APLU recognizes ECU’s commitment to community engagement
GREENVILLE, N.C. (11/14/2024) — In recognition of extraordinary commitment to community engagement, innovation and economic prosperity, East Carolina University received two national awards from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities during its annual meeting this week.
Chancellor Philip Rogers, Dr. Angela Lamson, Dr. Tom Irons and Dr. Sharon Paynter pose with the C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award trophy after being announced as the 2024 recipient during the APLU’s annual meeting.
Chancellor Philip Rogers accepted the 2024 C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award during the APLU’s annual meeting in Orlando on Nov. 12 on behalf of the university.
ECU also received APLU’s Innovation and Economic Prosperity award for Talent, which recognizes the university’s work as the economic hub that spurs urban revitalization while also focusing on education and workforce development throughout eastern North Carolina.
As the recipient of the Magrath Award, ECU is an exemplar of community engagement in action among public and land grant universities, said Dr. Marlene Tromp, president of Boise State University, who presented Rogers, Dr. Sharon Paynter, Dr. Angela Lamson and Dr. Tom Irons Sr. with the award trophy.
ECU was one of four finalists for the award after selection by the Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) as a regional winner in August of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Awards. ECU was selected for its efforts to address suicide and significant unmet behavioral health needs stemming from economic stressors, geographical isolation, family dynamics and other health challenges facing rural North Carolina residents.
In 2006, ECU launched a partnership with Contentnea Health (formerly Greene County Health Care) to increase access to critical primary health care and behavioral health services for underserved populations. Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among those ages 10-65 in North Carolina, with higher rates in rural areas and significant unmet mental health needs stemming from economic stressors, geographical isolation, family dynamics and health challenges. Through the years, the partnership has proven mutually beneficial for community members and university students and has provided 154 doctoral and master’s students with foundational clinical and research training.
The partnership has supported more than 126,000 integrated behavioral health care encounters with patients through primary care clinics, dental clinics, on farms and in school settings since its inception. The effort provides behavioral health services on average to 7,000 people each year, Tromp noted in her remarks announcing ECU as the Magrath recipient.
Accepting the award, Rogers said: “Our university was founded in 1907 as an institution designed to serve eastern North Carolina, and through our more than 115 years, we’ve adapted and delivered on the promises of opportunities to the people of our state through our intentional mission of student success, public service and regional transformation.
“In my mind, there is no better initiative that personifies our mission and vision to be a national model for community engagement than ECU’s expansive partnership with Contentnea Health. We’re proud to do this work, proud to serve our community, and deeply proud to accept this honor that demonstrates the public value of higher education to our communities and society,” Rogers said.
ECU also brought home a second honor from the meeting — the Innovation and Economic Prosperity Award in the Talent category. This award recognizes exemplary initiatives in education and workforce development.
ECU was recognized by APLU for using stakeholder engagement to assess, design and implement innovative talent strategies for key industry sectors across North Carolina.
Several programs were highlighted as showcasing ECU’s successes in developing talent. The programs offer transformative learning experiences to students, preparing them to better address the state’s pressing needs and cultivating professionals who have gone on to excel in their fields. Examples include a telepsychiatry program, a teacher preparation initiative that enhances the success of our youngest learners and the integration of university-based dental clinics within rural communities.
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