Division of Community Engagement

OPEN MINDS is funded by a grant from the Division of Community Engagement at Virginia Commonwealth University, which awards funds to encourage and increase university engagement with the greater Richmond community.

All OPEN MINDS courses are designated service learning through the Division of Community Engagement. Service Learning at Virginia Commonwealth University is a course-based, credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets community-identified needs, in this, college education for the incarcerated. Students reflect on the service activity to increase understanding and application of course content and to enhance a sense of civic responsibility. 
Learn more about service learning»

community engagement - teaching

Photo by Allen Jones

Residents of the city jail receive continuing education units for their work through the Office of Continuing Studies. The Office of Continuing Studies is an incubator of new off-campus, for-credit initiatives. Many of VCU’s Continuing Studies courses are offered in response to expressed need from community groups while others develop from the creative ideas of university faculty and staff members. 
Learn more about the Office of Continuing Studies»