Honoring Colleges that Care

In an earlier post we learned every undergraduate college incorporates service-learning into its educational experience. Now that the initial adoption of service-learning has been achieved at the collegiate level, the Corporation of National and Community Service is dedicated to honoring and promoting models of high-quality service-learning.

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is a new initiative designed to "identify and recognize institutions of higher education that pursue their civic mission through the encouragement and support of their students’ community service efforts." It will recognize the broad commitment to community service and to service-learning by institutions of higher education, including the level of student engagement as well as institutional support, such as service-learning courses, community service coordinating offices, and exemplary service projects." In its first year, the program will place a special emphasis on volunteer service performed by college students in the wake of last year's devastating hurricanes.

All colleges and universities whose students have made meaningful contributions to community service and service-learning during the 2005-2006 academic year are invited to apply. Honor Roll members and Presidential Award winners will be announced at the Campus Compact 20th Anniversary celebration on October 17. The deadline for applications is September 15, 2006. Apply online now at the Corporation's website.

The Corporation has placed engagement by college students in volunteer service as one of the key elements of its new five-year strategic plan. Together with its partners in the higher education community, the Corporation hopes to increase engagement in service nationwide from 3.2 million college students last year to 5 million by the year 2010. Each year, the Corporation makes a significant investment in building a culture of service on college campuses through its funding of Learn and Serve America and AmeriCorps programs at institutions of higher education.

- Susan, National Service-Learning Partnership