Here are 5 ways Carolina builds rural partnerships

A blue Carolina Engagement Week sign on an easel in a building lobby, next to a colorful mural. — Carolina Engagement Week celebrates Carolina's partnerships across North Carolina. (Ava West/Photographer)

Carolina serves our state, including its 78 rural counties, by connecting communities with campus partners and resources.

“It’s not service for the state. It’s not service to the state. It is service with the state,” said Lynn Blanchard, Carolina Center for Public Service director.

Carolina Engagement Week is an annual opportunity led by CCPS to learn from the many faculty, staff and students demonstrating this practice. Tar Heels shared how authentic partnerships with rural communities create lasting impacts — from reducing mental health stigma to preparing future leaders.

Here are five ways those partnerships are benefitting North Carolinians.

A large group of students and faculty face a projected presentation about rural North Carolina during a Carolina Engagement Week session.

UNC Rural community partners and faculty discuss how listening drives meaningful change in rural North Carolina. (Ava West/Photographer)

1. Supporting rural students

Carolina is the first Top 10 public institution to organize student success in a comprehensive way that captures the entire student life cycle. With one in three in-state students coming from rural counties, progress is being made in removing barriers to higher education and creating clearer pathways.

“Students from our rural communities have so much to offer institutions of higher learning, and we can learn so much from them,” said James Orr, senior vice provost for student success.

Three people engaged in conversation near an NC Farmworkers table during a campus gathering.

Carolina Engagement Week brought together community partners and campus members to build the relationships. (Ava West/Photographer)

2. Listening before acting

Through UNC Rural’s Community Conversations, campus partners meet people where they are, learn their priorities and co-create action plans. This process leads to new connections and stronger partnerships, including community priorities like affordable housing, child care and transportation reflected in Rural Research Engagement and Advancement Fund awards.

“Listening is a necessary part of the process. It’s absolutely foundational — before action, before deliverables, before any of that,” said Aerhealle Chace, Freedom Org agriculture department director and UNC Rural community partner.

Two people stand in front of a large colorful map of North Carolina titled "Our State, Our Work" during a campus event.

Carolina believes its commitment to rural communities extends to across of North Carolina. (Ava West/Photographer)

3. Building trust and being accountable

The Dare County partnership is focused on young adults’ mental health. From the start, community members defined what mattered. Then faculty aligned their research and engagement to support those mental health priorities — helping surface barriers like stigma and seasonal employment to co‑create solutions.

“The inclusion and centering of individuals and groups most impacted was exemplary public health work,” Sheila Davies, Dare County director of health and human services and county manager.

“No data should ever be published or presented without presenting it first to the community partners,” said Marie Lina Excellent, assistant professor in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health’s public health leadership and practice department.

A speaker at a podium addresses a room of attendees while panelists sit at a table in the background beneath a projected presentation slide.

Faculty, staff and students at the Sonja Haynes Stone Center discuss how student success and rural service go hand in hand. (Ava West/Photographer)

4. Collaborating for real impacts and belonging

Partnerships like the UNC School of Education’s Carolina Community Academy in Person County define success through the community’s eyes. Both academic growth and a culture of inclusion and belonging are important. The school exceeded expected growth for both 2024-25 literacy and math outcomes. Students reflect this culture when they shared one good thing about their school:

“The teachers… because they’re kind to me every day, and they help me learn.”
“It’s a big community.”
“My classmates… one time in the gym, they wanted to cheer for me.”

“We have an incredible sense of responsibility for getting outcomes on behalf of the community and alongside the community,” said Amy Richardson, director of CCA.

A Carolina flag waves in front of the Carolina Community Academy at North Elementary School, where visitors gather outside the entrance.

(Ava West/Photographer)

5. Creating opportunity today while preparing the leaders of tomorrow

The Rural Interprofessional Health Initiative helps address the state’s workforce shortage by immersing students in rural communities to build skills in teamwork, community engagement and innovative care delivery. Collaborators include three UNC system institutions (UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Pembroke and UNC Wilmington) and two health systems (UNC Health Southeastern and Novant Health).

“When you can have that partnership where both the community and the student benefit, then you know magic is about to happen,” said Meg Zomorodi, senior vice provost for academic excellence.

For more insights, watch the session recordings from the Serving NC Through Rural Partnerships conference.