Wayne Community College student Estefani Cota has been recognized for outstanding leadership and service.
She was presented a Community Impact Award by North Carolina Campus Compact, a statewide network of colleges and universities with a shared commitment to civic engagement.
Cota is one of 18 students who received the 2018 honor, joining more than 250 college students recognized by the network since the award was first given in 2006.
According to her nominator, Cota has “a servant’s heart, a marathoner’s energy, and a leader’s organizational skills.”
Despite a full schedule which finds her studying in WCC’s Honors Program and working part-time as a certified nursing assistant, Cota makes time to fully participate in college organizations and give back to her community. She is a WCC Ambassador, member of the Upsilon Chi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, vice president of the WCC Honors Club, and a volunteer with WCC Engage.
Last summer, while enrolled in a Summer Biomedical Research Program at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine (as the only community college participant), Cota found time to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern North Carolina. Her service was so rewarding, she continues to volunteer there each week despite the drive to Greenville.
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Cota is a second-year student from Goldsboro working toward her associate in science degree. Her ultimate goal is to become a physician.
Cota was honored at the Compact’s annual CSNAP student conference, held this year on at Fayetteville State University. The event convened more than 150 students and staff from 23 campuses in the network. In addition to awards and networking opportunities, the conference included student-led workshops, panel discussions, and plenary sessions on diverse community engagement topics around the theme: “The Power of Youth Civic Courage.”
Wayne Community College is a member of North Carolina Campus Compact, which is a collaborative network of 37 colleges and universities committed to educating students for civic and social responsibility, partnering with communities for positive change, and strengthening democracy.
The NC Campus Compact state office fosters connections between campuses, shares best practice information and resources, recognizes outstanding work, and champions civic and community engagement in higher education. Founded in 2002 and hosted by Elon University, the North Carolina network is an affiliate of national Campus Compact, which claims 1,000 member schools representing nearly 2 million college students.
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves 14,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 70 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.