UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip L. Dubois and James Cook, professor of psychology, are the 2014 recipients of North Carolina Campus Compact’s Leo Lambert and Robert Sigmon Awards, respectively.
A coalition of 38 public and private colleges and universities across the state, North Carolina Campus Compact builds institutions’ capacity to produce civically engaged graduates and strengthen their communities.
The Leo Lambert Engaged Leader Award, named for the current Elon University president, is given annually to one North Carolina college or university leader who is committed to creating and sustaining efforts that impact his or her community and campus. The recipient is nominated and selected by fellow N.C. Campus Compact chancellors and presidents.
In selecting Dubois, N.C. Campus Compact college leaders praised Dubois’ commitment to make UNC Charlotte a driver of economic and workforce development. They cited Dubois’ work to establish University-industry partnerships that led to the creation of the UNC Charlotte Energy Production and Infrastructure Center. He also has supported the University’s community development activities, which include a partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Governor’s Village and the creation of a unique work-study program for military veterans.
Dubois, a native of Oakland, Calif., became UNC Charlotte’s fourth chancellor in 2005. He has presided during a period of dramatic growth in enrollment and capital construction and the addition of a number of academic programs at the institution. His leadership has been instrumental in UNC Charlotte’s efforts to fulfill its mission to address the “cultural, economic, educational, environmental, health and social needs of the greater Charlotte region.”
The honor was presented formally today at the N.C. Campus Compact Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement Conference, which was on the UNC Wilmington campus.
Psychology professor Jim Cook received the Robert Sigmon Service-Learning Award at the same conference.
The Sigmon Award recognizes one faculty member from across the state for significant contributions to service-learning, a pedagogical strategy that links community service to classroom study and reflection. The award’s namesake is a North Carolina native who pioneered the approach in the 1970s.
Cook, during his 30-plus years at UNC Charlotte, has created and evaluated projects and partnerships that meet the Queen City’s most pressing human needs. In addition, Cook secured millions of dollars in grant funding to support these projects for which he trained students to be system-wide agents of change and skilled practitioners.
A founder of Mecklenburg County’s Homeless Services Network, Cook also led the evaluation of the MeckCARES partnership among local child services agencies and the HUD-funded effort that created the Community Development Academy, which increased UNC Charlotte’s support for low-income neighborhoods. Scores of University students worked as volunteers, interns and researchers to support these and other community-based projects.
N.C. Campus Compact, started in 2002 and hosted at Elon University, is one of 34 state affiliates in the national Campus Compact organization, which has more than 1,200 member campuses.