VCU is Named to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University has been named to the 2010 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 that 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.

"VCU has been designated to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll every year since the award was created back in 2006, making our university one of the long-standing leaders in community-university engagement in the country," said Cathy Howard, Ph.D., vice provost of the Division of Community Engagement. 

The selection, which recognizes VCU’s commitment to service and civic engagement, was announced May 12 in Washington, D.C. This is the fifth consecutive year that VCU has been listed on the Honor Roll.

"This year the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll review process focused on universities demonstrating positive impacts within their community,” said Lynn Pelco, service-learning program director, Division of Community Engagement. “Being recognized at a national level for making measurable positive impacts in our community is an accomplishment we can truly be proud of.”

VCU students have embraced community engagement as part of their university experience, with 14,653 students contributing an estimated 408,642 hours of community service in 2009-2010 through service-learning classes, service projects of student organizations and individual volunteering.