Who We Are
urbanCORE was established in 2020 by the Office of Academic Affairs in response to UNC Charlotte’s Civic Action Plan. That plan provides a strategy to improve social outcomes by organizing University resources, community-based research efforts, and community collaborations to effectively address regional needs through collective impact. The Civic Action Plan called for the University to:
“Establish a centralized structure, with dedicated staff, to coordinate and support the University’s community engagement efforts and assess collective impact.”
More recently, UNC Charlotte’s 2021-2031 Strategic Plan, “Shaping What’s Next,” reinforced this charge in directing the university to:
“Fulfill our role as North Carolina’s urban research university to benefit our city, region and beyond by co-producing transformative solutions to societal issues and challenges.”
In helping to lead the University in achieving these objectives, urbanCORE serves as the hub of UNC Charlotte’s engaged scholarship ecosystem, mobilizing, assessing and advancing efforts that connect the University’s interdisciplinary, urban research resources to community assets.
The office operates under the authority of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and is overseen by an Associate Provost. It houses several research and engagement functions, including the long-standing UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and its Institute for Social Capital, the Women+Girls Research Alliance and the Bonner Leaders Program.
However, with a high-performing staff of some 30 engaged scholarship experts, community engagement professionals, researchers, policy specialists and graduate students, it is organized to provide support across the University, in service to the community, through three core competencies:
Email: urbancore@uncc.edu
Mailing Address:
urbanCORE
9201 University City Blvd.
Sycamore Hall
Charlotte NC 28223
Street Address:
urbanCORE
9310 Mary Alexander Rd.
Charlotte NC 28223