ODU, City of Norfolk to Host Neighbors Building Neighborhoods Conference June 23
June 13, 2018
Paul Olsen
By Noell Saunders
Old Dominion University and the City of Norfolk are hosting the third annual Neighbors Building Neighborhoods Conference, which will promote a discussion about how community members can strengthen their neighborhoods.
The conference, with the theme "Summer of the Service Member," will be held at ODU's Webb Center Saturday, June 23. For more information or to register, visit the event's website. Neighbors Building Neighborhoods is an opportunity for residents to gain knowledge to help their neighborhoods, all while having fun. It is open to the public.
Paul Olsen, director of programs and partnerships for the University's Office of Research, will serve as the event's plenary speaker. Olsen will discuss lessons on neighborhood leadership from the military.
Olsen, who came to Old Dominion in late 2015 as the University's director of federal, commonwealth and municipal programs and partnerships, spent 28 years with the Army Corps of Engineers. Originally from Milwaukee, Olsen worked around the world, including multiple wartime deployments. He was Norfolk District Commander with the Army Corps of Engineers from 2011 to 2015.
At Old Dominion, Olsen is responsible for translating the University's world-renowned research in sea level rise and the collaborations formed through projects such as the White House Sea Level Rise Pilot Project - led by the University - into policy.
Breakout sessions will be from 10 a.m. to noon for adults and youth. At 12:30 p.m., a service member will present awards to community leaders in the following categories: neighborhood champion, unsung hero, best neighborhood partner, youth civic participation, best overall neighborhood and exemplary employee.
All participants who register will also be entered into a drawing for a Kindle. The winner will be announced at the awards luncheon.
Free parking is available in the 49th Street stadium garage, which is across the street from Webb Center.
