In addition to a monthly social event, the New Century Scholars participate in five hours of community service projects per month. They may complete their hours independently if they wish, but most of the students decide to work together as a group. The program offers at least one project per month, and the exciting thing about NCSP is that the students get to decide what projects they will be completing. The students have planned events with the Texas Tree Foundation, the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure, Genesis Women's Shelter, the Aberg Learning Center, the Boys and Girls Club of East Dallas, the ASPCA, Vogel Alcove School, the North Texas Food Bank, and many other great organizations. 
Each year in the spring the New Century Scholars work on their annual fundraiser called Light to Love. This event, which was created by the first NCSP class, is a glow-in-the-dark Capture the Flag game that will benefit a local charity. The students do all the work for the event from planning, advertising, recruiting, and acquiring sponsorship; thus, this project allows the New Century Scholars to use their interests and strengths to help make this night a success.
The New Century Scholars program offers students the ability to take responsibility for the success of the program, and because this group of students is so highly motivated, the New Century Scholars have been recognized with many awards for their creative ideas as they plan service events. In 2011, the New Century Scholars Program was awarded the "Outstanding Program of the Year" on the SMU campus.