Awards years , Carter. “He and his staff keenly understand the importance of preparing our students with strong leadership skills that will elevate their chosen communities. It is an honor to present Aubrey with this prestigious award.” Swett joined UNCP in 2003 and became director of the Office of Community and Civic Engagement in 2006. Retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, the Pembroke native also directs the Veterans Education and Transition (VET) Program. Swett talked about his work at UNCP. “The recognition is nice,” he said, “but it would not have been possible without the people who work in this office and the support of the university. “We have experienced exceptional support from the chancellor, Provost Kitts and the administration as a whole,” Swett said. “The growth of this office is evidence of that. “Chancellor Carter’s vision of a university that is a community resource has made our job easier,” Swett said. “He has created a culture of community engagement.” The success of two programs, service-learning and veterans assistance, are particularly pleasing to Swett. Service-learning, which incorporates civic engagement into the classroom, has experienced impressive growth. During the fall semester, there were 18 faculty and 336 students engaged in service-learning programs. For veterans, UNCP has established a system throughout the university to support their transition to higher education and careers. UNCP has won GI Jobs magazine’s “Military Friendly Schools” award for five consecutive years. Swett sees an engaged university that is growing programs to meet the needs of its students and community. “In these programs, our students become the kind of leaders who see the importance of giving back,” he said. “They become leaders in their own communities and in the nation.” Aubrey Swett named N.C. Civic Engagement Professional of Year T he North Carolina Campus Compact has named Aubrey Swett its 2012 Civic Engagement Professional of the Year. Swett is the founding director of the university’s Office of Community and Civic Engagement. Comprised of 42 North Carolina colleges and universities, the North Carolina Campus Compact is a 10-year-old organization with a mission to encourage civic engagement among college students to promote life-long commitment to building strong communities. The award recognizes an individual who has deepened the engagement of his or her campus, impacting community and campus. Chancellor Carter, a member of the compact’s executive board, made the award presentation to Swett. “Mr. Swett’s leadership in civic engagement is a tremendous asset to UNC Pembroke,” stated Chancellor Layla Locklear named Impact Award winner then Miss Indian N.C. T he twin passions of the newest recipient of the Community Impact Student Award are her Native American heritage and the environment. Layla Rose Locklear, a rising junior from Pembroke, won UNCP’s top student award for civic engagement during 2011-12. Not long after accepting the Impact Award, Locklear was named Miss Indian North Carolina in March at the North Carolina Indian Unity Conference. In 2009-10, she was named Miss NCNAYO (N.C. Native American Youth Organization). The pageant tests the contestants’ tribal knowledge and Native American skills. Locklear, who is a Women’s Southern Traditional dancer, is an expert on Native American culture. As a student, Locklear has successfully combined her 14 interests by majoring in environmental science. She is contemplating an advanced degree in Native environmental science. Locklear’s career ambitions may take her west, where a large branch of her family tree came from. Explaining her Oglala Sioux connection, she laughes. “I tell them I’m related to Crazy Horse; then I explain. Locklear is a third-generation UNCP student. Her grandfather, Ray Elk, a Sioux, is the first UNCP graduate in the family. Spring 2012 UNCP Today