DURHAM — As one of three UNC-system schools in the Triangle, N.C. Central University has some sizeable competition.
Just a few miles from UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University, it has had to prove itself in years past.
Chancellor James Ammons said N.C. Central stands as No. 1 among historically black colleges and universities in the state and No. 3 in the country. In just the past few years, it has grown not only in enrollment but also in the development of its facilities, curriculum and the number of programs offered to students.
During the past four years, N.C. Central has seen a tremendous upturn in enrollment, growing by almost 40 percent. The student population stands at 7,727 this year, up from 5,595 in 1999.
A mission of service
The UNC system’s mission strongly emphasizes the aim of each university to provide for the state as well as for its people. N.C. Central’s mission statement is very much in line with that philosophy.
“The university recognizes … the mutually reinforcing impact of scholarship and service on effective teaching and learning,” it reads. “North Carolina Central University, therefore, encourages and expects faculty and students to engage in scholarly, creative, and service activities, which benefit the community.”
N.C. Central is one of few institutions in the UNC system that makes community service a requirement for graduation.
Ammons said this aspect of the university is what makes it stand out among others in the area and helps to fulfill the overall mission of the system.
