Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) at Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University thoughtfully combines meaningful community service with structured learning and reflection to enhance our students’ overall learning experience. It strengthens foundational science knowledge, clinical skills and problem-solving skills in the context of real-world experience.
CEL began as a pilot program in 2015 with 60 student volunteers and the following year became part of the MD curriculum. Since then, the Community-Engaged Learning program has increased tenfold to 600 MD students, 160 Physician Assistant students, and 45 Medical Master’s students actively engaging in 19 initiatives.
Community-Engaged Learning programs give Brock Virginia Health Sciences students opportunities to make a tangible difference by addressing Hampton Roads' priority health needs.
Learn more about the program's history and how you can get involved.
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Community-Engaged Learning
Integrating meaningful community service with structured learning to strengthen the knowledge and skills of our students.
Community-Engaged Learning
Our Pathways
There are people in every region of our nation who have difficulty accessing health care. Achieving health equity also requires addressing social determinants of health and health disparities. Initiatives in this pathway focus on providing a fair and just opportunity to attain healthcare, especially for those who do not have ready access to due to various barriers they face.
- Environmental Health: Students research potential environmental sources of illness, such as harmful agents in air, water, food and soil, and propose solutions.
- HOPES Student-Run Free Clinic: Students work in various capacities at this free clinic run by students.
- Mothers and Baby Mermaids: Students become navigators with young mothers to help them journey through the pregnancy experience.
- Street Health: Students work with Norfolk's Office to End Homelessness to find and conduct initial health screening for the community's unsheltered homeless population.
- SPARK Diabetes: In UNITED, Medical and Health Professions students will have the opportunity to participate in a longitudinal clinical programs that aims to improve access to diabetes-related education and care in the Western Tidewater region.
Older adults represent a rapidly growing demographic in Eastern Virginia. Initiatives in this pathway focus on older adults, the chronically ill, or disabled individuals.
- Beyond Clinic Walls: Students work with Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia and visit older residents, identifying and responding to their needs.
- Palliative Medicine: Students explore the role of interdisciplinary teams in the treatment of hospice patients and Advance Care Planning procedures.
Initiatives in this pathway are aimed primarily at training and first-response actions that are necessary in case of cardiac arrest, stroke and other healthcare emergencies.
- Bystander CPR: Students research our region's difficulties surrounding cardiac arrest and teach Bystander CPR classes in the community.
- Community Stroke Awareness: Students research the regional challenges and teach Stroke Awareness and Response in the community, primarily in geriatric settings.
- Emergency Medical Services: (EMS): Medical and Health Professions students will develop an understanding and skillset to care for patients in the prehospital setting.
There are people in every region of our nation who have difficulty accessing health care. Achieving health equity also requires addressing social determinants of health and health disparities. Initiatives in this pathway focus on providing a fair and just opportunity to attain healthcare, especially for those who do not have ready access to due to various barriers they face.
- Environmental Health: Students research potential environmental sources of illness, such as harmful agents in air, water, food and soil, and propose solutions.
- HOPES Student-Run Free Clinic: Students work in various capacities at this free clinic run by students.
- Mothers and Baby Mermaids: Students become navigators with young mothers to help them journey through the pregnancy experience.
- Street Health: Students work with Norfolk's Office to End Homelessness to find and conduct initial health screening for the community's unsheltered homeless population.
- SPARK Diabetes: In UNITED, Medical and Health Professions students will have the opportunity to participate in a longitudinal clinical programs that aims to improve access to diabetes-related education and care in the Western Tidewater region.
Older adults represent a rapidly growing demographic in Eastern Virginia. Initiatives in this pathway focus on older adults, the chronically ill, or disabled individuals.
- Beyond Clinic Walls: Students work with Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia and visit older residents, identifying and responding to their needs.
- Palliative Medicine: Students explore the role of interdisciplinary teams in the treatment of hospice patients and Advance Care Planning procedures.
Initiatives in this pathway are aimed primarily at training and first-response actions that are necessary in case of cardiac arrest, stroke and other healthcare emergencies.
- Bystander CPR: Students research our region's difficulties surrounding cardiac arrest and teach Bystander CPR classes in the community.
- Community Stroke Awareness: Students research the regional challenges and teach Stroke Awareness and Response in the community, primarily in geriatric settings.
- Emergency Medical Services: (EMS): Medical and Health Professions students will develop an understanding and skillset to care for patients in the prehospital setting.
Our community is increasingly diverse and more so from the presence of global organizations, immigration, and refugee placement here in Hampton Roads. This presents unique health disparities and inequities due to language or other barriers for this population and this pathway looks at these local health disparities from a global perspective.
- Medical Spanish: Students work with Spanish-speaking patients and earn a Spanish Bilingual Clinician Certification.
- Refugee Health: Students partner with local resettlement agencies to improve the health of refugees and health-related systems they experience.
Through our community-driven data-informed approach, several mental health-related issues in our community, including widespread depression, challenges with incarceration reentry, drug abuse, etc. for both the individuals affected and their families were highlighted as leading problems.
- Beat of My Heart: Students lead music and dance enrichment sessions for patients at the CHKD Cancer and Blood Disorders Center to facilitate human and social connection.
- Health and Justice: Students will learn about the various pathways from criminal justice involvement and the different healthcare services available through pre- and post-release.
- Medical Educators of Sexual Health (MESH): Trained Medical and Health Professions students deliver comprehensive and developmentally appropriate sexual health education to 13-17 year olds in Hampton Roads.
Hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are three prevalent issues in our region. Initiatives in this service pathway focus on nutrition and exercise to tackle sedentary lifestyles and promote healthy living.
- Adaptive Gymastics: Provides adolescents with special physical, developmental and neurological needs with an opportunity to take part in a weekly gymnastics class.
- Choosing Healthy Options for Wellness (CHOW): Students teach nutritious eating and exercise.
- LIFT: Students work with homeless clients over 30-, 60- and 90-day periods teaching nutrition, exercise and life skills.
Our community is increasingly diverse and more so from the presence of global organizations, immigration, and refugee placement here in Hampton Roads. This presents unique health disparities and inequities due to language or other barriers for this population and this pathway looks at these local health disparities from a global perspective.
- Medical Spanish: Students work with Spanish-speaking patients and earn a Spanish Bilingual Clinician Certification.
- Refugee Health: Students partner with local resettlement agencies to improve the health of refugees and health-related systems they experience.
Through our community-driven data-informed approach, several mental health-related issues in our community, including widespread depression, challenges with incarceration reentry, drug abuse, etc. for both the individuals affected and their families were highlighted as leading problems.
- Beat of My Heart: Students lead music and dance enrichment sessions for patients at the CHKD Cancer and Blood Disorders Center to facilitate human and social connection.
- Health and Justice: Students will learn about the various pathways from criminal justice involvement and the different healthcare services available through pre- and post-release.
- Medical Educators of Sexual Health (MESH): Trained Medical and Health Professions students deliver comprehensive and developmentally appropriate sexual health education to 13-17 year olds in Hampton Roads.
Hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are three prevalent issues in our region. Initiatives in this service pathway focus on nutrition and exercise to tackle sedentary lifestyles and promote healthy living.
- Adaptive Gymastics: Provides adolescents with special physical, developmental and neurological needs with an opportunity to take part in a weekly gymnastics class.
- Choosing Healthy Options for Wellness (CHOW): Students teach nutritious eating and exercise.
- LIFT: Students work with homeless clients over 30-, 60- and 90-day periods teaching nutrition, exercise and life skills.
Student life
Faculty-student relationship
Our faculty are committed to student excellence. Our third-year students meet one-on-one with our vice dean to receive career guidance.
Wellness program
Our student and physician wellness program promotes resilience in our graduates throughout their medical careers.
Care-based teaching
We value practical application in teaching; our lessons are placed in the context of real-world practice at every opportunity.
Graduation rates
Nearly 9 out of 10 of our medical students graduate on time in four years.
Meet our staff
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Maryanne Gathambo, Ph.D.
Maryanne Gathambo serves as the director of Community-Engaged Learning. Maryanne is a graduate of the joint EVMS/ODU MPH program and currently pursuing her PhD in Organizational Leadership. She hopes this will bring to a pinnacle all her experiences and her love for academia and research in her dissertation on cultural humility in community engagement.
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Alena Stewart, Ph.D.
Alena Stewart joined the Community-Engaged Learning team over a year ago and was instrumental in setting up the newly acquired and renovated CEL warehouse that stores the equipment and supplies for all the 19 Initiatives within CEL. Alena also maintains EVMS Engage platforms as CEL continues to build systems and structure to make sure all our community engagement activities are fulfilled.
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Emily Terifay, MLIS
Emily Terifay serves as the Programs Outreach Coordinator for the Community Engaged Learning Department. After completing her Bachelor’s in Business Administration Management from Old Dominion University, she pursued her Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) at Clarion University. She excels at research and is proficient in literary reviews.
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Chrisney Pettit, MPH
Chrisney Pettit has served in various customer service and training roles that have ignited her passion for serving others and advocating for those who may need more resources to succeed. She graduated from The College of William & Mary with a degree in Psychology and Health Sciences, and currently continuing her education at ODU’s Master of Public Health program. With her MPH and through her service to Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University and the HOPES Free Clinic, she intends to continue serving others and promoting the education and well-being of her community members.
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