A feature in the International Town-Gown Association (ITGA) newsletter has sparked a flourishing partnership between George Mason University and the University of Florida, proving that a single connection can lead to powerful, community-building outcomes.
The collaboration began in 2022 after a spotlight on George Mason’s celebrated Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations caught the eye of community relations leaders at the University of Florida (UF). At the time, Traci Kendall, George Mason’s Executive Director of Community and Local Government Relations, was exploring new strategies to communicate the university’s positive impact to the wider community of local governments, businesses, non-profits, and residents.
Simultaneously, Susan Crowley, then the Assistant Vice President for Community Relations at the University of Florida, was seeking to establish a formal initiative to recognize her institution’s own successful town-gown partnerships. A timely email exchange following the ITGA feature led to a collegial sharing of best practices. Kendall shared lessons learned from managing the Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations program, and Crowley shared insights regarding the UF in the Community newsletter. Inspired by the discussion, Kendall moved forward with creating a dynamic, community-focused newsletter for George Mason. At the same time, the team at the UF, under the leadership of Karen Thomas, Director of Community Relations, launched its own prestigious awards program.
This new initiative, the Win Phillips Town-Gown Relations Award, has been instrumental in advancing UF’s community relations efforts by fostering deeper connections and building lasting goodwill.
“The program has enriched our understanding of the university’s community footprint and allowed us to spotlight these efforts in powerful ways, sharing their stories with our Board of Trustees, across campus, and throughout the community,” Thomas said.
The awards have also captured the attention of local media, amplifying the university’s message of collaboration. Thomas reflected, “The local media coverage further amplifies our reach and reinforces the message that strong, collaborative relationships between the university and the community are not only valuable, but they are also vital.”
Likewise, the Community Connections newsletter has yielded positive dividends for George Mason’s community relations engagement efforts. “The newsletter has allowed us to inform the community about the impact of having a world-class research university as a neighbor and partner,” Kendall stated.
Kendall’s team utilizes storytelling to amplify the university’s impact by emphasizing students performing community service, research that addresses issues important to the local community, students applying their classroom knowledge to help community members, and alumni positively impacting the community.
Kendall asserts, “Community Connections shows that George Mason not only produces graduates, but we’re also a vital community resource.”
Brought together by their ITGA connection, these town-gown professionals demonstrate the incredible value of sharing knowledge across institutions. Their story is a testament to how collaboration can inspire innovation and enhance the vital relationship between universities and the communities they serve.
-by Roddena I. Kirksey