April, 2010

Jenny King  was the nominee and winner among EPA employees. Jenny is a training coordinator for the NC Family-Centered Meetings Project. She organizes statewide training and connects with workers in all 100 county Departments of Social Services as well as their partners in schools, mental health, juvenile justice, and public health. She works closely with county departments in determining their needs in training and technical assistance and figures out innovative ways to meet their requests.

The NC State Alumni Outstanding Research Award is among the highest honors a faculty member can receive at the university. Dr. Joan Pennell, founding director of the Center for Family and Community Engagement, and professor in the Department of Social Work, was one of three faculty members across the university to receive the prestigious award this year. Pennell is an internationally recognized expert in her field, having spent more than 30 years building knowledge about how countries, states, counties, cities, and schools can address the dynamics of family violence and the needs of children in these homes. Her research advances understanding about the importance of providing safe, healthy, productive environments for children and families. The Center for Family and Community Engagement, formally authorized by the University’s Board of Trustees in 2008., builds on Pennell’s strong research agenda and her consistent and considerable external funding, totaling more than $6.5 million since her arrival at NC State in 1998. The Center has provided a core around which faculty, students, staff, and community groups collaborate to conduct highly engaged scholarship in North Carolina, the nation, and around the world.