/24-7PressRelease/ - RALEIGH, NC, January 15, 2008 - NC Beautiful, a provider of environmental education and beautification opportunities that elevate the quality of life of North Carolinians, has announced the addition of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to their Environmental Scholars Program.
The Environmental Scholars Program awards funding to four of the best and brightest college students in the state of North Carolina. These $3,000 undergraduate grants allow students to pursue research projects that let them explore creative solutions to environmental challenges. The inclusion of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke into this program marks NC Beautiful's first expansion into the Eastern part of North Carolina, a move that complements the organization's goals.
"The mission of NC Beautiful is to educate all of our young people about the importance of good environmental stewardship," says NC Beautiful Executive Director, Steve Vacendak. "Our goal is to expand our Environmental Scholars Program to every four-year college and university in the state of North Carolina, which has an Environmental Science program. This expansion into Pembroke, our first ever into eastern North Carolina, is truly an organizational milestone. We're excited and proud to welcome UNC Pembroke into the NC Beautiful family."
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university, and one of 16 schools that comprise the University of North Carolina system. With a total enrollment of 5,827, the university offers 44 bachelor's and 17 master's degrees. Located in a small community, Pembroke is the safest campus among UNC schools, and, according to U.S. News and World Report, it is among the nation's most diverse.
Jesse Peters, Director of the Pembroke Undergraduate Research and Creativity Center, says that the partnership with NC Beautiful marks an exciting moment for Pembroke students and will encourage a further awareness of the state of the environment and the importance of environmental science among members of the university and local community.
"The support this grant provides will allow a student to spend significant time and energy researching an area of environmental science, and that experience will help prepare the student for graduate school and a career," explains Peters. "It will not only make a significant difference in the life and education of one student, but it also will help us demonstrate to other donors how important supporting undergraduate research can be."
Peters also adds that he's appreciative of NC Beautiful's vision to extend its undergraduate scholars program to include a rural university like the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. "I applaud NC Beautiful's vision, especially their willingness to support a regional university like UNCP," adds Peters. "Undergraduate research makes a difference in the lives of students and will ultimately have a positive impact on the world itself."
About NC Beautiful
NC Beautiful has been part of the state's environmental preservation community for 40 years, supporting awareness, education and beautification efforts that affect our quality of life. Today, we concentrate on hands-on and merit-based programs designed to empower our citizens to preserve the natural beauty of the state of North Carolina. Whether it's school children building outdoor classrooms, graduate students developing cutting-edge research, or a Boy Scout troop planting azaleas at an elder care facility, we make it possible for North Carolinians to keep NC Beautiful.
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