Engaged Scholarship

service on each campus that is detailed creative activities, teaching, and

activities
that
are
and specific in definition and scope. service
UNC Charlotte
faculty conduct The UNC Tomorrow Initiative further collaboratively undertaken by faculty
a wide range of engaged research, and suggests that the resources and members with community partners,
participate in a diverse set of engaged
expertise of UNC faculty should be staff, and/or students through
scholarly activities. Faculty
used to address important community
engagement refers to
and statewide issues, as well as apply
and translate research and scholarship
scholarly, creative or
more directly to broader constituencies
5
pedagogical activities for the broader
v
processes that exemplify reciprocity in
public good. Such activities (in the form focused on identified needs.
partnerships and public purposes.
of research, teaching, and/ or service)
develop as collaborative interactions
In 2012, following a proposal from the
that respond to short and long-term
Provost, the UNC Charlotte Faculty In revising the language regarding
engagement, Faculty
societal needs. Importantly, engaged
Council moved to revise the community
research requires that local knowledge, universitys tenure and promotion Council was careful to protect the highperspectives, and resources be respected guidelines in the current Academic quality standard of research conducted
and valued as vital to the production of Personnel Procedures Handbook to by faculty, while allowing for the
of
community
knowledge and practical solutions.
reflect UNC Charlottes commitment consideration
engagement
as
an
innovative
approach
Scholarship
produced as a to community engaged scholarship,
to
scholarship
and
knowledge
result of such collaboration
teaching, and public service. This new
production. The language is also broad
demonstrates and expands current
language now allows community- enough to preserve the academic
knowledge of the discipline, invites peer
based research conducted with local freedom of each college to recognize
collaboration and review, is open to
partners to qualify as scholarship for discipline-specific
approaches to
critique, and is accessible.
tenure and promotion purposes at the community
engagement.
The
institutional
level.
This
philosophical
1
handbook
now
states
that
although
the
The UNC Tomorrow Initiative
shift
brings
community-engaged
spectrum
of
engaged
scholarship
and
encourages UNC institutions to be
practices solely out of the realm of activities varies among disciplines,
leaders in
developing
stronger
service, and allows the university to engagement is planned and carried
partnerships with the community
outside the institution by developing a better recognize these invaluable out by University and community
community
partnerships.
The partners, and includes:
strategic plan for scholarly public
document drafted

Engaged
scholars hip:
by the Faculty Employment Status Scholarly
efforts
to
expand
multifaceted intellectual endeavor with
Main Purpose of UNC Charlotte Faculty Committee
and presented commitment to public practices and
public consequences.
Community Engagement

Engaged Scholarship

2%
5
3%
1

1%
4
3%
0

Professio
Servic
nal
e
Public
Service
Research
Creative
or
Activities
Teachi
ng

Source: Data from UNC-Charlotte

Activities
to
the
Faculty Council
highlighted UNC Charlottes
history of noteworthy public
outreach
and
sought
to clarify
what
community
engagement means. Section
VI.C of the handbook now
explicitly defines community
engagement as
research/

Engaged activities : Artistic,

critical, scientific and humanistic work
that influences, enriches and improves
the lives of people in the community.
X

The new language draws a distinction

between community engagement that
would qualify as service and facultyinvolved research with the community
as a partner. Community Engagement
and Public Service (often referred to as

Engaged Scholarship
outreach) are often conflated because both approaches may occur in the
community and include activities that involve or serve community entities. While
the latter describes activities that are provided to, intended for, or done in
communities, the former describes

The areas of performance in which a faculty member is reviewed for

reappointment, promotion, and conferral of permanent tenure are:
(a) teaching, advising, curriculum and instructional development;
(b) scholarly research, creative and other professional activities; and3)

service to the University, the profession, the public and/or the

community.
As required by Section 3.1 of the Tenure Document, the assessment of
the candidates performance in each of these areas addresses at least the
following:
(a) the faculty members demonstrated professional competence;
(b) potential for future contribution to UNC Charlotte; and
(c) institutional needs and resources.
Community engagement refers to research/creative activities,
teaching, and service activities that are collaboratively undertaken by
faculty members with community partners, staff, and/or students
through processes that exemplify reciprocity in partnerships and
public purposes.

activities that are undertaken with

community members in a context of
reciprocal partnership. Rather than
activity or place, the key distinction
between community engagement and
community service can be determined
by the processes and purposes that each
emphasizes. xi
Provost Joan Lorden asserts that
explicitly
including
community
engagement wording in tenure and
promotion guidelines articulates the
value the University places on
engagement, and makes the important
work that faculty are doing with
community partners more visible.
Community engagement can now
qualify, not only as service, but as any
of the three categories for promotion
and tenure including research and
teaching depending on the nature of
work.
and universities across the state.
In May 2012, UNC President Tom
Ross commissioned two multicampus
taskforces to develop concise sets of
indicators, or metrics, that all UNC
campuses could use to assess progress
in community engagement and
economic
development 3 .
The
development
of
system-wide
indicators are the first step to building
the
capacity
of
General
Administration, as well as campuses
individually, to understand the full
scope and impact of UNCs
engagement in and with the State of
North Carolina. Awareness of the types
of and extent of activities serves as the
first step towards being better able to
convey and strengthen the UNCs
reputation as a collaborative, inclusive,
responsible, and effective member of
North Carolina communities, and
strengthen and support UNCs capacity
to be strategic, proactive, and
responsive in developing, maintaining,

Danie
relatio
Ameri
Colleg
comm
Charlo
tremen
and r
these
region

If delib
UNC
policy
engag
doing,
Engag
Devel
wide
analyz
comm
faculty

Engaged Scholarship

and celebrating mutually beneficial community-university connections and

partnerships.
The pilot process gathered information on community engagement in research,
course offerings, service- learning, and outreach activities as well as the number
of community members participating in campus events that occurred during the
2011- 2012 academic year.
During the pilot phase, 29 faculty and staff from ten colleges and units on campus
provided information on their community engagement projects. The faculty
focused on teaching. Eight projects Community-engaged learning involves
identified professional service as the collaboration between
primary purpose. Tables 1 and 2 institutions of higher education and
further categorize the primary forms their larger communities
(local,
and foci of community engagement regional/state, national, global) for the
activities and projects as reported by mutually beneficial exchange of
faculty members, depicting a diverse knowledge and resources in a context
range of projects.
partnership and reciprocity2 . In
contrast, community- based learning is
Of the twenty-nine UNC Charlotte
defined more broadly as taking place in
projects outlined in Metric Three of the the community or with a community
the UNC System Community
partner.
Engagement
and
Economic
Development Metrics, a majority of the At UNC Charlotte, community
projects specifically incorporated
centered coursework is required in a
student engagement. Figure ___
number of undergraduate majors,
represents
the
nature of
including education, nursing, social
student engagement in the reported
work,
sociology,
gerontology,
projects. Community
engagement
community planning, and architecture.
projects provided
platforms
Field-based learning and internships
for
student involvement in
are widespread.
research and volunteer opportunities.
According to data collected by UNC
Charlottes Office of Institutional
Service-Learning
Numerous
studies highlight
the benefits of community engagement
and service-learning, as pedagogical
and co-curricular approaches to student
success.
The UNC system collects data on the
number of students enrolled in
community-engaged and
communitybased
courses and
academic learning experiences. UNC
General Administration differentiates
between community-engaged and
communitybased learning.

course-

National
C l e a r i n g h ou s e
6

member reporting the project can list

more than one purpose. Of the 29
projects reported, 18 projects were
focused on public service, 18 projects
were focused on research or creative
activities, and 15 projects were

Research, 5,163 students (8.33% of the

student population) were enrolled in
courses offering community-based
academic learning during the 201112
academic year while 2,445 students
(3.95% of the student population) were
enrolled
in
community-engaged
courses during the same period.
Community service and engagement
are core elements of the 57 freshman
seminars and 16 learning communities
scheduled for 2011-12. The University
Honors Program and a number of
undergraduate programs and courses of
study have community involvement

Engaged Scholarship
Learning as a teaching and learning
strategy that integrates meaningful
community service with instruction
and reflection to enrich the learning
experience, teach civic responsibility,
and strengthen communities.

others offered courses with service

learning pedagogy, but did not realize
they could be designated as servicelearning classes. The actions of the
Faculty Council have provided
enhanced recognition and interest in
service learning curriculum.

how they are handled by the

agency/organization; 2.) to promote
community awareness of social
issues; and, 3.) to learn how my
skills and abilities relate to this career.
Participating students engage in
reflection and evaluation at the end of
In March 2011, the UNC Charlotte
the semester.
Faculty
Council
unanimously In 2011-12, 17 courses in 13 Criteria for Service-Learning
approved a new service-learning departments or programs in five Courses
course designation and encouraged colleges offered courses with a service- 1.) course content should include the
faculty to integrate service-learning learning distinction. Approximately
scholarly exploration of the
principles into their courses. This was 2,104 students were enrolled in these
concepts of citizenship, public or
passed to both encourage faculty with courses. In 2012-2013, 646 courses in
community service, social issues,
current courses to apply for service- 41 departments carried the service
or social justice;
learning designation and also to grow learning distinction; a dramatic
2.) the course must provide an
the number of new courses. The increase in interest and visibility of
opportunity for reflection,
service- learning course content may service-learning courses.
learning, discovery,
include the following goals: 1.) to
understanding, intellectual
discover and address needs within the Students completing service-learning
challenge, and skill development
community
collaboratively
with or other community organization based
via direct, practical, hands-on
community partners, 2.) to develop 49ership
requirements
receive
experience;
lasting, reciprocal relationships in the recognition on their transcripts. In
community, 3.) to improve skills for 2011-2012,
18
service-learning
3.) a significant percentage of the
critical and comparative thinking, 4.) courses provided opportunities for
course activity should be devoted
to promote values clarification, 5.) to students to engage in service-oriented
to some form of service to the
learn practical aspects of community 49erships,
internships
with
campus
service, volunteerism, and social community-based service and outreach
or community (local, national, or
change, 6.) to relate community service organizations and public service
global);
experiences to career goals, and 7.) to agencies. 49erships are open to
help develop a life-long commitment students in all seven colleges. Students
to self-reflection, and its implications participating in the university-wide 4.) a substantial part of the course
grade will involve reflection on
for community service and social 49ership Service Learning Program
the service experience.
responsibility.
have three specific learning objectives
Prior to the implementation of which they discuss with their
university-wide
standards, some organizational supervisor and career
faculty and departments were unaware advisor on campus. These include: 1.) 2012-2013 Service-Learning Data Based
on
of service learning opportunities, while to learn about the social issues and
Undergraduate FTE

2008
Application

2012-2013

Percent
Change

# of ServiceLearning Courses

% of Total Courses

Students

2,537

3,139

24.0%

646

6.3%

Courses

525

646

23.0%

% of Total Depts.

Faculty

194

233

21.3%

38

41

7.9%

# of Depts.
Represented by
Service-Learning
Courses

Departments

Engaged Scholarship
and administrators has become more Center for Teaching and Learning

41

85.0%

# of Faculty
Teaching
Service-Learning
Courses

% of Total Faculty

233

13.6%

# of Students
Participating in
Service-Learning
Courses

% of Total
Students

3,139

10.3%

Source: UNC Charlotte Institutional

Research

Professional Development
Across campus, there are a variety of
programs that offer support for
community-centered
course
and
program development, research, and
outreach activities. The university
offers Scholarship of Teaching and
Learning
(SoTL)
grants
and
Chancellors Diversity Challenge Fund
grants for faculty that can be used to
design and implement community
engagement programs and courses, the
depth and breadth of professional
development options for faculty, staff,

intentionally focused on community

engagement.

The UNC Charlotte Center for

Teaching and Learning (CTL) provides
pedagogical assistance for faculty.
Service-Learning Showcase Faculty seeking counsel on creating a
In Fall 2011, an interdisciplinary group service-learning course can utilize the
of UNC Charlotte faculty organized CTL. The CTL also offers an online
the first annual service-learning service-learning resource library. The
showcase on campus. The three-hour universitys increased support for and
event began with a panel of faculty attention to service-learning courses
from the Colleges of Liberal Arts & and course designation (see section
Sciences, Health and Human Services, II.A.1.a) paved the way for a faculty
in service
Education, and Computing and member specializing
learning
to
serve
as
a
CTL
fellow,
Informatics discussing their various
beginning
in
2013.
In
this
position,
the
approaches to and experiences with
faculty
fellow
has
been
giving
service-learning. Audience members
asked questions about applying for the workshops and consulting on how to
service-learning
into
service learning course designation, incorporate
individual
courses.
solicited advice on how to overcome
service learning challenges, and Campus Compact
exchanged best practices on how to The Campus Compact group on
develop
strong
community campus is comprised of faculty and
partnerships. An interactive poster staff from a wide variety of
session followed the panel; faculty, departments and offices. The group
students, and campus groups shared meets once a month to develop
information regarding their specific strategies that deepen community
service-learning projects on campus. engaged practices among faculty,
Another showcase is scheduled for students, and staff.
Spring 2014.
Each year, a team from UNC Charlotte
attend the Civic Engagement Institute
and PACE (Pathways to Achieving

Engaged Scholarship
Civic
Engagement)
conferences
sponsored by North Carolina Campus
Compact. Travel funding is fully
supported. The goals of both
conferences
include
involving
university and community members in
discussions of best practices and
theories related to community
engagement, soliciting institutional
support, identifying and negotiating
challenges
and
barriers,
and
highlighting research and practice on
related topics.

Student-Focused Community Engagement

SPOTLIGHT: UNC Charlottes Food Security Initiatives
Stop Hunger Now
Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief agency designed to end
hunger around the globe. In April 2012, UNC Charlotte students, faculty and
staff joined the cause and campaigned to raise more than $3,000. The funding
was used to purchase and package high-protein meals with rice, soy, dehydrated
vegetables, and a flavoring mix with 23 essential vitamins and nutrients.
Through continued efforts, UNC Charlotte has provided more than 13,000 meals
for crisis-burdened areas school feeding programs in Haiti, Kenya, El Salvador,
Liberia and Nicaragua.

Food Recycling Program

The Food Recycling Program was established in 1991 by University Honors
Program students. Student volunteers collect food that has been cooked, but not
yet served from campus cafeterias. Students then deliver the food to Charlottes
Urban Ministries Center and The Center for Hope Womens Shelter. In 201314 volunteers collected and delivered more than 2,100 pounds of food. Every
year, the program continues to gain awareness and support. UNC Charlotte also
plans to partner with Johnson and Wales to expand outreach efforts

UNC Charlotte Community Garden

In 2014, Levine Scholars Jake Emerson, Kevin Rodengen, and Chloe Rodengen
created a community garden as a platform for sustainability, education and
experimentation. They envisioned students learning about healthy eating, how
to grow food, and most importantly, how to organize sustainability programs for
campus. Produce from the garden will go to campus dining services, The Niner
Student Pantry, as well as community non-profits such as Friendship Trays. In
2015, the Community Garden will construct a solar-powered drip irrigation
system and handicap-accessible walkways.
Niner Student Pantry
Established in 2014, The Niner Student Pantry was created to provide food to
students experiencing economic hardship. The Food Lion Feeds program
sponsored the pantry, providing shelving and nonperishable items. Students,
faculty, and staff from across campus have demonstrated support for the pantry
in a number important ways including donating volunteer hours,

Student-Focused Community Engagement

Student-Focused
Community Engagement

overall level of community

engagement by evaluating
the rate, frequency, and

% of 2014 graduating seniors

who engaged in servicelearning during
their UNC Charlotte career:

Getting involved in community is an

essential tenet of being a UNC
Charlotte student.
Community
engagement comes in many forms
including tutoring children at nearby Source: NSSE
schools, building homes in low-income
areas, socializing animals at a local
# of community engagement
animal shelter, contributing
to
hours contributed by UNC
operations of volunteer departments,
Charlotte
students in 2012-2013
and helping with civic improvement.
Through various departments, offices,
and organizations, UNC Charlotte
students
serve
in
community
Source: Dean of Students Office
engagement leadership roles.

56%

69,592

6
depth of student community service
activities across nine areas of human
need. According to this report,

Division of Academic Affairs

Student retention and success can be
attributed to UNC Charlottes ability to
immerse students in programs and
initiatives that make them feel
connected to the university. There are
several initiatives designed to involve
students
in
community-engaged
learning while striving to improve
student retention and success.

$ value of student volunteer hours

Through its student survey, the
for 2012-2013
National
Survey
of
Student
Engagement (NSSE) annually collects
information about student participation
in programs and activities geared
towards their learning and personal
development. Although this survey
NSSE data --service-learning 2014
Source:
broadly assesses students overall
www.independentsector.org/volunteer_tim
collegiate experience, questions are e
asked to
measure community
engagement. In 2012 and 2014, UNC
Charlotte administered this web-based
survey to all second semester first-year service or volunteer work. In both 2012
students and seniors likely to graduate and 2014, that number increased to 56
percent. In general, community
in May or August.
engagement remains an integral part of
Information provided by the 2012 and the UNC Charlotte culture, however
2014 versions of the NSSE survey there is room for improvement. get N
indicate positive growth. In 2007, only and response rates (put in --peer
31 percent of students indicated they institutions
100
had performed some sort of community
90
The
National
Assessment
service or volunteer work during their
80
first year at UNC Charlotte. In 2012, of Service and
70
Community
Engagement
that number jumped to 37 percent, and
60
(NASCE)
is
a
by 2014, 50 percent of first year
First Year Students
50
web-based
students
responded
that
they
Graduating Seniors
40
survey conducted
participated in service-learning during
30
their time at UNC Charlotte. For our by the Siena College
20
graduating seniors, in 2007, 51 percent Research Institute that
quantitatively measures a
10
had performed community
0
college or universitys

$ 1,464,216

2007

2012

2014

Student-Focused Community Engagement

Source: NSSE data 2014

Among 16 Learning
Communities, incorporated
community service

81%

and

incorporated service-learning as a

31%
While community engagement is not a
required element of QEP courses, it is
Independent Study
recognized as a high impact practice
that aids in new student success and
Internship
retention.
As
such,
faculty
Student Group
development emphasized opportunities
Field Placement (Certification)
to connect students to real world
Undergraduate Research
experiences through career center
Volunteer
internships,
common
reading
involvement,
and
team
exercises
that
Other
engage students in the broader
community. An intentional longertheir education than peer who are not term outgrowth of these outcomes is to
engaged (see Krause 2007; Astin,
have all of our students become more
1984, 1985, 1993, 1999; Bruffee, 1993; civically engaged through other
McKeachie, Pintrich, Lin, & Smith, academic and social outlets. By Fall
1986; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, 2015, all incoming freshmen will be
2005; Pike, 1993; Kuh 2008). Active involved in a Prospect course, and
and collaborative student engagement
some of the professional schools will
with the curriculum can result in a be looking at integrating civic
more substantial learning experience
engagement activities during the first
(see Marton et al 1997).
semester, while others are setting the
groundwork for later sophomore or
Graduate Research

7
6
5

4
3
2

1
0

Student Community Engagement

Prospect for Success--Quality

Enhancement Plan
As a part of the universitys Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) re-accreditation received in
2013, the UNC Charlotte Quality
Enhancement Plan (QEP), Prospect for
Success, outlines the Universitys
strategies for preparing students to
become curious, self and culturally
aware students committed to their own
academic success. Intentionality,
curiosity, and awareness are the
foundational elements for engaged
student learning. As noted in UNC
Charlottes Prospect for Success
handbook, students who described
themselves as being engaged were
more likely to express satisfaction,
attain greater success, and persist in

Student-Focused Community Engagement

junior curricular engagement for their
majors.
Preliminary
common
reflection essay results of the first
semester in the QEP show significant
impact of the courses in the three major
outcomes.

core element of the course.

Source:

Learning Communities

Common Reading
The Common Reading Experience is
designed to provide a shared academic
experience to assist all first-year
students in their transition to UNC
Charlotte. This program offers unique
opportunities for
self-reflection,
critical thinking,
student
interaction,
and
understanding of
diverse
perspectives.
Adoption of the
common reading
is
especially
encouraged in first
year
seminars,
first year writing,
and
general
education courses,
though any faculty interested in using
the text in their teaching is welcome.
In Fall 2012, the common reading was
Warren St. Johns Outcasts United, the
story of a refugee soccer team, a
remarkable woman coach, and a small
southern town turned upside down by
the process of refugee resettlement.
That semester, students got the
opportunity to meet the author and cocurricular programs were planned to
support student engagement in the
themes of Outcasts United, including
the development of an end of semester
forum showcasing student work related
to the book and a day of service
assisting refugees and immigrants in
the Charlotte region. Participating
faculty were encouraged to examine
current information on the experiences
of refugees and other immigrants to the
Carolinas from community partners
working to assist in their transition.

Established in 2001, UNC Charlotte

now has 17
residential and
nonresidential learning community
options for new students. For the 20122013 academic year, there were a total
of 16 learning communities (LCs); 15
for first-year students and one for
transfer students. When surveyed, 81
percent of the 16 LCs incorporate
community
engagement as an
identified characteristic of highly
effective learning communities. Not
only have Learning Communities
proven highly successful in engaging
students in the community around
them, but also in giving students a
sense of belonging to this university.
This sense of belonging has helped
students understand the many
resources at our university and helped
with retention efforts.
In Fall 2013, UNC Charlotte selected
Wine to Water by Doc Hendley for the

Common Reading Experience. In

a true collaborative spirit
between Academic
Affairs and
Student Affairs, students
reading this text as part of a course
participated in a water crisis simulation
that added
to
their
understanding of global water crises
while engaging them in fund raising
activities for the Wine to Water
Foundation.
Get additional information from Sean
Langley-refugee

Civic Minor in Urban Youth

and Communities
The civic minor in Urban Youth and
Communities prepares students to be
agents of change in the community
through civic engagement and learning
through service.
The minor is open to all majors who
seek to explore the strengths,
capabilities and issues of youth and
communities in urban settings.
The
minors
design
and
implementation is the result of a
competitive grant from the American
Association of State Colleges and
Universities (AASCU).
The interdisciplinary
coursework

7
equips students to understand the
complex context of urban schools and
neighborhoods, the strengths and
capabilities of urban children and the
implications of public policy for
primary and secondary public schools.
According to Susan Harden, assistant
professor of middle, secondary and K12 education and coordinator for the
minor, the program offers pre-service
teachers and their peers opportunities

Student-Focused Community Engagement

to have experiences with service
learning in urban settings and to
develop a rich understanding of the
public policy context of urban schools
and other community factors that affect
school
performance, community
connections to schools and learning
outcomes for students...
Jazzmin Sims graduated with the minor
in spring 2013. Sims chose it because
she recognized that community service

formed a significant part of her The Urban Youth and Communities

learning process at UNC Charlotte. The minor draws on diverse departments
minor, she said, provided the perfect for its coursework, including
opportunity for me to go into the Africana studies, geography, history,
community and figure out what they criminal justice, Latin American
need to thrive and live a satisfying studies, middle school and secondary
life. The most fulfilling aspect of her education, anthropology, sociology,
experience was recognizing the power communication
studies, religious
to help an individual or a neighborhood studies, psychology, childhood and
obtain sustainability, Sims said. She is family development, liberal studies and
currently pursuing a career as a high education.
school guidance counselor.

Student-Focused Community Engagement

The Levine Scholars Program
The Levine Scholars Program is UNC
Charlottes
most prestigious
merit scholarship program. It was
established in 2009 by benefactors
Sandra and Leon Levine. Emulating the
role that the Levines have bestowed
upon the Charlotte community, key
tenets to awarded recipients are
scholarship, ethical leadership and civic
engagement. These key tenets serve as
the foundation and the compass for
Levine Scholars as they navigate their
way through their collegiate experience.
All scholars receive access to a service
grant to implement a community service
project of their own design. Examples of
Levine Scholar service projects include
(kelley shealy)...

SPOTLIGHT: Dance Marathon

The first graduating class of Levine
patients and families.
Scholars wanted to develop a signature
service project to commemorate their On November 13, 2013, nearly a year
legacy. Through a careful selection after their first planning meeting, UNC
process, the Levine Scholars chose charlotte Dance Marathon finally to support
Dance Marathon, a arrived. From designing the floor nationwide movement
involving plans, preparing meals and snacks, more than 150 schools
nationwide to orchestrating entertainment acts, raising funds for the Childrens
and organizing event logistics, these Miracle Network Hospital in their
dedicated students came to create an community. The UNC Charlotte
unforgettable night of philanthropy Dance Marathon connected more and fun
for the UNC Charlotte than 1,000 UNC Charlotte students in student body and
greater Charlotte the mission support For the Kids at community. Standing
on-stage with
Levine Childrens Hospital.
families whose children were treated at
Levine Childrens Hospital, feeling
the The student leaders involved in dance
energy and enthusiasm of
the student marathon devoted countless hours dancers, and discovering
that Dance to engaging in weekly committee
Marathon had raised smore
than and
leadership
team meetings,
$35,000.00 for the
Childrens Miracle participating in fundraising events Network Hospital
was inspiring for all on and off campus, and leading
who participated.
presentations for
diverse UNC
Charlotte student organizations With the new Dance Marathon like athletic
teams, academic and leadership team already in place extracurricular clubs, and
fraternities for Dance Marathon 2014, Dance and sororities. Throughout this
Marathon will soon be welcomed as a process, students learned invaluable new
NINER tradition. leadership and life skills while interacting with Childrens
Hospital

Student-Focused Community Engagement

Division of Student Affairs

Of the 21,952 service hours completed,
student athletics contributed 2,104
hours, Greek organizations contributed
9,718, and student organizations
contributed 10,130 hours (see Figure
__).
In 2012-2013, UNC Charlotte students
contributed over 69,500 hours of
volunteer service to the Charlotte
region. Fraternities and sororities,
athletic teams, and many student
organizations perform community
service.

Office
of
Outreach

Volunteer

The Office of Volunteer Outreach has

established and cultivated partnerships
with over 250 local agencies in the
Charlotte community. Some of these

1%
0

4%
4

4%
6

Fraternities
Sororit
and
ies
Athlet
ics

6
partnerships have laid the foundation
for other groups on campus to build
upon. For example, since 2010, this
Office has partnered with Charlotte
Mecklenburg Schools to increase
academic achievement in the systems
low income Title I student populations
using volunteers. These efforts were
the

Community Service Hours at

Interns are responsible for establishing

and maintaining relationships with
local non-profits, attending biweekly
leadership
board
meetings,
coordinating one service program per
month and tracking and recording all
hours. Positions become available
every Spring semester, interviews are
held, and appointments are made by
the Assistant Director for Off- Campus
and Volunteer Outreach. Through this
office, student interns completed over
7,080 hours of engagement in 20__..

UNC
Charlotte 2011-2012
Student
Organizations
The Office of Volunteer Outreach has
established a competitive internship
for students to lead service projects in
the Charlotte community related to
Hunger and Homelessness, Youth and
Education,
Senior
Health
and
Hospitals,
Animals, and the
Environment.

Greek Organizations
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority
Life articulates four pillars serving as
the foundation for fraternities and
sororities: scholarship, leadership,
philanthropy & community service and
brotherhood/sisterhood. The pillars
give students the strength and support
from their early years of college to
graduation. Every year, chapters spend
countless hours raising thousands of
dollars toward worthy causes. Projects
are conducted on an individual chapter
level to benefit organizations such as
the
Make-a-Wish
Foundation,
American Red Cross, and the Ronald
McDonald House. In the 2012-2013
academic year, fraternities and
sororities contributed over 9,718 hours
of service and raised over $32,200 for
local non-profits
and
national
philanthropies. All Greek chapters are
required by the University to
participate in at least one university
wide service project per semester.

Athletics
Every student athlete is required to
complete at least two community
service hours. Since 2009, the
Athletics Department offers two
department wide community service

Student-Focused Community Engagement

events each year. For the past several
years, the Department of Athletics has
held an annual Stroll for Epilepsy Walk
on campus to raise funds for the
Epilepsy Foundation. The mission of
the Epilepsy Foundation is to stop
seizures and find a cure and overcome
the challenges created by epilepsy. The
Athletic Department, alongside the
Red Cross, sponsors a blood drive each
year in honor of those lost in the 2001
terrorist attacks.

Aside
from
the community service events
organized as a department, there are
several team specific community
service events that have been
incorporated over the past five years.
The baseball and softball teams
participate as buddies in the YMCA
Miracle League each fall; the
volleyball team organizes a number of
fundraising events to support breast
cancer research;
UNC
Charlottes mens
and

SPOTLIGHT: Habitat for Humanity

In Spring 2013, a group of 20 UNC and installed a ramp for a man whose
Charlotte students and several physical condition was causing him to staff
members traveled to Alabama become increasingly homebound.
and Ohio as part of the Habitat for
Humanity Collegiate Challenge, an homecoming build
alternative Spring Break experience designed to encourage
college campuses to visit and work with
Habitat affiliates across the country.
The group divided their efforts
between
tornado-ravaged
Birmingham and the economically
challenged town of Portsmouth. In
Birmingham, UNC Charlotte students
donated their time and muscle to
install roof trusses and windows and
to rebuild walls. They also spent time
painting home exteriors, landscaping
and cleaning area homes that had
fallen into disrepair. For those
volunteers in Portsmouth, they
focused on smaller projects with great
impact. For example, students
constructed
4

womens
tennis teams
volunteer with the YMCA during their
Thanksgiving Dinner; and our mens
and womens soccer teams volunteer
with the FC Carolina Alliance, which
provides youth soccer training and
development to players of all ages,
genders and abilities. Most recently,
our football team has helped raise
funds and volunteered for UNC
Charlottes
Relay for Life event.

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SPOTLIGHT: ENACTUS
qualified for the national competition
of
Social Entrepreneurship is the process by winning a regional competition,
pursuing innovative solutions to
marking their tenth year as regional social
problems. More specifically, champions. social entrepreneurs adopt a mission

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to create and sustain social value. The UNC Charlotte Enactus teams
presentation focused on three of their Enactus is a community of student,
community service projects. The academic, and business leaders main project,
committed to using the power of
The Ecuador Project,
has worked with a nonprofit based entrepreneurial action to enable in Mooresville, N.C. to build a new
human progress, with more than 500 facility for an orphanage in Olon, student

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chapters. Enactus student Ecuador which currently houses teams develop
projects to support 31 children. The Enactus team has people in need and
improve the quality raised over $3,000 through a variety of life of individuals
in the community of fundraising efforts and has received by focusing on
environmental, social, coverage in the Mooresville Tribune, and economic
factors that can create Mooresville Weekly, and Your UCity long-term,

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sustainable solutions to magazine for their efforts. real-world problems. At the
regional
competitions, student teams make

The team of 61 students dedicated over

presentations about their projects to 4,100 hours on nine projects, and our
panel of business leaders who serve

top 20 finish at nationals surpasses our

a
as

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judges. The national competition

two previous highs of top 60 in 2006

showcases each regional champions and 2012. projects from the year.

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In 2013, UNC Charlottes of
Enactus chapter
achieved
its first top national
20 ranking at the
org an i z at i ons
a
n
n

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competition.
The

UNC

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Charlotte
team was
a
fourth
runner-up in the
semi-final
round of
competition, winning $1,500 in prize money. They

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National Recognition for Community

Engagement
Since the institutions founding after
World War II, UNC Charlotte and the
city of Charlotte have had a strong,
mutually
beneficial
partnership.
Educators and city leaders recognize
that a productive exchange of
information and ideas in a dynamic
environment can contribute to the
economic, social, and cultural growth
of the region.

In recent years, UNC Charlottes

commitment
to
community
engagement has been nationally
recognized when, in 2008, the
Carnegie Foundation granted its
Community
Engagement
Classification to the university,

acknowledging
the
mutually
beneficial exchange of knowledge and
resources
with
surrounding
communities in a context of
partnership and reciprocity.

Also in 2008, UNC Charlotte was

named to the Presidents Higher
Education Community Service Honor
Roll for exemplary commitment to
working with local communities to
improve the quality of life for some of
the areas most vulnerable populations.
This distinction, one of the highest

federal recognitions an institution can

receive for service-learning and civic
engagement, highlights
the role
colleges and universities play in
solving community problems and
placing students on a lifelong path of
civic engagement. Honorees are
chosen by National and Community
Service, the U.S. Departments of
Education and Housing and Urban
Development, Campus Compact and
the American Council on Education
based on a series of factors, including
the scope and innovation of service
projects, the extent to which servicelearning is embedded in the
curriculum, the schools commitment
to long-term campus-community
partnerships,
and
measurable
community outcomes as a result of the
service. The University received this
honor every year since 2008 and in

2016, UNC Charlotte recieved the gold

standard.