Macomb Community College will host a discussion on the power and science of hope in elevating community well-being

Keynote speaker Carol Graham, Brookings senior fellow, will share her research on the science of well-being

Macomb Community College will present Elevating Our Community’s Well-being: Leveraging the Power and Science of Hope, Tuesday, March 19, 7 p.m. This free presentation is part of the James Jacobs Civic Engagement Project.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel will open the discussion with brief remarks and introduce keynote speaker Carol Graham, senior fellow, Brookings Institution, and professor, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland. Graham is a prolific researcher and has written several books and journal articles on the topic, and is senior editor of Behavioral Science and Policy and an associate editor of the Journal of Economic Behavior. She will share her research on the defining characteristics of communities of hope and how that helps them address issues.

Graham will then be joined by a panel to discuss how local community organizations are leveraging the science of hope in addressing the county’s Number 1 health priority: behavioral health and substance use disorder. The local panelists are:

• Moderator: John Paul Rea, deputy executive, Macomb County
• Dunya Barash, director, Operations, Families Against Narcotics
• Andrew Cox, director, Macomb County Health and Community Services
• Sarah Wedepohl, vice president, Program, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

The presentation is part of the James Jacobs Civic Engagement Project, which is designed to stimulate civic engagement by bringing in nationally recognized experts to generate thoughtful dialogue on issues of importance to Macomb County and the region.

Elevating Our Community’s Well-being: Leveraging the Power and Science of Hope will be held at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, located on the college’s Center Campus at 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township. While tickets for the presentation are complimentary, attendees must have a ticket for entry. To reserve tickets, go to www.MacombCenter.com and search for Carol Graham or call 586.286.2222.

About Macomb Community College

Macomb Community College (www.macomb.edu) is about transforming lives and communities through the power of education, enrichment and economic development. Macomb grants the largest number of associate degrees in Michigan and is the largest community college in the state. The college provides programming for youth through seniors, including early college for high school students, university transfer and career preparation programs, workforce education, continuing education and certification, and a wide range of enrichment opportunities encompassing arts, culture and lifelong learning.

Media contact: Sean M. Patrick, 586.445.7271, patricks28@macomb.edu