10-YEAR ACCREDITATION

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — the accrediting body for degree-granting institutions of higher education in the southern states — reaffirmed Campbell University’s accreditation to award associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctorate degrees in December. SACSCOC accreditation must be reaffirmed every 10 years, and accreditation signifies that the institution “has a mission appropriate to higher education,” “has resources, programs and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain that mission” and “maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees it offers.”

CAMPBELL FOOTBALL began the December early signing period by inking 15 future Camels to National Letters of Intent, shaping up one of the FCS’ top incoming classes Featuring 15 incoming freshmen and one transfer, 11 were rated as three-star recruits or higher coming out of high school and safety Edric Weldon, who carried a four-star ranking by Rivals prior to an injury early in his senior season.

Voice Of Health

Less than a week after delivering her final COVID-19 update to the people of North Carolina, Dr. Mandy K. Cohen delivered the commencement address for Campbell University’s Winter Commencement in December.

Cohen, a graduate of Cornell University who earned her Doctor of Medicine from Yale School of Medicine and her Master’s in Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health, stepped down as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services secretary after serving in the role for nearly five years. She became the face of COVID-19 response in the state in 2020 with her regular televised updates alongside Gov. Roy Cooper. Under her leadership, North Carolina became a model for best practices in providing equitable access to COVID testing and for data quality for vaccinations by race and ethnicity.

Refugee Care

The orange and white Campbell mobile unit and medical tents stationed at Forest Hills Baptist Church in Raleigh on Dec. 12 represented hope and much-needed assistance to more than 150 Afghan refugees under the care of Lutheran Services Carolinas.

Students and faculty from the School of Osteopathic Medicine joined other doctors and student doctors from the area to provide health screenings and other on-site medical care to the men, women and children driven from their country by conflict, violence and persecution and currently staying in the U.S. under a Special Immigrant Visa.

According to Dr. Joe Cacioppo, chair of community and global medicine and associate professor of emergency medicine for Campbell’s med school, the group of refugees were among the 35,000-plus Afghan men and women currently staying in the U.S. and awaiting new homes after the chaotic evacuation at Kabul Airport over the summer.

Campbell Divinity School received a $1 million grant from LILLY ENDOWMENT INC. to support efforts at the University’s divinity school to make seminary education more accessible and to recruit and educate more students from diverse backgrounds.

The NORTH CAROLINA COMMISSION OF INDIAN AFFAIRS quarterly meeting was held at Campbell, hosted by Dean Dr. Alfred Bryant and the School of Education. The group discussed funding, goals and legislation and heard ideas for collaboration between Campbell and American Indian tribes.

Senior wrestler JOSH HEIL won the 149-pound division at the national Matmen Open in Illinois, leading three Campbell wrestlers to finish on the podium. Heil ended the calendar year ranked No. 10 in the country in his weight class and went a perfect 4-0 over the two-day tournament.