Deepening and strengthening Washington University’s partnerships and impact in the St. Louis region is a top institutional priority, as evidenced during Chancellor Andrew D. Martin’s inauguration in 2019 and in the “Here and Next” strategic plan. The new St. Louis Confluence Collaborative for Community-Engaged Research, Teaching and Practice is part of the plan in action.
Housed within the Office of the Provost, the collaborative will serve as an organizing platform and convening unit for community-engaged research, teaching and practice across WashU, with St. Louis needs at the forefront.
“We’re focused on impact,” Provost Beverly Wendland said. “We want to make WashU the leading model for how a university can partner with local communities to solve pressing problems. Through intentional, sustainable partnerships, we believe WashU can contribute to an equitable, vibrant future for our region.
“The new Confluence Collaborative is foundational to these aspirations. We also understand our local efforts aren’t at the expense of our global portfolio. Initiatives we advance abroad can enhance our work at home, and our international reputation can grow by what we accomplish as WashU in and for St. Louis.”
A committee comprised of WashU faculty and staff, along with key community partners, is now working to identify the collaborative’s inaugural faculty executive director. The committee’s inclusion of members from outside campus reflects the collaborative’s goal of ensuring an equitable partner-based model of community engagement in and for St. Louis.