The Center for Economic and Community Engagement held its first advisory board meeting on Monday. The meeting was attended by CECE staff and members from the center’s advisory board, which is composed of university and community leaders from across the state. A full list of the advisory board members can be viewed here.

The meeting included a review of the center’s mission, highlights from the 2020-21 annual report, discussion of the advisory board’s roles, and current and future projects.

The center’s projects are focused on four main areas: promoting equitable development; advancing innovative and resilient economies; enhancing effectiveness and opportunities; and supporting people- and place-based development.

Future projects include the Build Back Better – Future Truck project, a $500,000 planning grant related to transformational regional change regarding transportation and logistics, and the Northern Neck Electric Cooperative Impact Study, which will look at what the Electric Cooperative’s impact has been since 1930.

“We see our work as part of the university’s ability to impact positive change in communities everywhere. Virginia Tech’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), informs the work we do; we want to make service a key part of our ‘what’ and ‘why.’ What has come into focus with the Vibrant Virginia project, for example, is we are uniquely situated to help tackle and identify challenges and solutions in the very stark urban-rural divide across Virginia,” Director John Provo said.

The center will be hosting upcoming events in the spring, including a campus community showcase and several Vibrant Virginia community conversations in different regions across the state.

Written by Julia Kell

Picture of John Provo presenting at CECE Advisory Board Meeting.
John Provo, the director of the Center for Economic and Community Engagement, presents at CECE’s first advisory board meeting.