Auburn University Outreach forms Center for Educational Outreach and Engagement

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Auburn University Assistant Vice President for University Outreach Royrickers Cook has announced the formation of the Center for Educational Outreach and Engagement. The new center represents a name change for Outreach's current K-12 Initiatives office and also an expansion of initiatives serving the educational community and promoting college access for underserved students in the state. The current K-12 Initiatives director, Stacey Nickson, will serve as director of the new center.

"Promoting education and college attainment is a key objective of the Auburn University strategic plan Priority Four for outreach and engagement," Cook said. "This change better aligns our existing initiatives with the strategic direction of the university as well as providing structure and direction for expansion of our educational service programs."

"Overall, our new name better reflects the expanding responsibilities of our unit," Nickson said. "The change will also provide us better visibility on campus and also with external constituencies."

The newly renamed Center for Educational Outreach and Engagement will continue administration of the existing Outreach K-12 Initiatives programs such as partnership in the coordination of the federal GEAR-UP grants, Culture Bump and other programs serving K-12 schools and students. In addition, the center will coordinate a new Educational Outreach Council engaging K-12 programs on campus and develop an educational outreach information resource database for schools.

The center is also charged with expanding professional development and educational conferencing opportunities for school districts, coordinating K-12 oriented community partnerships and international projects, leveraging state and federal service exchanges and increasing Auburn's engagement in federal programs which promote college access to underserved students.

"Our goal for the center is to provide a framework for effective planning, facilitation and accountability of University Outreach's educational outreach and engagement in schools, as well as enhancing opportunities for Alabama's students to seek and attain a college education," Nickson said.

The name change to the Center for Educational Outreach and Engagement is effective immediately. Office contact information for the unit remains the same; the phone number is 334-844-7460.

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.