The International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) celebrated its triumphant return to an in-person annual conference on June 6-8, 2022. Clemson University and the City of Clemson, South Carolina, partnered with the ITGA to provide host services and showcase their vibrant community to eager first-timers and seasoned conference attendees alike.
More than 260 professionals from across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom attended the gathering at Clemson, home to ITGA. “Attendees had an appetite for networking with colleagues and meeting new conference registrants,” said Beth Bagwell, ITGA executive director. “They all came to Clemson to enjoy interactive sessions, strategies for addressing town-gown challenges, and explore the many amenities in Clemson’s downtown and on the University’s campus.”
Many chose the ITGA conference for the opportunity to meet others who shared their passion for improving town-gown relations. Included in this year’s conference group were “city administrators, council members, law enforcement, department directors, deans, professors, students, university presidents and vice presidents, CEOs and executive directors,” according to Britany Waddell, ITGA president and assistant planning director for the City of Raleigh, North Carolina. The conference attendees represented 10 nonprofits, 26 private sector organizations, 76 cities, towns and boroughs, and 150 universities and colleges.
ITGA had not been able to hold an in-person conference since 2019, due to the COVID pandemic. Conferences for the past two years were orchestrated via Zoom.
Sharing Best Practices
With 40 different sessions under four themes, attendees had a wide variety of topics to explore. First-time attendee Nick Hilton, from the University of Arizona, was impressed with the scope of offerings and friendly camaraderie. “As a recent university hire, I found the ITGA conference to be an invaluable experience that opened my eyes and broadened my perspective. I am leaving this conference empowered and well-connected to new friends and resources, he said.”
Other first timers expressed similar sentiments about the high level of engagement. “My first ITGA conference was truly one of my favorite experiences in nearly 30 years of attending higher education conferences because of the warm and welcoming culture of mentorship, relationship building and idea sharing,” said Vanessa Holford Diana, professor of English at Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts.
Home base for the sessions was the Hendrix Center at Clemson University. Conference highlights included opening remarks by City of Clemson Mayor Robert Halfacre followed by a keynote by Lior Rennert, Ph.D., Department of Public Health Sciences, who shared details of the Clemson University COVID response at the conference’s first full day. Keynotes from Clemson University for the Tuesday and Wednesday sessions were by Dr. Tia N. Dumas, Ph.D., Office of the Provost, speaking on her work in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA), and Scott Baier, PhD., who focused on economics and the current cost of living. Closing the conference on an energetic high note was Jim P. Clements, Ph.D., the 15th president of Clemson University.
Tuesday’s lunch and business meeting provided the platform for announcing the 2022 ITGA Presidential Excellence Award winners. The two recipients selected were:
· Healthy Davis Together, a joint project between UC Davis and Davis, California, and
· The University of Alabama’s Home First program.
Communications Committee Co-chairs, Alison McCullick, University of Georgia, and Joan Dickinson, Stony Brook University presented member activity on the inaugural International Campus and Community Day, which took place on April 13, 2022, and the framework for the social media contest, encouraging participants to continue posting to Twitter and Instagram using #campusandcommunity. In addition, conference attendees were invited to review the newly redesigned ITGA website.
Clemson Welcomes All
The city and the University rolled out the welcome mat as hosts for several events in the evenings, such as networking and cocktails at Kite Hill Brewing Company, a reception at the Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center at the Snow Complex, and “On the Avenue” summer series downtown with live entertainment, games and dining. “Attendees love networking! This is something we hear from members throughout the year,” said ITGA assistant director Susan Stafford. “This year’s events allowed many to catch up with familiar colleagues and extend a heartfelt welcome to the new attendees in this warm and welcoming atmosphere,” she said. Conference registrants were given $50 in Tiger Bucks to spend at participating merchants, giving all the experience of shopping and dining in the area.
One unique feature of the conference were the free Clemson Tours, each offering a powerful perspective on campus history. Options included:
· “Call My Name,” which acknowledges and highlights the African America history of the Clemson campus, a public land-grant research institution founded in 1889;
· The Wilbur O. & Ann Powers College of Business, which opened in fall 2020 and features cutting edge technology and collaborative spaces for students and members of the business community; and
· the Military History tour, which dates back to the school’s beginning and presents respectful and dignified spaces such as the Military Heritage Plaza and Scroll of Honor.
Noting her “grateful and fulfilled heart,” Bagwell thanked the City of Clemson and Clemson University for working tirelessly to ensure that all attendees experienced first-hand why Clemson is such a special place to live, work and play – and study. As the conference moved toward its conclusion, incoming ITGA President Steve Patterson, mayor of Athens, Ohio, announced plans already underway for 2023. “We are thrilled to invite you to join us next year at the annual ITGA Conference with hosts Colorado State University and Fort Collins, Colorado,” he said to cheers and robust applause. Conference dates and a call for proposals will be shared in the coming months. For a look at past conferences and other membership benefits, visit the ITGAwebsite.
#####