Presented by Oakland University
A team of faculty and center directors led a multidisciplinary effort to deliver a community-focused event on the COVID-19 vaccine. In particular, the Centers for Civic Engagement, Public Humanities, and Religious Understanding came together to host “”COVID-19 Vaccination: Access, Awareness, and Acceptance. The free-flowing panel discussion featured physicians, public health experts, a philosopher and a pastor. This best-practices session will feature several of those who planned the event (including the philosopher who also served as the panel moderator). We will discuss the genesis of the event, what we learned along the way in terms of what worked and what didn’t, how we approached decisions about the panelists, engaging our institution’s administration, engaging local press, creating a session that brought a neighboring community to the conversation, and other elements of creating and delivering a high-quality and informative event. The key takeaways for attendees will be focused on: Planning an event that receives campus and community attention. Engaging campus leadership to further the broader goals of community engagement as well as individual centers. Engaging diverse and underserved communities with important information. Creating a discussion that informs and engages not only the campus but surrounding communities. Tips for assembling a diverse panel of experts.