For the second year in a row, Elon University has received a presidential award as a national leader in service-learning and civic engagement.
The Corporation for National & Community Service named theuniversity on Feb. 11 to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll With Distinction for exemplary service efforts andservice to disadvantaged youth. 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.
“This award is one way we can acknowledge the efforts of faculty, staff, students and community partners working in collaboration to resolve community problems,” said Mary Morrison, director of the Kernodle Center for Service Learning at Elon. “Elon’s long-standing commitment to civic engagement continues to be recognized as we expand opportunities for service locally and globally.”
Honorees for the award were chosen based on factors like scope and innovativeness 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.
“College students like those at Elon are tackling the toughest problems in America, demonstrating their compassion, commitment, and creativity in by serving as mentors, tutors, health workers, and even engineers,” said David Eisner, CEO for the Corporation, who visited the university in November. “They represent a renewed spirit of civic engagement fostered by outstanding leadership on caring campuses.”
The Honor Roll is sponsored by the Corporation, through its Learn and Serve America program, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.
Overall, the Community Service Honor Roll awarded six schools with Presidential Awards. In addition, four schools were recognized as Special Achievement Award winners, 127 as Honor Roll With Distinction members and 391 schools as Honor Roll members. Elon was one of three institutions recognized by President George W. Bush when the university received an inaugural Presidential Award in 2006.
The Corporation for National and Community Service 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.