economic development

Economic development is the key to the future health and prosperity of Wilmington and the Cape Fear region, but what does that really mean? more

Our Focus

We strive to improve the social, cultural and economic life of the Cape Fear region by focusing the intellectual and cultural resources of the University of North Carolina Wilmington on finding solutions to currently crucial and emerging issues affecting our citizens and our communities. We serve the common good by developing an educated, informed and engaged citizenry through programs of engaged scholarship, continuing education and service initiatives involving individuals, families and the business, government and non-profit sectors.

We support the UNC Wilmington mission by providing leadership that links the university broadly to our public service mission, by advocating for a scholarly approach to community engagement, by offering opportunities for our publics to engage with us as full partners and by facilitating access to university resources. In addition, the division provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to be involved in regional projects that prepare them for leadership and citizenship in a changing world.