University of Wyoming students gather trash in a highway cleanup project organized
by the Center for Volunteer Service.
The Corporation for National and Community Service honored the University of Wyoming with a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service to America's communities.
Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. UW was chosen for the award based on 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 academic service-learning courses.
Among the university's most notable achievements was the performance of the UW Center for Volunteer Service. For the 2007-2008 academic year, the CVS recruited 1,782 volunteers who performed 15,195 hours of service. The majority of these volunteers were recruited by members of the CVS' Connecting Campus & Community AmeriCorps program.
Last year, 20 students performed 6,357 hours of AmeriCorps service in nonprofit agencies around Albany County. This year, 41 UW, Casper College and Laramie County Community College students are serving with the Connecting Campus & Community program.
"This is the first time we've made the community service honor roll," says Katie Kleinhesselink, CVS Coordinator. "It really speaks to how incredibly hard our students have worked to make a difference in the community. It's just awesome that we've received this kind of recognition."
"In this time of economic distress, we need volunteers more than ever. College students represent an enormous pool of idealism and energy to help tackle some of our toughest challenges," says Stephen Goldsmith, vice chair of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the Honor Roll. "We salute the University of Wyoming for making community service a campus priority, and thank the millions of college students who are helping to renew America through service to others."
"Our place on the President's Community Service Honor Roll truly highlights the commitment our students have made to giving back to the campus, the community and the state," says Sara Axelson, vice president for student affairs. "UW students are truly making a difference in our community through volunteerism, AmeriCorps and nonprofit service and government internships."
The Honor Roll is a program of the corporation, in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is presented during the annual conference of the American Council on Education.
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. The Corporation administers Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America, a program that supports service-learning in schools, institutions of higher education and community-based organizations. For more information, go to www.nationalservice.gov.
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009
