PDF Press Release August 30 Harrisonburg Student Citizen Summit

Harrisonburg, VA, (August 12, 2010)-  Fairfield Center’s Harrisonburg Summits series continues with a evening focusing on creating connections between local college students and the community at the Harrisonburg Student-Citizen Summit.  The free event is scheduled from 3:30- 9:00 pm on Tuesday, September 21st, and will convene at Memorial Hall (Entrance B), the former Harrisonburg High school at James Madison University.

As with past Harrisonburg Summits, participants will create session topics based on their interests, ideas, and concerns. The breakout sessions will be held in the conjoining cafe and dining area.  Over 100 people and organizations are anticipated to participate.  All information and registration is available at www.harrisonburgsummits.com.

“We are excited to offer an opportunity for students and non-student community members to come talk about living together in Harrisonburg,” says Tim Ruebke, Fairfield’s executive director.  “This is a positive way to kick off the academic year and focus on strong working relationships,” adds Kai Degner, mayor of Harrisonburg and Fairfield’s Director of Business Services.

Purpose of the Event

The Summit has a number of stated objectives:

• To create stronger connections between residents, students, faculty, and school administrators in Harrisonburg.
• To meet and discuss issues related to working, living, learning, and serving in the same community.
• To connect attendees with local resources and networks that help them meet their goals
• To share best practices related to university- community relationships- what are other communities doing that is successful?
• To provide professional development opportunities for attendees
• To invigorate existing programs meant to strengthen these relationships, or begin new efforts

Sponsors

to date

Who Should Attend

• The People of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County
• Students, Faculty, Staff and Administration at
  • James Madison University
  • Eastern Mennonite University
  • Blue Ridge Commuity College
  • Bridgewater College
  • National College
  • and other educational institutions
• Community Leaders – Share your ideas, share your challenges, find resources
• Elected Officials - Hear from constituents, share knowledge, network with local leaders and students, help create synergies
• Business Leaders – Network with university students and leaders, share your expertise, find partnerships and customers, attend workshops of interest to you, find interns
• Workshop Presenters – Present a workshop in a 60-minute session, all attendees may present a workshop
• Subject/Topical Experts - Share your expertise, learn from others
• Media, Writers, and Bloggers - Find content and news

Approximate Agenda

• 3:00 Setup for Table Exhibitors
• 3:30 Arrival & Registration & Networking & Table Expo
• 4:00 Welcome and Opening
  Participants create breakout topics for sessions.
• Breakout Sessions
  Each session will have multiple options for small group conversations about specific topics.
  • 4:45 Session 1
  • 6:00 Session 2
  • 7:15 Session 3
• 8:30 Closing Session (Whole Group)
• 9:00 End of Summit

Logistics

• Parking – Parking will be allowed without a JMU parking permit for this event.
• Food – Food will at least be available for purchase at the event (subject to change pending sponsorship)

Event Sponsors

Use the ticket options to register as a sponsor. Sponsors take a leadership role in convening this important community conversation by allowing the event to be free for attendees. Sponsors are visibly thanked before, during, and after the summit.

Visionary Sponsors

Champion Sponsors

Leader Sponsors

Advocate Sponsors

Partner Organizations

The following organizations have registered as partners for this summit. Partners show their commitment and interest in the summit and its theme. It is also free to become a partner. They advertise the event to their networks as they see fit. Partners may be organizations or individuals. Partners are recognized at the event.

• Fairfield Center
• Eastern Mennonite University
  • Campus Ministries
• James Madison
  University
  • University Health Center
  • Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services
  • Judicial Affairs
    and Restorative Justice
  • Off- Campus Life
  • University Program Board
  • Substance Abuse Prevention
  • Dukes Helping Harrisonburg
  • Outreach &
    Engagement
  • Community Service-Learning
    
• Kline May Realty / Cottonwood |Commercial
• Harrisonburg- Rockingham Chamber of Commerce
• Backward Never Publishing
• WMRA / WEMC Radio
• Lundeen Associates, LLC
• Good Wealth Management
• Community Mennonite Church

Not listed? You must register above and check that you would like to be a Partner!

Additional Benefits and Outcomes:

1. Helps students to achieve a higher level of self-worth and a sense of accomplishment
2. Facilitates better communication within families and builds partnerships between families and schools
3. Contributes to a healthier home and school environment
4. Provides schools with an alternative method for reducing poor attendance
5. Provides a model of communication that is positive, respectful, and honest
6. Reducing truancy can help to prevent more serious problems like vandalism, drug abuse, and gang association.
7. Demonstrates that there are many solutions to a problem and allows individuals to look at problems as challenges
8. Breaks down misunderstandings and builds a sense of respect and openness among parties
9. Clarifies ways the solution could change and identifies steps for making changes
10. Acknowledged by educators and truancy officers as an effective tool

Contact Us

We can answer your questions and discuss how Truancy Mediation might apply to your situation.