VCU is Named to the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University has been named to the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The honor roll was launched in 2006 and is the highest federal recognition colleges and universities can achieve for service-learning and civic engagement. It is sponsored by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation and the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development.

The selection, which recognizes VCU’s commitment to service and civic engagement, was announced today at the 91st Annual Meeting of the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C. This is the third consecutive year that VCU has been listed on the Honor Roll. 

“This award verifies that VCU is committed to promoting and maintaining innovative partnerships with the community,” said Lynn Pelco, service-learning program director, Division of Community Engagement.  “We’re a large and diverse university with many opportunities for a wide variety of disciplines to work together on projects to address community needs,” Pelco said.

VCU students contributed an estimated 282,993 hours of community service in 2007-2008 through service-learning classes, service projects of student organizations, and individual volunteering. At the current Virginia minimum wage rate of $6.55, this number of hours translates into almost $2 million of donated service to the community.

“Our students are energetic, enthused and want to give back to the community,” said Beth Ward, volunteer services coordinator, University Student Commons & Activities.