Dr. Eric M. Grebing Named Executive Director of
the SERVE Center at UNC Greensboro
UNC Greensboro has named Dr. Eric M. Grebing as Execuitve Director of the SERVE Center. Dr. Grebing has worked at SERVE and the Early College Research Center since 2016, advancing externally funded work with state education agencies, federal partners, school districts, higher education institutions, and implementation partners. He brings backgrounds in engineering, the high school classroom, program evaluation, project management, and organizational leadership to help translate evidence into responsive support for public education agencies.
As Interim Co-Director since May 2025, Dr. Grebing has helped guide SERVE through an executive leadership transition, strengthening financial monitoring, staffing visibility, and operations. He also currently oversees 12 projects across state education agencies in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia as Co-Director and Principal Investigator for the Southeast Regional Comprehensive Center.
“Eric brings a strong combination of research expertise, organizational leadership, and a clear understanding of SERVE’s mission and the communities it serves,” said Dr. Sherine O. Obare, Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement at UNC Greensboro. “He has demonstrated his ability to lead complex initiatives, secure significant external funding, and build partnerships that strengthen educational opportunities. I am confident that under his leadership, SERVE will continue to grow its research portfolio, expand its partnerships, and strengthen its role as a national leader in education research and technical assistance.”
During his time at SERVE, Dr. Grebing has led and supported projects focused on both research/evaluation and technical assistance. He has served as Principal Investigator of multiple federally funded grant evaluations focused on postsecondary access for rural students. Dr. Grebing also co-directed the National Center for Homeless Education contract from 2023-2024 and led the development of a $13.1 million proposal for the Southeast Regional Comprehensive Center’s 2027-2031 work.
“As Eric steps into this leadership role, I am confident he will continue to strengthen SERVE’s mission, support and uplift its programs and people, and keep the needs of educators and students at the center of every decision,” Dr. Karla Strong, who served as Interim Co-Director of SERVE and the National Center for Homeless Education alongside Dr. Grebing, celebrated his appointment.
Through his research and program evaluation work, Dr. Grebing has led and contributed to evaluations in early college and dual enrollment, college and career readiness, project-based learning, work-based learning, educator networks, and computer science education. On the technical assistance side, he helps educators and leaders collect, understand, and act on data. Dr. Grebing has helped partners measure and strengthen school climate, educator retention, whole child supports, after-school programming, competency-based education, school improvement, and services for students experiencing homelessness.
“I am proud to lead SERVE, and our team of talented, hard-working professionals housed at UNC Greensboro. SERVE plays an important role in connecting resources and expertise with education systems, working in concert with frontline educators to support students facing barriers to educational success. My primary goal as executive director is to support our team in fulfilling our mission of supporting all learners through high-quality and timely support to public education in a rapidly changing context.” Dr. Grebing, shared.