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ACCESS. COLLABORATION. COMMUNITIES. IMPACT

Guided by these four values, the Cooper Center is reimagining what public service means, how the work is carried out, and who is included in the conversation. Through our research, leadership development programs, and local government engagement initiatives, we continue to work toward our vision of good governance, equity, and resilience in every Virginia community.

Intersections in Public Service Podcast image

New Podcast on Redistricting

For the second episode in our two-part series on redistricting, two Sorensen Institute Alumni who served on Virginia’s 2020 Redistricting Commission share their insights.

Leaders Lab Launches this Fall

The founders of a new leadership program aim to build a “network of doers” for the greater Charlottesville area – and they’re now recruiting participants for the first program in September.

Virginia Solar Survey Results Released

The first of its kind in Virginia, the Virginia Solar Survey is a comprehensive questionnaire that collects data on solar readiness, policy, and solar and energy storage experience.

Stories of Impact: The Sorensen Institute

“My takeaway from the Political Leaders Program (PLP) is that regardless of where you live and your political ideology, you can always find common ground."

—Amanda Batten | Delegate (96th District) | Republican

"Sorensen works to promote the civility of discourse, the congeniality of debate."

—Monty Mason | Senator (1st Senate District) | Democrat

Effective leadership – through building trust and working together – is a central theme of Sorensen Institute’s flagship Political Leaders Program (PLP). The program is designed for residents of Virginia already engaged in the political, civic, business, nonprofit or governing life.

Stories of Impact

HOW OUR WORK MATTERS

We want to know the value that people find in working with us. We want to live up to that value and incorporate it in every project we undertake. Quite simply, we want our work to matter. On this page, we share with you, a collection of stories of how our work has made a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.

Strategic Plan: Reimagining Public Service

Through this five-year plan, the Weldon Cooper Center aims to build on our historical strengths, while joining forces with the increasingly diverse group of stakeholders and leaders working diligently to improve public life in Virginia and beyond. Through collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and attention to impact, we aim to engage the University in making the Commonwealth a national model for good governance and resilient communities. View the plan.