NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Office of Community Engagement and Service Strategic Plan
Introduction North Carolina Central University Office of Community Engagement and Service (OCES) was conceived by Dr. Beverly Washington Jones and presented to the Board of Trustees in Spring 1993. The initiative was grounded in research demonstrating that students achieve stronger academic outcomes when actively involved in ongoing service. Now celebrating its 30th year since officially launching in Fall 1995, OCES continues to honor that legacy. The new strategic plan serves as a roadmap, guiding the office in developing institution-level programming that aligns closely with the overarching goals outlined in the university’s strategic plan, Soaring to New Heights: Vision 2030.
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Vision Statement: To become the premier community engagement program, not only within the UNC System, but throughout the entire State, the South, the US, and internationally.
Mission Statement: The Office of Community Engagement and Service promote the engagement of human resources on and off campus in service to society for cultural enrichment, the dissemination of knowledge, and the enhancement of the overall quality of life.
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Core Values:
Collaboration
Integrity
Efficiency
Civic Responsibility
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Every university has a motto, “Truth and Service,” NCCU’s motto, stands as a guide for our curriculum, our policies and our day-to-day practices. It means many things. The search for truth is an unending search for a higher sense of perspective. On a more practical level, truth is information; something you must never stop seeking. Service is our purpose. Service to humanity provides a measure for everything we do. But service is also an abstract, a sound ethic upon which to base our action. In business, as well as lifestyle, our actions and interactions must be based on service to humanity.” Dr. James E. Shepard, Founder, NCCU
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Goal 1:
Education The Office of Community Engagement and Service will engage a wide spectrum of stakeholders in fostering a culture of service and civic responsibility among faculty, staff, and students. 8
OBJECTIVES: 1. Integrate community engagement early in the student journey through admissions events, orientation, advising, and the UNIV1100 course. 2. Establish a culture of service across campus by implementing a mandatory “Community Engagement Day” and encouraging use of service hours by faculty and staff. 3. Strengthen recognition and communication of service efforts by enhancing the annual Service Awards event, spotlighting monthly community partners, and recruiting a communications specialist to share stories of impact. 4. Exhibit engagement impact with a centralized system for logging and reporting service hours across all university stakeholders. 5. Enhance identity and accessibility of engagement efforts by rebranding the Office of Community Engagement and Service and centralizing its physical location. 6. Partner with alumni to expand institutional memory by compiling and promoting their community engagement efforts.
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Goal 2:
Collaboration and Partnerships The Office of Community Engagement and Service will harness University resources to cultivate impactful partnerships that transform communities locally, statewide, and globally. 10
OBJECTIVES: 1. Develop a data infrastructure to systematically collect, analyze, and report on community engagement across campus. 2. Launch the Community Engagement Ambassador Program to align efforts across units, increase collaboration, and promote institutional activities. 3. Strengthen visibility and outreach by expanding engagement efforts in the local community and beyond and promoting university-wide engagement initiatives. 4. Establish a Community Engagement Council composed of campus and community representatives to foster dialogue, inform strategy, and cocreate engagement agendas.
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Goal 3:
Curriculum Enhancements The Office of Community Engagement and Service will embed community engagement principles in the academic curriculum and culture to prepare graduates who embody “Truth and Service.” 12
OBJECTIVES: 1. Facilitate faculty development through a Faculty Community & Civic Engagement Summit and participation in governance discussions such as Faculty Senate and the University Conference. 2. Integrate community voices into teaching with a Community Partner-inResidence program and by developing new community-engaged curricula. 3. Infuse civic learning across the academic experience through a dedicated first-year seminar section and by involving engagement leadership in academic planning. 4. Align academic incentives by revising tenure and promotion standards to reward community-engaged teaching and scholarship.
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Goal 4:
Student Development The Office of Community Engagement and Service will create transformative student experiences through community engagement, fostering leadership, empathy, and global citizenship. 14
OBJECTIVES: 1. Expand student opportunities for engagement through signature service events in local communities and immersive global programs. 2. Promote holistic student development by offering asset-based training and experiences that build civic identity, empathy, and social responsibility. 3. Implement measurable learning outcomes and assessments to evaluate the impact of student engagement and shape the development of the “EagleServe” identity. 4. Support community engagement by implementing civic programming that ensures all eligible students are exposed to character education opportunities. 5. Recognize student contributions with awards and public appreciation for outstanding community service efforts.
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“Community engagement is not a department or a program, it is a culture.” Unknown