Workshop 2: Co-Creating Reciprocal and Transformative Community-Campus Partnerships (3/27/26)

Workshop 2: Co-Creating Reciprocal and Transformative Community-Campus Partnerships

Workshop Overview:

High-quality community–campus partnerships are essential to advancing meaningful, long-term regional impact. This two-part workshop is designed for faculty, community partners, and students seeking to strengthen partnership practice along a continuum—from transactional interactions to reciprocal and transformative collaborations. Participants will explore practical frameworks for partnership quality, shared power, and assessment while elevating diverse stakeholder voices and defining community outcomes. Through applied learning and reflection, teams will gain tools to document impact, support continuous improvement, and communicate outcomes that demonstrate shared value for campuses, communities, and the region.

Part 1: Conceptualizing Reciprocal and Transformative Community-Campus Partnerships

8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Session Abstract:

This interactive session invites participants to examine what distinguishes transactional partnerships from truly reciprocal and transformative community–campus collaborations. Centering on shared power, mutual benefit, and regional impact, participants will use tools such as the SOFAR framework (Students, Organizations, Faculty, Administrators, Residents) and the Partnership Continuum to map stakeholders, elevate diverse voices, and identify evidence that captures the depth and outcomes of partnership work.

Participants will:

• Explore the continuum of partnership quality and pathways to deeper reciprocity

• Identify characteristics of high-quality, transformative partnerships

• Apply SOFAR and partnership continuum frameworks to partnership assessment

• Examine how partnership practices contribute to regional impact

• Reflect on current and potential cross-campus and community collaborations

Lunch 11:30 AM–12:30 PM

Part 2: Assessing and Communicating the Outcomes of our Partnership Work

12:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Session Abstract:

This interactive, reflective session centers on how assessment and storytelling can strengthen partnership practice and communicate impact. Participants will explore practical tools for collecting and sharing data that support learning, accountability, and meaningful dialogue with institutional leaders and community partners. Through guided discussion and applied activities, participants will consider what defines “the region,” reflect on ongoing regional work, and identify opportunities for collaboration across campus and community contexts. The session highlights the importance of elevating partner and student voices as part of a shared culture of celebration, learning, and outcomes.

Participants will:

• Explore practical strategies for collecting qualitative and quantitative data that assess partnership outcomes

• Identify indicators of reciprocity and mutual benefit that can be meaningfully assessed across campus–community partnerships

• Practice translating assessment findings into compelling narratives that elevate partner and student voices and resonate with multiple audience

• Examine reporting approaches that support learning, accountability, and meaningful dialogue with institutional leaders and community partners

• Develop a draft communication or reporting strategy that integrates data, reflection, and story