The Carolina Center for Public Service has accepted CPL Lead Dr. Lauren Selingo into the Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholar Program for the 2025-2027 cycle. The program’s community-engaged curriculum and stipend will support Lauren’s community-engaged research around substance use among older adults and caregivers in Orange County.
Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholars participate in a highly interactive, experiential, and competency-based curriculum involving field visits, exposure to several ongoing community-engaged projects, and discussions with community members and faculty partners.
“I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be a part of this program,” said Lauren. “I can’t wait to connect with other members across Carolina doing community-engaged work, and to strengthen my expertise in community-engaged methods in ways that I can bring back to the FOCUS-OAC and the CPL team.”
Lauren’s participation in the program will inform her work with Facilitating Outreach and Care for the Understanding of Substance Use in Older Adults and Their Caregivers (FOCUS-OAC), an Orange County community-engaged initiative supported by the Community Practice Lab. Through collaborative community partnerships and community-engaged values and practices, FOCUS-OAC seeks to co-create accessible, culturally relevant, and sustainable substance use support systems for older adults and their caregivers.
The Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholar Program also includes a stipend to support scholars’ community-engaged projects, which will help Lauren compensate FOCUS-OAC project members for their time and expertise.
“The aims and approach of FOCUS-OAC are an excellent match for the Thorp Scholars Program, especially given our focus on community-based exploration and development of health supports,” said Lauren. “My involvement in the Thorp Scholars Program will enable the FOCUS-OAC team to expand our relationships across the Carolina and Orange County communities. The hands-on learning experiences will enhance our approaches to understanding and supporting health needs among Orange County residents.”