The Allies Institute (formerly Collegetown) is the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities’ signature higher education program. An intensive four-day, three-night retreat for college students and faculty/staff, the Allies Institute features interactive workshops, intense small group discussions, and experiential exercises designed to allow participants to think deeply about prejudice and discrimination. At the end of the program, they develop action plans to share their learning with their peers at the sponsoring institution(s). The Allies Institute has been credited with fostering campus climates of inclusion by serving as a catalyst for heightened awareness, dialogue, and diversity programming.
