UTSA is among 642 schools named to national honor roll for community service

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(March 29, 2012) --The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the U.S. Department of Education recently honored The University of Texas at San Antonio and other leading colleges and universities, students, faculty members and staff for their commitment to bettering their communities through community service and service-learning.

UTSA was admitted to the 2012 Honor Roll for its work in the San Antonio community including efforts in mentoring, college access and outreach, economic outreach and development, wide ranging volunteerism with hundreds of community agencies, and service-learning efforts.

"Through service, these institutions are creating the next generation of leaders by challenging students to tackle tough issues and create positive impacts in the community," said Robert Velasco, acting CEO of CNCS. "We applaud the honor roll schools, their faculty and students for their commitment to make service a priority in and out of the classroom. Together, service and learning increase civic engagement while fostering social innovation among students, empowering them to solve challenges within their communities."

"Preparing students to participate in our democracy and providing them with opportunities to take on local and global issues in their course work are as central to the mission of education as boosting college completion and closing the achievement gap," said Eduardo Ochoa, U.S. Department of Education assistant secretary for postsecondary education. "The honor roll schools should be proud of their work to elevate the role of service-learning on their campuses."

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, the initiative celebrates the transformative power and volunteer spirit that exists within the higher education community.

UTSA earned recognition for the commitment of the institution and students to service in San Antonio and beyond. UTSA students gave an estimated 254,000 hours of service to the community between July 2010 and June2011. Highlighted projects are:

  • 7 in Seven: Students in the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance spent spring break 2011 serving at student-organized service projects with seven community organizations including SA Youth, Barshop JCC, City of San Antonio, United Way of San Antonio, Animal Defense League/Animal Care Services, San Antonio Parks and Recreation and SA2020.
  • Mentoring Matters/Inspire U Mentoring Program: 13 middle school students from the Mark Twain school traveled monthly to the UTSA Downtown Campus to have lunch with a faculty or staff mentor in a collaboration between the mayor's office, Big Brothers Big Sisters and UTSA. Mentees received information about careers, SAT/ACT preparation, financial aid assistance and support from Café College through the program.
  • United to Serve: On April 2, 2011, 395 UTSA students, faculty and staff gave back at 14 projects in the San Antonio community for UTSA's annual Day of Service. Projects took place with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boysville, San Antonio Parks and Recreation, Communities in Schools, Family Service Association, FVPS, Habitat for Humanity, Methodist Mission Home, SA Youth, Saddle Light Center, SA Ed Partnership, and SA Youth Literacy.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which has administered the Honor Roll since 2006, admitted a total of 642 schools to colleges and universities for their impact on issues from literacy and neighborhood revitalization to supporting at-risk youths. On campuses across the country, millions of college students are engaged in innovative projects to meet local needs, often using the skills learned in classrooms. In 2010, 3.1 million college students dedicated more than 312 million hours of service to communities across the country in service valued at more than $6.6 billion.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a strong partner with the nation's colleges and universities in supporting community service and service-learning. Last year, CNCS provided more than $200 million in support to institutions of higher education including grants to operate service programs and the Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for college tuition and student loan repayment. CNCS is a catalyst for service-learning programs nationwide that connect community service with academic curricula. CNCS oversees the honor roll in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Barack Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit the National and Community Service website.

Learn more about UTSA service programs at these websites:

 

 

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