Huntington named to community service honor roll
FOR RELEASE: Thursday, March 6, 2008
Huntington, Ind.-For the second consecutive year, the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll has recognized Huntington University for its support of "innovative and effective community service and service-learning programs." "College students are tackling the toughest problems in America, demonstrating their compassion, commitment, and creativity by serving as mentors, tutors, health workers and even engineers," said Liz Seale, chief operating officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "They represent a renewed spirit of civic engagement fostered by outstanding leadership on caring campuses."
The Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service organizes much of Huntington University's service efforts. Founded in 1992, the JMC is a student-directed organization that mobilizes the campus community for Christian service. The organization aims to involve students in the local community, instill a lifelong commitment to service and promote the idea that one person can make a difference.
During the 2006-2007 academic year, students, faculty and staff volunteered for more than 12,397.5 hours, serving more than 50 families, organizations and programs.
"Huntington University is committed to providing students, faculty and staff many opportunities to serve in the community of Huntington, throughout the United States and abroad," said Martha Smith, staff advisor for the Joe Mertz Center. "It is incredible to watch our community demonstrate Christ's love in many ways, from tutoring a child to raking a neighbor's leaves to helping those who lost everything in a hurricane. Serving others is an important part of our mission."
Launched in 2006, the President's Honor Roll recognizes institutions of higher education that support innovative, effective and exemplary community service programs. Honorees were selected based on a series of factors, including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers service-learning courses.
The honor roll is jointly sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, through its Learn and Serve America program, and the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps, Campus Compact, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.
In all, 528 schools were listed on the honor roll for their community service activities during the 2006-2007 academic year.
For more information about the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, log on to www.learnandserve.gov/about/programs/higher_ed_honorroll.asp.
