The 2026 Engaged Scholarship Symposium brings together faculty, students, and community partners to showcase how engaged research and social entrepreneurship are driving real-world solutions in Charlotte and beyond. Hosted by the Charlotte Urban Institute and CO-LAB, the symposium highlights collaborative projects that blend research, civic action, and entrepreneurial thinking to address pressing urban challenges.

Through posters, lightning talks, and incubator spotlights, attendees will explore reciprocal university–community partnerships, student pathways from classroom learning to community impact, and ethical, outcome-driven approaches to social innovation. The symposium celebrates UNC Charlotte’s role as a catalyst for community-engaged research, demonstrating how collaboration, innovation, and shared leadership can create measurable change rooted in regional priorities.