The 2026 Community Engaged Scholarship Forum will be held March 3 at William Pitt Union.

This year’s theme, “Community-Centered Futures,” explores the systematic relationship between how we intentionally plan for economies, organizations and neighborhoods that move regional development forward for the benefit of our communities.

The 2026 forum builds on the keynote conversations of the previous two years on the “Vital Conditions Framework” and “Investing in Community Assets” toward additional pathways of economic opportunity.

The annual Community Engaged Scholarship Forum provides an opportunity for faculty, students, staff and community members to present their community-engaged work, discover new avenues of partnership, network with those who do similar work and celebrate Pitt's commitment to community engagement.

Justin Heck, senior director of research & data production at Opportunity@Work, will give the keynote address. His research portfolio examines how workers navigate employment opportunities and identifies systematic approaches to improve economic outcomes across the workforce spectrum.

Find more information and a link to register on the Community Engaged Scholarship Forum website.