About Community Engagement and Service

Support for curricular and co-curricular service activities is provided by the university’s Office of Community Engagement and Service (OCES), which was permanently established in 1995 and maintains a staff of four full-time employees. 

Our office develops and engages community partnerships and opportunities for service experiences (e.g., direct service, faculty-led alternative break experiences, global service, and service-learning courses). We organize and coordinate large-scale service events, and we provide training for undergraduate students.

NC Central students are our leading engagement ambassadors. In 1996, NC Central was the first college in North Carolina and one of the first HBCUs in the nation to implement a service requirement of 15 hours per semester for undergraduate students. From a curricular perspective, students have access to over 125 service-learning course offerings. Graduating seniors who excel in service during their enrollment at NC Central and who achieve 250 or more hours of impactful service are eligible to apply for recognition at the University Honors Convocation and Commencement Services.

Several methods are available for students to meet their service requirements:

Direct Service

Students are placed in the community by OCES, serving primarily with an approved public or private non-profit partner agency. All partner agencies must be registered with OCES.

Military Service

Students who are honorably discharged veterans, are current members of the Reserve or National Guard, or are called to active duty will receive 60 hours of credit toward their community engagement academic graduation requirement.

Service-Learning Courses

Curricular opportunities through courses include community-based options such as unpaid internships, clinical experiences, and practicums or community-engaged options involving faculty-approved activities.

North Carolina Central University values and respects the efforts and impact that our students, staff, faculty and community demonstrate throughout the year. Awards are given to those who have demonstrated leadership qualities of compassion, service and empathy in our communities. By allowing NCCU to simply share your commitment and dedication to social issues and causes of the community, the qualities that lead to making a difference as “change makers” are demonstrated.

Through our membership with the North Carolina Campus Engagement organization, the following awards are supported:

Community Impact Student Awards

Community Impact Student Awards recognize an outstanding, full-time undergraduate or graduate student service leader from each member campus. Impact Award recipients should demonstrate commitment to partnering with others to address community issues, the ability to lead and inspire fellow students, and a sustainable impact in their area of work. Each member campus selects its own Impact Award recipient.

Barnhill Civic Trailblazer Award

The Barnhill Civic Trailblazer Award is given to one person from the statewide network. Nominees — one per campus — must be undergraduate students in their final year. The Civic Trailblazer should demonstrate innovation in civic engagement, work to integrate their service into campus structures, inspire others to serve, and make a meaningful impact on campus or in the community.

Alternative Service Trip Scholarships Available for Students ($250)

The Marshall Alternative Break Scholarship will fund a student's participation in an alternative break trip during the current academic year. The selection of scholarship recipients is a competitive process. Any student from an NC Campus Engagement member institution is eligible to apply.

For graduating seniors at North Carolina Central University, the following award is available:

Student Service Impact Award

Graduating students at NCCU can apply for the Service Impact Award, which honors graduating seniors who have fulfilled a minimum of 250 hours of community-engaged service and who have made an impact in the community. The undergraduate student must submit an engagement portfolio with acknowledgment letters from the community organization as well as an NCCU faculty or staff member and a reflection. Please inquire with the graduate and the professional staff regarding the selection process in your respective areas. All students who are selected will be recognized in the graduation program and receive a service honor cord.