Community voices lead the way: CTSI’s Research Day focuses on rural health needs

READING, Pa. — Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), in collaboration with Penn State Berks, hosted the 2025 Berks County Community-Driven Research Day at the Penn State Berks campus. More than 90 people took part in the event, creating a vibrant space for connection and conversation. The program showcased community voices and academic research coming together to tackle some of the most urgent health challenges in Berks County.

Guided by the theme “Fostering Meaningful Collaboration,” the organizers set out to make the event be more than just a symposium, but rather a lively meeting ground for connection and shared purpose. Community voices took center stage, with 54 leaders representing 38 unique organizations across Berks County. They were joined by 40 Penn State researchers and faculty from the Berks, University Park, Harrisburg, and Hershey campuses, each bringing distinct expertise and a commitment to addressing real-world health challenges.  

“Community-Driven Research Day in Berks County was an amazing opportunity to strengthen relationships between Penn State researchers and local organizations, foster new collaborations, and advance efforts to improve health outcomes across the region,” observed Miriam Miller, Penn State CTSI’s community engagement coordinator and the event organizer. “With more than 38 Berks County organizations represented, local leaders shared firsthand the challenges their communities face — as well as the creative, community-rooted solutions they are pursuing. Events like this are so important — they foster authentic dialogue, deepen trust and lay the groundwork for research that is truly responsive to community needs.” 

Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz from the Council on Chemical Abuse said of the day’s spirit of collective problem-solving, “Unless we all come together, we may never know what resources, expertise, or passions we have,”

Breakout conversations with real-world impact 

The event featured eight interactive breakout sessions covering topics ranging from healthy aging and mental health wellness to food security, substance use, and innovations in healthcare delivery. These small-group discussions offered an open space for community leaders and researchers to define shared priorities and brainstorm actionable solutions. 

“Many community organizations are doing incredible work,” Deepa Sekhar, professor of pediatrics at Penn State Hershey, noted, “but they may not always recognize what their research needs are or how to measure their impact.” 

Some of the most discussed ideas for future collaborations included: 

• Bringing mobile health screenings to retail stores 
• Exploring youth and parent perceptions of cannabis safety 
• Connecting addiction medicine fellows to street medicine outreach teams 
• Utilizing healthcare interns in senior centers 
• Recovering surplus farm produce for underserved communities 

Spotlight on local research 

A mid-morning session titled "Highlights of Community-Engaged Research in Berks County," aimed to illustrate what’s possible when research is shaped by the communities it intends to serve. Local projects were spotlighted, including: 

• Health To Go Smart Vending Machines, a low-barrier harm reduction initiative led by Alice Zhang and Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz 
• Tower Health Street Medicine, which delivers direct care to Reading’s unhoused population 
• Partnership for Suicide Prevention, a collaborative effort to identify and support at-risk individuals in Berks County 

These projects illustrate what's possible when research is shaped by the communities it is intended to serve.

A day of connection and commitment 

Attendees had a lot of good things to say about the event: In post-event surveys, 92% described their experience as either "excellent" or "very good." Many said the most valuable aspects of the day were getting to meet new people, share ideas, uncover new resources and connect with others who share a passion for community health. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with mission-driven individuals and organizations ready to collaborate,” LuAnn Oatman from Berks Encore noted. 

The event was both a professional gathering and a community effort. Over 500 items of non-perishable food and hygiene supplies were collected and donated to New Journey Community Outreach, Inc. and Friend, Inc.

“We were incredibly proud of the day’s 'Give Back' initiative,” shared Miller. "Thanks to our attendees, we collected over 500 hygiene and food items. Our dedicated Berks County partners (Friend, Inc. and New Journey Community Outreach, Inc.) are already distributing them to their neighbors in need. This effort reflects the spirit of community-engaged research: mutual respect, shared purpose and a genuine commitment to the health and well-being of our communities.” 

Looking ahead 

“Community-engaged research creates better results by encouraging collaboration throughout the research process," said Jennifer Kraschnewski, Penn State CTSI director, in her opening remarks, setting the tone for the day and also what comes after. 

Organizers said they hope this gathering marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration to improve community health across Berks County by valuing lived experience, promoting equity and creating systems where research works with the community, not just about it. 

For those who missed the event or want to revisit its insights, video highlights are available online in a dedicated YouTube playlist. 

Seed funding to keep the momentum going 

To turn ideas into action, Penn State CTSI is sponsoring planning grant opportunities of up to $5,000 per project for collaborative teams consisting of at least one Penn State faculty member and one Berks County community organization. The grants are intended to support relationship-building and idea development, serving as a launchpad for larger externally funded research down the road. 

Working with Penn State CTSI 

Community engagement is an ongoing, evolving process of multidirectional communication with and for a community to help solve problems and address the concerns that matter to them. The process should be durable and equitable to influence programs and practices for the community’s betterment. 

Community-engaged research meets the community’s needs by directly engaging those who are vested in improving health and provides opportunities to connect and build trust between communities and academic researchers.  

Penn State CTSI's Community-Engaged Research Core works to:  

• Connect communities and research teams in partnerships to translate research into policy and practice 
• Ensure communities participate as full partners in the research process, are consulted for their research priorities, are respected, are valued, and are rewarded for collaborative activities.
• Foster successful University/community partnerships.
• Nurture opportunities for scientific discoveries.
• Develop community health coalitions.

Researchers interested in more information or help in setting up a research project in the community, and community members interested in information on working with Penn State CTSI can email ctsi@psu.edu.