This Community Scholars symposium offers exposure to developing, pitching, and sustaining innovative project ideas that utilize community-academic partnerships.

Participants will:

1. Gain insights into the approaches of developing and sustaining successful community academic partnerships.

2. Learn from grantmakers, community organizations, and researchers effective strategies to advance ideas.

3. Observe a Shark Tank style pitch session where Community Scholars pitch ideas and receive feedback from a panel of funders and experts.

This symposium is part of the Community Scholars Program, a program of the Center for Public Health Initiatives and Penn Injury Science Center, primarily supported by the University of Pennsylvania's Office of the Provost. As part of the symposium, Community Scholars will pitch their ideas for evidence-based interventions that improve health outcomes. Pitches will be judged by a panel of local funders.

Keynote Speaker: Giridhar Mallya, MD, MSHP

Senior Policy Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Featured panelists include:

Victoria Cargill, MD, MSCE - National Institutes of Health

Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH - Penn Prevention Research Center

Heather Major - IBC Foundation Programs

Laura McKenna - The Patricia Kind Family Foundation

Joe Pyle, MA - Scattergood Foundation

Alex Trouteaud, PhD - Arnold Ventures

Doug Weibe, PhD - Penn Injury Science Center

2018-2019 Community Scholars:

Kiera Kenney - African Family Health Organization

Julia Quintavalle - Delaware Valley Fairness Project

Cheryl Seay - Jarell Christopher Seay Love and Laughter Foundation

Latesha Sims - Lenfest Center

Gwen Soffer & Christina Kubica - Nationalities Service Center

Lynette Medley - No More Secrets: Mind Body Spirit Inc.

Cesar Mantilla - Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services

Kayla Madden & Kaelee Shephard - Prevention Point Philadelphia

Yvonne McLean Florence - Sisters R Us Circle of Survivors

Mark Harrell - Southwest Community Development Corporation