Community Engagement Awards

Now accepting nominations for the 2023-24 Community Engagement Awards. Submission Deadline: January 3, 2025

The Office of Community Engagement underscores the university’s commitment to community engagement, diversity of research perspectives, and the inclusion of community partners as experts. The Community Engagement Awards are important opportunities to highlight and identify a community ENGAGED approach to teaching, research, and community engagement that is inclusive of community members and has a lasting impact.
 
The Carnegie Foundation describes Community Engagement as the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good. (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching)
 
North Carolina A&T State University defines community engagement as intentional collaboration between the university and its partners that yields mutually beneficial conversations, actions, and the exchange of resources. Our partners and stakeholders represent a cross-section of the community (local, regional/state, national, global) including, but not limited to: corporate, non-profit, faith-based, and civic.
 
Our annual community engagement awards will reflect the impactful research, partnerships, and learning that is being conducted within the university. An overview of the awards is below:
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS

 

Community Engaged Teaching Award 

The Community Engaged Teaching Award will be presented to a faculty member who
demonstrates intentional, impactful, and transformational learning objectives through
coursework that positively impact the well-being of the community. Learning objectives and/or
activities that assist undergraduate and/or graduate students in actively addressing injustice,
inequity, and/or barriers in the community.
 
Requirements 
Any faculty member teaching in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Previous Awardees: 

  • 2023- Joseph Graves, Ph.D., professor, Biology, College of Science and Technology
  • 2022- Michael Brooks, Ph.D., professor, Counseling, College of Education
  • 2021- Kim Smith, Ph.D., associate professor, Journalism and Mass Communication, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • 2020- Odile Huchette, lecturer, Natural Resources and Environmental Design, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences 

 

Community Engaged Research Award

The Community Engaged Research Award will be presented to any faculty member or team of
faculty/staff members that are conducting a research project/initiative that alleviates or
positively addresses a community-related concern; including but not limited to injustice,
inequity, and/or any barrier impacting the well-being of the community. The research activity
may explore social issues, health concerns, educational access, or other community-wide
concerns.
 
Requirements 
Any individual faculty and/or staff member; or team of faculty/staff members engaged in research
that was/is active in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Previous Awardees:

  • 2023- Dongyang Deng, Ph.D., associate professor, Built Environment, College of Science and Technology
  • 2022- F.D. Bluford Library Research Team (Harvey Long, Carlos Grooms, Katie Kehoe and James Stewart)
  • 2021- Karen T. Jackson, Ph.D., assistant professor, Leadership Studies and Adult Education, College of Education
  • 2020- Stephanie Teixeira-Poit, Ph.D. assistant professor, Sociology and Social Work, College of Health and Human Sciences

 

Community Partnership Award 

The Community Partnership Award will be presented to a recipient that demonstrates a significant
contribution to the academic excellence of our students and/or supported faculty and institutional
goals through a project(s) or partnership that promotes community engagement, the alleviation of
a community barrier, or promotes civic engagement.
 
Requirements 
Any community organization, agency, or corporate partner that engaged with the university in the
2023-2024 academic year can be nominated, or apply, for the award.

Previous Awardees:

  • 2023- FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
  • 2022- Piedmont Business Capital
  • 2020- Elimu Empowerment Services (EES)