Confluence Collaborative for Community Engagement

The Confluence Collaborative for Community Engagement serves as an organizing platform and convening unit for community-engaged research, education, and practice across WashU, with St. Louis needs at the forefront.

Marquee accomplishments through 2025

Created the collaborative and hired its director

The Confluence Collaborative for Community Engagement, with Bettina Drake, PhD, MPH, serving as its inaugural faculty director, fosters a deep integration between academic work and community needs. Its work is not conducting the research or teaching the courses; instead, the collaborative is a support structure to ensure the individuals and groups engaging in these activities understand best practices, have the resources necessary, make the appropriate connections, and can sustain long-lasting partnerships with community entities.

Community-engaged research

The collaborative supports research initiatives that are co-designed and co-conducted with community partners. This approach ensures that research priorities are aligned with the needs and aspirations of the community.

Community-engaged education

Community-engaged education involves integrating real-world community issues into the curriculum. When done well, faculty and community partners collaborate to create course objectives and outcomes. Students participating in community-engaged projects and immersive experiences are able to connect classroom knowledge with community-based applications.

Community-engaged practice

The practice aspect of the collaborative focuses on actionable interventions and projects that address community needs. This includes building collaborative networks that support healthy communities, providing health clinics in underserved communities, and providing neighborhood public design support to improve the livability of urban areas.

Elevated community-engaged research 

Thanks to a generous gift from a WashU donor, the William H. Danforth St. Louis Confluence Award was created in 2022 to elevate and recognize WashU faculty members who leverage community-engaged research methods to create significant impact in the St. Louis region. This award and the annual spring event became a catalyst for amplifying and celebrating community-engaged researchers and their community partners. 

Incentivized community-engaged research

Grants and select collaborative seed funding opportunities support interdisciplinary research activities across disciplines, departments, and schools. These grants from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research are designed to provide initial funding and assistance for interdisciplinary research of the highest caliber in alignment with the larger strategic plan.

In FY24-25