Institute for Vibrant and Engaged Communities

Our Approach

At the Institute for Vibrant and Engaged Communities, we partner with communities to envision and create more vibrant, just, resilient, and sustainable places to live, work, learn, and play.

Our approach to partnership includes:

  • Building Capacity for Community Resilience
  • Fostering Community Engagement
  • Drawing Viewpoints from Diverse Perspectives
  • Centering the Experiences of Underserved Populations
  • Encouraging Meaningful Student Involvement

Our Focus

Our focus extends to the heart of community resilience, facilitating collaboration and fostering capacity of local governments and nonprofit organizations to address pressing issues such as affordable housing, childcare, and innovative responses to economic development. We place a special emphasis on rural areas, recognizing their unique needs and potential.

Join Us in Building Vibrant and Engaged Communities!

It’s no secret: people like to live in vibrant communities — resilient communities that can manage shocks and stressors to maintain, improve or transform their towns and cities.

Every community has a unique story and faces complex challenges — from housing shortages and economic struggles to infrastructure and environmental concerns. At the Institute for Vibrant and Engaged Communities, we’re committed to listening to those stories and working together to write the next chapter. Our mission is to help them achieve resilience and thrive.

Led by Candice Pippin Bodkin, Ph.D., and Jayce Sudweeks, Ph.D., assistant professors in the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies, the Institute brings cutting-edge research to your community and finds practical solutions to these challenges, making a tangible impact.

Did You Know?

Communities face shocks and stressors, like hurricanes, floods, or the opioid epidemic, that threaten their resilience and ability to maintain their community well-being. High-risk counties are those that are more vulnerable to shocks and stressors. Rural counties are more likely to be high-risk than urban counties, and 50 counties in Georgia were deemed high-risk. All but two counties in Georgia were deemed high or moderate risk. 

Overall, 34% of all counties in the Southeast U.S. were deemed high risk. 

This indicates a region-wide need to include consideration for high-risk populations in planning, mitigation and sustainability efforts to increase community resilience and well-being.

Discover our projects, engage with our initiatives and explore the possibilities of what we can achieve together for a brighter, more vibrant future.

Have Questions? Contact Us!

Institute for Vibrant and Engaged Communities
Carroll Building #2213
PO Box 8029
Statesboro, GA 30460

Candice Pippin Bodkin, Ph.D.
Jayce Sudweeks, Ph.D.
ivec@georgiasouthern.edu
912-478-0415