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The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) honored ¾¨Ó㴫ý with a place on the 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its support of volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.

¾¨Ó㴫ý has earned Honor Roll recognition every year since the program was launched in 2006.  More than 1,200 ¾¨Ó㴫ý students volunteered nearly 30,000 hours last academic year (2010-2011) through academic service-learning or other community service.

"A central theme of our curriculum is to foster strong personal and social values as an important outcome for our future graduates," ¾¨Ó㴫ý President Dr. Richard H. Dorman said.  "¾¨Ó㴫ý is proud to have been recognized for its commitment to service-learning by the Corporation for National and Community Service for the sixth straight year.  It affirms that we are succeeding in this mission."

The Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.  Honorees were chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school's commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.

"Our students are a critical part of the equation and vital to our efforts to tackle the most persistent challenges facing our campus community," said Jeff Ledebur, community service coordinator in ¾¨Ó㴫ý's Drinko Center for Experiential Learning, who tracks the hours and projects.  "It is inspiring to see them achieve impactful results that demonstrate the value of service and volunteerism in their communities, while also displaying the importance ¾¨Ó㴫ý places on service and giving back to those around us.  Our students are not only serving, but are also integrating skills and knowledge from their courses into the projects they undertake."

A sampling of local organizations that benefit from ¾¨Ó㴫ý student volunteers include: Lawrence County Community Action Partnership, Head Start, local school districts, Walker Neighborhood House, Adult Literacy Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, City Rescue Mission, Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County, Special Olympics, Royal Family Kids Camp, Habitat for Humanity, Southwest Gardens, and the American Cancer Society.

"Through service, these institutions are creating the next generation of leaders by challenging students to tackle tough issues and create positive impacts in the community," said Robert Velasco, acting CEO of CNCS.  "We applaud the Honor Roll schools, their faculty and students for their commitment to make service a priority in and out of the classroom.  Together, service and learning increase civic engagement while fostering social innovation among students, empowering them to solve challenges within their communities."

CNCS is a strong partner with the nation's colleges and universities in supporting community service and service-learning and a catalyst for service-learning programs nationwide that connect community service with academic curricula.  Through these programs, in classes, and in extracurricular activities, college students serve their communities while strengthening their academic and civic skills.

CNCS oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education.

Visit the for more information about the Honor Roll and a complete list of recipients. 

The Drinko Center for Experiential Learning was created to enrich undergraduate education at ¾¨Ó㴫ý through advancing world-class teaching as well as by participating in collaborations that address community and regional needs including strengthening K-12 education.  The Undergraduate Research Initiative provides funding for students to conduct research and to present their research at regional and national conferences.  Visit the for more information about the Drinko Center and its programs.

Contact Lebedur at (724) 946-6194 (email) for additional information.

Service in action