Program Initiatives
Power of Four Research Fellows
On February 1, 1960, four freshman students from North Carolina A&T participated in a historic sit-in that became a defining moment in the modern civil rights movement and American history. Their actions reflected thoughtful planning, courage, and a commitment to civic engagement.
In recognition of this legacy, the Center for Excellence in Social Justice will launch the Power of Four Research Fellows Program, which will recruit a cohort of four first-year students annually to participate in a structured research experience focused on the study of civic life, community development, and democratic institutions.
Research Fellows will work alongside faculty mentors who will guide students in developing research projects during their four years in the program. Faculty mentors will represent a range of disciplinary perspectives and research interests within the humanities and social sciences, allowing students to engage with scholars whose work examines social institutions, public life, and community development.
Through this program, fellows will gain experience in research design, data analysis, scholarly writing, and public presentation while contributing to academic conversations related to civic engagement and community issues.
Truth and Transformation: Rebuilding and Reimagining the Humanities at HBCUs Conference
Each spring semester, the Center for Excellence in Social Justice will host an annual conference titled Truth and Transformation: Reimagining the Humanities and Social Sciences at HBCUs.
Historically Black colleges and universities have played an important role in advancing scholarship and intellectual inquiry across the humanities and social sciences. The conference will examine the historical contributions, current developments, and future directions of these disciplines within the HBCU context.
The two-day conference will include panel discussions, research presentations, artistic exhibits, and keynote lectures from scholars, artists, and practitioners whose work engages topics related to history, culture, society, and the human experience.
Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the humanities and social sciences at HBCUs, the conference will highlight research and creative work that explores the role of these fields in shaping academic inquiry, cultural understanding, and civic life.
The conference will conclude with an awards banquet recognizing individuals who have made significant scholarly or professional contributions to the humanities and social sciences at historically Black colleges and universities.
Building Bridges Initiative
In 1970, North Carolina A&T launched a community roundtable designed to bring campus and community members together to discuss local concerns and potential solutions.
Building on this historical model, the Building Bridges Initiative will convene periodic roundtable discussions that bring together university scholars, students, and community members to examine topics related to community development, economic opportunity, education, and public life.
The initiative will provide a forum for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving while highlighting the research and intellectual resources of North Carolina A&T. Roundtables will be open to participants with a range of perspectives and will encourage respectful discussion and engagement around issues affecting Greensboro and surrounding communities.
The Center anticipates hosting approximately twelve roundtables annually.
Aggies L.E.A.D (Leveraging Economic Autonomy and Development) Lab
The Aggies L.E.A.D. Lab will operate under the Center for Excellence in Social Justice as a research and educational initiative focused on the study of community economic development and emerging business models.
The lab will explore topics such as cooperative enterprises, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and community-based economic strategies, particularly as they relate to historically underserved communities. Students participating in the lab will engage in research, case studies, and community-based learning experiences examining a variety of economic frameworks and development strategies.
Through partnerships with faculty, researchers, and community stakeholders, the lab will provide students with opportunities to study economic systems, analyze policy approaches, and examine models of sustainable economic development.
The initiative will also collaborate with local organizations, including the Greensboro Dream Center, to support workforce training initiatives, community engagement, and experiential learning opportunities for students.
Social Justice Scholar-in-Residence Program
The Scholar-in-Residence Program will invite distinguished scholars in the humanities or social sciences to spend a semester engaging with the North Carolina A&T campus community.
The visiting scholar will deliver public lectures, participate in seminars, and interact with students and faculty, including participants in the Power of Four Research Fellows Program.
The program is designed to enhance intellectual exchange on campus by bringing nationally recognized scholars whose research examines historical, cultural, social, and civic issues. Through these engagements, students and faculty will have opportunities to explore diverse perspectives and deepen scholarly inquiry within the humanities and social sciences.
Youth in Action Prize
Beginning with the annual Sit-In anniversary celebration, the Center for Excellence in Social Justice will present the Youth in Action Award, which recognizes young individuals between the ages of 15 and 28 whose work reflects leadership, civic engagement, or service within their communities.
Inspired by the legacy of the **Ezell Blair Jr. (Jibreel Khazan), Franklin Eugene McCain, Joseph Alfred McNeil, and David Richmond Jr.—the students known as the **Greensboro Sit-ins pioneers—the award highlights young leaders whose initiatives demonstrate commitment to community engagement and public service.
The award will include a monetary prize and recognition during the annual commemorative program.
- Significantly empowered marginalized individuals or a community.
- Produced critical thought and engagement on an issue that impacts a broad swath of humanity on a local, national, or global scale.
- Transformed policy that previously marginalized broad swaths of humanity on a local, national, or global scale.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
North Carolina A&T currently operates 18 research centers and institutes that were established by the university, 5 research centers that are funded by sponsoring agencies, and 6 collaborative research centers. The Center of Excellence for Social Justice seeks out opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with the university centers that are aligned with the work and mission of the CESJ. We will collobarate with our Center for Excellence in Post-Harvesting Technologies and our Center for Environmental Farming Systems to address critically important issues confronting marginalized communities such as food insecurities and the promotion of sustainable agriculture as a matter of social justice. We will partner with our Center of Excellence in Product Design and Advanced Manufacturing as well as our Center for Advanced Studies in Identity Sciences to address and solve racial biases found within the burgeoning field of Artificial Intelligence. The CESJ’s Aggies L.E.A.D Lab initiative will establish opportunities for collaboration with our Center of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and their community engagement program. Lastly, we will partner with our Center of Excellence in Integrative Health Disparities and Equity Research to address and confront discriminatory and racist practices that exist within our health care systems.
