The Mellon RPE program supports curriculum development that fosters nuanced understanding of the intersections of race, place, and equity. A series of Advising Seminars in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Architecture introduce first-year students at UVA to local, place-based histories and legacies that have shaped the University and Central Virginia. Three-credit courses featuring community partnerships and place-based, community-engaged teaching help build an outward looking, public-service university. Additionally, a series of short educational videos will highlight aspects of UVA’s historical racial legacy and current cultural landscape.

These courses and related programs are co-created with community partners from the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA, the Monacan Indian Nation, Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, and the Montpelier Descendants Committee. A foundational premise of the grant is that university faculty, staff, and students work with community partners in a reciprocal manner to further the equity-based missions of community groups, and provide UVA students with a variety of perspectives, expertise, and lived experiences. The aim is to help prepare students for a lifetime of community engagement and responsible citizenship.

Photo credit: Catherine Walden