Play has a transformative role in enabling underrepresented student populations to cope with difficult circumstances and express themselves. Dr. Avi Santo, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Communication, has worked with children experiencing homelessness engaging them in STEAM activities, utilizing play-based programming to open an outlet for their creativity, learning, and social-emotional growth. Cate Schultz, a current UNC undergraduate student and MacDonald Service Fellow with the Carolina Center for Public Service, engage children with play-based education at both her Outdoor Education program at the Carrboro Boys and Girls Club and at Wonder Connection, a non-profit engaging pediatric patients in science at UNC Children’s Hospital. Their presentation explores the vital importance of play in informal settings empowering children in vulnerable communities to participate in STEAM.


A Carolina Engagement Week 2023 Event

Carolina Engagement Week 2023 is your chance to explore the impact of community-driven partnerships powered by state and local community leaders and Carolina researchers. By attending one or more sessions, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of the methods and collaborative approaches that are working effectively throughout different parts of North Carolina. You can also identify new opportunities to engage in community initiatives around the state designed to create social and economic impact.