and non-profit fields for over 30 years. He started his career with the Carter Center’s first domestic initiative called the
Atlanta Project (TAP). After TAP Elson worked in various capacities in higher education at the local, state and national levels. Elson’s career as a funder began
at Ashoka-Innovators for the Public where he searched and selected social entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Canada. From Ashoka Elson went to the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) where he started as a program coordinator for Learn and Serve America. His tenure at CNCS ended after 10 years where he ultimately served as the Deputy Director of the White House Council for Community Solutions.
In July of 2012, Elson began as Team Lead for the Promise Neighborhoods and
Full-Service Community Schools programs at the U.S. Department of Education.
After serving as the Team Lead for nine years, Elson became Director of the
School Choice and Improvement Program Division in October of 2021. The
portfolio includes 7 programs with a budget of $450M.
Saul Peterson
Executive Director
EngageNJ
Dr. Saul Petersen has spent the past 10 years at the helm of Engage NJ, a higher education presidents’ coalition for civic engagement. Petersen is a proven force with fellow state leaders’ common agenda of supporting community prosperity for all its residents. Indeed, he has spent 25 years of professional life fighting to amplify the voice of the underrepresented. Having successfully designed and managed several multi-year, $2m+ grant and partner-funded programs, he has established campus-based student success pathways, 21st-century skill-building initiatives, an annual student civic engagement conference and opportunity fair, $1,000 service scholarship opportunities, and comprehensive resource centers which, taken together, are helping many thousands of New Jersey’s public and private college students of all backgrounds.
Gail Robinson
Director of Service-Learning
American Association of Community Colleges (retired)
Gail Robinson is a retired education consultant and writer. She spent 30 years working with college and university faculty, staff, administrators, and partners to develop service learning and community engagement programs across the U.S. and abroad. As the director of service learning for the American Association of Community Colleges, Ms. Robinson built a national network through federal Learn and Serve America grants from 1994 to 2012, providing training and advising to hundreds of institutions and organizations. She conducted research on community college service learning initiatives and authored numerous publications for AACC and other higher education associations.
Michael Smith
Chief Executive Officer
AmeriCorps
Michael D. Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of AmeriCorps—the federal agency for service and volunteering. CEO Smith has dedicated his career to social justice by reducing barriers and expanding opportunity for children and families in underserved communities, like those where he grew up. During his tenure at AmeriCorps, CEO Smith has sharpened the agency’s focus on equity, investing in what works and uniting communities through the power of service. Notably, CEO Smith has been appointed to senior leadership roles by two United States Presidents. President Joseph Biden nominated him for his current position in 2021; CEO Smith was confirmed by the United States Senate later that year. Previously, he served in President Barack Obama’s White House as special assistant to the president and senior director of cabinet affairs, overseeing the My Brother’s Keeper initiative and interagency task force. My Brother’s Keeper led to new federal policy initiatives and grant programs; tens of thousands of new mentors; more than 250 MBK communities; and more than $1 billion in private sector and philanthropic investments. Before taking the helm of AmeriCorps, CEO Smith served as executive director of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and director of Youth Opportunity Programs at the Obama Foundation. Additionally, in a previous role at AmeriCorps, CEO Smith served as director of the Social Innovation Fund. He also spent many years as a philanthropic leader, most recently serving as senior vice president of Social Innovation at the Case Foundation. A proud Massachusetts native, CEO Smith is a senior Atlantic fellow for racial equity and a member of Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s Alumni Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed by the organization. Prior to his appointments he served on the board of directors of Results for America, Venture Philanthropy Partners, Public Allies, Idealist.org and Philanthropy for Active and Civic Engagement.
Maureen Tracey-Mooney
Senior Advisor, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development
US Department of Education
Maureen Tracey-Mooney most recently served as Special Assistant to the President for Education at the White House Domestic Policy Council, and as Senior Advisor on the Biden-Harris transition. In these roles, she developed the American Rescue Plan's Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund provisions, in direct collaboration with Congress, and served as the President's policy lead for K-12 education, managing and driving the President's K-12 agenda for the White House across the Administration, in coordination with senior leadership at the Department. After serving serving on President Obama's primary and general election campaigns and the Obama-Biden transition, she served at the U.S. Department of Labor, and as then-Vice President Biden's Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor, working on education, labor and other issues. She has worked in local public education in Newark (NJ) and Brooklyn (NY). She is a graduate of the University of Chicago and Princeton University. Her life is possible because a generous friend gave her a kidney.
Kimora Williams
Class Tutor and Team Leader, Jumpstart
George Washington University
Kimora is a second-year student and Cisneros scholar at George Washington University. She is majoring in political science with a focus on public policy, as well as on the pre-law track. She aspires to make policy and work on the issues and prosperities minorities face in gaining access to education and resources, as well as socioeconomic circumstances. She is a team leader at Jumpstart, assisting children in their early education. My work at the schools around the D.C. area allows me to understand these prosperities and search for solutions.