Building Relationships for Social Change

Build It, the University of Richmond’s largest civic-engagement initiative, develops long-term reciprocal community partnerships that create experiential-learning opportunities for students while helping to fulfill unmet needs in the community. Build It also serves to connect students, staff, and faculty to each other and the residents of metropolitan Richmond through ongoing service and educational programs.

Build It activities are coordinated by the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) in conjunction with two important groups: the student Action Group (selected through a competitive application process) and the Advisory Group comprising University faculty and staff and representatives from the Build It community-partner agencies. These committees work together to develop and implement service opportunities and programs that can deepen participants’ engagement with both academic work and their community. Although University of Richmond students currently make up the majority of Build It volunteers, every member of the University community is invited to participate in ongoing service activities, educational programs, or the short-term community projects that take place each year. The University has demonstrated its support for staff involvement by offering individuals the opportunity to participate in Build It programs for up to eight hours annually during their regular paid work day.

Community Partners

The current Build It partner community is the North Side of the city of Richmond, including Highland Park and nearby neighborhoods. With its historical and cultural richness, recent economic and educational revitalization, and active local citizens and organizations, this area is an excellent fit for the Build It initiative. The University of Richmond, through the Build It initiative, has committed to work in this area over a multi-year period. Community partner agencies include Overby-Sheppard Elementary School, Chandler Middle School, the Hotchkiss Community Center, Reach Out and Read Virginia, Boaz and Ruth, the Highland Park Youth Life Foundation Learning Center, and the William Byrd Community House through its Street Law initiative in Highland Park and its "Visioning Success" career-exploration program for teens and young adults. In addition, the University often partners with Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity on special projects in Highland Park and other Richmond neighborhoods.

To learn more about the Build It community-engagement initiative, please explore our Web site or call the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at 484-1600. Build It also welcomes your ideas for how we can continue to improve and enrich this initiative.

Highland Park House Build

During the 2008 spring semester, members of the University community participated in an affordable house build in Highland Park. The University partnered with three nonprofit organizations--Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity, and Boaz and Ruth--to make this house build a reality. Approximately 275 volunteers gleaned from the ranks of students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends from all five schools at the University contributed more than 2,200 hours to the build. The Bonner Center for Civic Engagement offered several educational programs on affordable housing and credit challenges facing the working poor that related to the house build.

On April 19, 2008, representatives from the University and the three partner organizations dedicated the home at 1205 Highland View Avenue in a fitting kick-off to the city's first Affordable Housing Awareness Week, April 20-26. Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity named the University its 2008 Programming Partner of the Year at an awards luncheon on June 5, 2008.

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