Durham Tech student makes direct impact among peers, receives award from NC Campus Compact

Durham Technical Community College student Gaebryl Vives was selected to receive the Community Impact Student Award on November 13 in a virtual ceremony hosted by North Carolina Campus Compact -- a collaborative network of 39 colleges and universities committed to educating students for civic and social responsibility.

The award honors students that demonstrate outstanding leadership, service, and a deep commitment to community involvement at their respective college. Vives was one of 19 student civic leaders selected for the award this year.

“This award made me feel recognized for all the work myself and the Center for College and Community Service has been doing during the pandemic,” said Vives. “I was very grateful to be recognized for work that I would have done regardless of any kind of greater level recognition. I knew that I was helping the people in my community, which was already a rewarding feeling in itself.”

Vives was recognized for his volunteer work at the Briggs Avenue Community Garden, where he is a student plot owner and mentors other student volunteers. He donates all produce that he grows to the Durham Tech Campus Harvest Food Pantry, to help students facing food insecurities.

He is also a work-study student for the Durham Tech Center for College and Community Service where he assists with the food pantry. When the pantry moved off campus in March due to COVID-19, Vives continued to volunteer and contact students in need of food assistance. He also played a crucial role in supporting the new curbside food pantry operations, which launched in August. This new model provided more than 850 grocery bags to 181 unique students. For students without transportation, Vives helped organize deliveries to their homes, serving an additional 332 adults and 269 children.

“Gaebryl made a huge difference in the lives of many of our students during a time of uncertainty and fear,” said Jes Dormady, Coordinator for the Center for College and Community Service. “I am lucky to call him my colleague and I cannot wait to see all the great things he will accomplish through his determination and compassion for others.”

Vives is currently pursuing an Associate in Science degree and plans to graduate in Spring 2022. He wants to then transfer to North Carolina State University to study Environmental Sciences and work in the field of mycoremediation – using mushrooms and fungi to help decontaminate the environment.

(NOTE: Gaebryl's award starts at 8 minutes and 38 seconds in the video below)