| As part of the 125th Anniversary celebration, North Carolina A&T State University and its inclusive family of students, faculty, staff and alumni are delivering on its commitment to complete 125 service projects by May 14, 2016.
The charge is part of the university’s overall goal of honoring its core values of learning, excellence, integrity, respect, creativity, engagement and service.
As a recipient of the 2015 Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Engagement Classification, N.C. A&T is taking its distinction with all sincerity and gravity.
To date, the university has completed 11 projects with many more already scheduled.
Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. and his cabinet took the lead, committing to read a total of 125 books to Guilford County students across 10 elementary schools.
In addition to the senior staff and faculty, other departments have kept the ball rolling and expanded the challenge through some very creative and innovative ideas.
First among them to complete a project, the School of Business and Economics, the Department of Accounting and Finance and the Zeta Sigma Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi have been dedicating a tremendous amount of energy and effort working with the Doris Henderson Newcomers School (DHNS), which serves students in grades three through 12 who have recently arrived in the United States.
The groups helped DHNS receive a grant to give new books to students as well as the school’s Literacy Day program. On Sept. 18, over 75 N.C. A&T students, faculty and staff volunteered over 300 hours of service to the school, helping DHNS students with assignments, and talking with them about the importance of literacy. Together they also transformed the school gymnasium into the Continents of the World Literacy Fair, where volunteers helped students develop their English language skills through educational games and discovery.
While the volunteers were there to help the students, they were also significantly impacted personally.
“Our students got exposure to cultures from around the world and learned how to communicate in difficult situations due to language barriers,” said Dr. Lisa Owens-Jackson, interim associate dean of the School of Business and Economics and lead for the schools’ service projects. “Many stereotypes were dispelled. They have their own stories how they were personally affected.”
The Division of Business and Finance partnered with The United Way of Greater Greensboro for its annual Trunk or Treat event. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 31, volunteers from across the division doled out candy and simply had fun with the participants. Additionally, the group served lunch at Greensboro Urban Ministry for several weeks. A project the division calls, “Tree of Warmth” is already underway where several departments within the division will decorate Christmas trees with socks, hats and gloves for children in place of traditional decorations.
“We took the ideas that came from each of the areas and made them fun and creative so people would be enticed to participate and excited about doing it,” said Angela Peterson of Campus Enterprises and chairwoman of the service projects committee for the Division of Business and Finance.
On Sept. 19 the North Carolina A&T softball team volunteered at the Miracle League of High Point. The team provided special needs children an opportunity to play baseball through what is called adaptive baseball, which gives children who otherwise would have to watch the game from a distance a unique way to participate in a sport they love.
“We try to participate in a service project each month in an effort to engage the community. Our ladies have been blessed with some amazing athletic abilities, so it is important to us to give back and give children with special needs the same opportunity we have to enjoy the game. It is our belief that every child deserves a chance to play,” said head softball coach Kenya Peters.
To ensure dynamic and relevant work and service is conducted on behalf of North Carolina A&T, certain requirements and guidelines must be followed by all parties, included among them that all projects must be submitted and approved prior to completion via the online service project request form.
Additional projects have been completed and can be viewed on the special 125th Anniversary website. |
