Elizabeth City, N.C. — With a spirit as strong as the day it remembered, Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) rallied 118 volunteers Sept. 11 for a Day of Service that united students, faculty, staff and community members in 569 hours of giving back across the city. With Angie Wills, director of Student Affairs Operations, as the organizer, the event reflected the university’s mission to honor the lives lost and forever changed by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, through service that strengthens communities.
Volunteers spread out to five sites, including the Food Bank of the Albemarle, River City Community Development Corp., ECSU’s Career Development Center Clothes Closet, Safe Haven, Student Counseling Services and the Community Connections Step Afrika! event, lending their time and talents to causes ranging from feeding senior citizens to supporting local homeless services.
The initiative was supported through a $2,500 mini-grant from NC Campus Engagement, AmeriCorps and 9/11 Day. In addition, as part of HBCU Give Back—a nationwide Historically Black College and University (HBCU) effort, other HBCUs joined through completing community service projects, showing that their leadership extends beyond classrooms. These efforts were supported by an $80,000 grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation over the course of two years to move the needle on national service for our states’ HBCUs.
“This is a unique opportunity for our institutions to be at the forefront of impactful change,” said Dr. Kevin J. Wade, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and interim vice chancellor for University Advancement. “HBCUs have always been pillars of leadership and innovation, and this initiative allows us to further showcase that legacy.”
Lenora Jarvis-Mackey, president/CEO of River City CDC, said she was grateful for the partnership. “I am elated that ECSU is partnering with River City CDC. With the growing number of homelessness cases in our community, the timing could not be better.”
For Wills, who guided the event’s planning through the Division of Student Affairs & University Advancement and ECSU-SEAL Student Leaders, the impact went beyond numbers. In her message to participants, she praised the campus and community for their commitment. “Your commitment to honoring the lives lost and forever changed by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, through acts of service reflects the very best of our university’s values,” she wrote. “Whether you served in the community, organized events, donated resources, or supported in other ways, your contributions made a meaningful impact. You not only helped strengthen our surrounding communities—you upheld the legacy of resilience, unity and compassion that defines both this National Day of Remembrance and the proud tradition of service within HBCUs.”
Together, ECSU and its partners demonstrated that service continues to be a part of the university’s identity.