NC State Named Finalist for 2023 C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) named North Carolina State University a regional winner of the 2023 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Scholarship Award. As a winner, NC State will compete for the national C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship award, which will be announced in November. 

The award recognizes the work of NC State’s Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL), which organizes and leads cross-disciplinary research and design teams that address critical ecological and community development challenges in small and rural communities that are working to build resilience toward or recover from flood disasters.

The CDDL highlights NC State’s land-grant mission through engagement, research, teaching and design to serve historically under-resourced areas in Eastern North Carolina. Since its founding in 2013, the CDDL has worked collaboratively in 30 communities, recommending actions that resulted in more than $13 million in direct-to-community funding.

“This award recognizes our institution’s critical work to not only address grand challenges in our society, but to bring practical, lasting solutions to the communities we were created to serve across North Carolina,” said Randy Woodson, NC State University Chancellor. “As our state grows, the importance of partnerships grows as well, as demonstrated by the continued impact of the Coastal Dynamics Design Lab.”

“The work of the Coastal Dynamics Design Lab is transformative in that it brings together designers, scientists and local stakeholders to address the needs of coastal communities,” said Mark Hoversten, NC State University Dean of the College of Design. “The APLU’s recognition of the lab’s success is a testament to its impact, and demonstrates the importance of cross-disciplinary work for lasting impact in our communities.”

“Congratulations to the regional winners of the Kellogg Community Engagement Scholarship Awards and exemplary projects,” said APLU President Mark Becker. “Community engagement is a critical part of public universities’ mission and we’re pleased to highlight the work of institutions that are engaging communities to solve challenges. From the underserved areas of their communities and states to overlooked regions of the world, public research universities are engaging communities to solve the most pressing problems they face.”

The winner of the C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award will receive a sculpture and $20,000 prize. The three other regional winners will each receive a $5,000 prize to further their work.