Morehead State University Expands Community Engagement
Morehead State University has received its third consecutive EngageKY+ Volunteer Generation Fund grant, totaling $54,490.28, to strengthen campus-wide service learning, volunteerism, and civic engagement.
The award marks a significant milestone in the University’s Engaged Eagles Initiative, a program coordinated through the Center for Career Development & Experiential Education that connects classroom learning and career skill building with community impact.
The new funding builds upon two years of measurable success. In the second year, the EngageKY+ grant supported an extensive array of projects that deepened student engagement and advanced experiential learning. Through signature events such as Make an Impact Day and the March to Service, the initiative recruited or managed 1,449 volunteers who contributed more than 6,300 hours of service to the region across 23 community partnerships. When combined with the previous grant cycle, Engaged Eagles has now mobilized over 2,700 volunteers who have contributed more than 8,100 hours of service—an estimated economic impact of over $285,000.
These outcomes were driven by faculty-led initiatives and student-centered projects that linked academic disciplines with community needs. Examples included Camp SMILE, a partnership between MSU Nursing and UK St. Claire HealthCare that provided bereavement support for children and families; reading and literacy programs organized by the Department of Music & Theatre; outreach projects by communication and media students to promote college readiness among high schoolers; and the University’s first alternative spring break trip in partnership with Christian Appalachian Project, where students built accessibility ramps for local homeowners in need. Additional investments in faculty development and the adoption of the GivePulse (Eagle Engage) platform strengthened MSU’s infrastructure for tracking and expanding service participation across campus.
“We are thrilled to award another EngageKY+ Volunteer Generation Fund grant to EngageKY member school, Morehead State University,” said Mindy Wilson, EngageKY+ program manager. “Their ongoing commitment to empowering volunteers and creating meaningful, sustained connections between higher education and local communities continues to exemplify the goals of the VGF program.”
This award represents a strategic evolution in the Engaged Eagles Initiative. Rather than focusing primarily on direct project stipends, the new funding model emphasizes long-term capacity-building within the University’s service-learning programming. This includes the creation of faculty and staff mini-grants to seed new community-based learning and civic engagement projects across disciplines. Faculty and staff interested in applying for internal project support can complete the Engaged Eagles Faculty Project.
“The EngageKY+ grant has allowed us to build real momentum toward a more integrated culture of service learning at MSU,” said Andrew Sexton (Class of 2020, 2022), coordinator of service learning. “This year’s expansion to include internal funding for faculty and staff represents a turning point. We’re no longer just supporting individual projects—we’re investing in the systems, relationships, and ideas that make community engagement a lasting part of the University experience.”
Through the EngageKY+ grant, Morehead State continues to affirm its role as a catalyst for positive change, empowering students, faculty, and staff to engage collaboratively with the region and advance the University’s enduring tradition of service. This work was made possible through the consistent support of MSU’s Office of Research & Sponsored Programs and Office of Accounting & Financial Services.
To learn more about MSU's Center for Career Development and Experiential Education, email careerservices@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2233.
