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West Virginia University Center for Resilient Communities

Symposium

Let's Grow Together - Spring 2026 Symposium

Welcome to the 2026 CRC Community Research Symposium Series! 

The 2026 CRC Symposium “Let’s Grow Together” brings students, scholars, and community partners into a shared space to celebrate the transformative power of community engaged research. Each year, the symposium highlights long-term project partnerships that have grown through university–community collaboration and creates opportunities for new conversations, friendships and ideas to take root. In doing so, the togetherness at the symposium reminds us that resilient communities are cultivated through meaningful relationships, shared knowledge, and collective action. 

Thursday & Friday, April 23rd & 24th


Spring Symposium Celebration: Honoring Community and Collaboration

The CRC invites you to join a special Thursday evening celebration as part of the Spring 2026 Symposium: Let's Grow Together. The evening will begin with an open house and networking hour at the CRC, offering time to connect with community partners, researchers, students, and friends. We will then gather for a recognition and awards ceremony to celebrate the individuals and organizations whose work continues to strengthen our communities.  The evening will conclude with a creative performance, The Story of the Friends of Deckers Creek, an artistic collaboration between Eddie “Spaghetti” Maier and Friends of Deckers Creek. Through storytelling and performance, this piece reflects on the history, challenges, and collective efforts to care for Deckers Creek, highlighting the power of community action and long-term stewardship. This celebration is an opportunity to come together, reflect on shared work, and honor the relationships that make community-engaged research and action possible.

Time: Thursday, April 23rd: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Location: 309 Brooks Hall, Center for Resilient Communities

Event Details:

  • 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Open House and Networking at CRC
  • 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Recognition, Awards, Ceremony, and Celebration
  • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - The Story of Friends of Deckers Creek - Artistic performance by Eddie "Spaghetti" Maier in collaboration with Friends of Deckers Creek

Undergraduate Student 2026 Resilient Communities Internship Research Symposium

Our symposium day kicks off with the Spring 2026 Resilient Communities Internship Research Symposium, where 11 exceptional undergraduate students will present the results of their action research in collaboration with community-based organizations across the state of West Virginia. These students, as part of the seventh annual internship cohort, have been working alongside community partners in the areas of community economies, food justice, and environmental justice to address real-world challenges, and this event offers an exciting opportunity to learn from their groundbreaking work and reflect on how we can collectively contribute to transformative social change. 

Time: Friday, April 24th: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

Location: 325 Brooks Hall 

Event Details:

  • 9:00 am - 10:00 am - Plenary Lecture
  • 10:15 am - 10:45 am - Making A Home: Place and Belonging Research Team
    • The Place and Belonging team will present on housing challenges and their survey with WVU students to better understand how cultural life, wellbeing, and community connections shape experiences of home in Appalachia and here to stay 
  • 11:00 am - 11:30 am - Diverse Economies: Livelihoods and Grassroots Development Research Team
    • The Livelihoods and Grassroots Development team presents on cooperative enterprises and grassroots economic initiatives while supporting emerging solidarity economy networks and community-led development efforts across West Virginia.
  • 11:10 am - 11:40 am - Streams of Solidarity: Climate and Environmental Justice Research Team
    • The Climate and Environmental Justice team presents research with community partners to map water quality and flooding challenges in West Virginia while strengthening conversations around environmental governance and resilience in West Virginia.
  • 11:50 am - 12:20 pm - Nourishing Futures: Food Justice, Rights and Sovereignty Research Team
    • The Nourishing Futures team expanded research and partnerships addressing food insecurity by mapping food system resources, developing county assessments in Clay and Marion Counties, and advancing policy dialogue on equitable food access.
  • 12:20 pm - 1:20 pm - Lu nch Break
  • 1:20 pm - 1:50 pm - Farm to School: Transforming School Meals Research Team
    • The Transforming School Meals team conducted statewide research on Farm to School initiatives and is developing tools and case studies to help Fayette County schools strengthen local food procurement and support regional agricultural economies.
  • 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm - Vibrant Transformations: Cultivating Youth Resilience Leaders Research Team
    • The Cultivating Youth Resilience Leaders team is building a statewide youth leadership initiative by researching leadership programs, forming partnerships with educators, and preparing a Youth Resilience Summit for young community leaders.
  • 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm - Closing Reflections