Community Engagement

Classes get under way Monday, Aug. 25, at the new Charlotte Engineering Early College, located in the shadow of EPIC. It is the first of its kind for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).
The inaugural class of 100 ninth-graders from across Mecklenburg County will delve into a curriculum that focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses, with a special emphasis on energy and engineering. A new school building was constructed near CRI Deck 1 for this collaboration between CMS and UNC Charlotte.

The UNC Charlotte University Writing Program will hold the conference ““Bridging Inquiries: Research, Process, and Literacy from High School to Higher Ed” on Friday, Sept. 12, at UNC Charlotte Center City.

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute has been accepted into the National Neighborhood Indicator Partnership (NNIP), which is a collaborative effort by the Washington D.C.-based Urban Institute and local partners to further the development and use of neighborhood information systems in local policymaking and community building.
Membership in the network opens participation in conferences and other learning opportunities as well as participation in cross-site research projects.

The publication QNotes recently named Josh Burford, assistant director for sexual and gender diversity in the Multicultural Resource Center, Charlotte’s Best LGBT Leader.
Burford’s selection resulted from ballots cast by QNotes readers earlier this year. UNC Charlotte senior Lee Ziglar was voted Best Young Adult Leader, too. According to its website, QNotes is an “LGBT arts, entertainment and news publication” based in Charlotte.
“I’m honored to be selected for this award, and I hope to continue to work hard on behalf of the local LGBTQ community,” said Burford.

UNC Charlotte is joining with Classroom Central, Communities in Schools and WSOC-TV for the 18th annual School Tools Campaign.
School Tools is a drive to collect and distribute school supplies to children who need them. All supplies collected will be distributed through Classroom Central, a free store for teachers and Communities in Schools site coordinators.
Classroom Central gives area teachers an opportunity to shop for donated school supplies for their students, many of them live in poverty and would start the school year unequipped otherwise.

The Center for STEM Education has received third-year funding of $881,904 from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction to continue to offer professional development for K-2 teachers in six school districts with the goal of improving students’ understanding of math concepts.

The middle class meltdown, the transformative effect of Apostle Paul upon Christianity, President Lincoln’s relationship with the U.S. colored troops and portrayals of slavery in children’s literature are provocative topics being featured in the 2014-15 Personally Speaking Series.
Four researchers from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences will reveal the stories behind their books during the lecture series, co-sponsored by the college and J. Murrey Atkins Library. Each talk is free and starts at 6:30 p.m., with a reception following.
The 2014-15 speakers are:

The UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens will offer “Bugs Beware! Carnivorous Plants of the Carolinas” Saturday, July 19.
Designed for children age 7 to 12, the workshop will focus on the what, why, where and how of carnivorous plants in the Carolinas. Prospective attendees can register for two options – a 90-minute session that includes a Venus fly-trap or the two-hour session that features hands-on construction of a 12-inch bog dish garden with Venus fly-trap, pitcher plant, sundew and bog moss.

Wells Fargo has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI), an innovative partnership among Davidson College, UNC Charlotte, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). The purpose of this partnership is to empower classroom teachers through the cultivation of content knowledge, creativity, leadership and collaboration.

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, in partnership with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, will present the second annual Charlotte Data Day on Tuesday, June. 17.
A series of presentations, discussions and interactive workshops led by experts in the field will familiarize attendees with Charlotte housing-related data. Topics include homelessness, affordable housing, planning, and the changing real estate market.
The event will be held 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City.