Purdue University North Central has for the fourth consecutive year been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service in recognition of its students and their "exemplary service efforts and service to America's communities."
The Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement. Honorees were chosen based on a series of 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.
The Honor Roll is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education. The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is presented during the annual conference of the American Council on Education.
The annual Honor Roll award recognizes more than 700 colleges and universities for their impact on issues from poverty and homelessness to environmental justice. In 2009, 3.16 million students performed more than 300 million hours of service, according to the Volunteering in America study.
In recent years, PNC has eagerly taken on a growing number of community service projects and faculty members have increasingly worked service learning into their classroom curricula.
"We are pleased to be a part of the Community Service Honor Roll again this year. PNC is proud of the students who give their time, energy and talents to volunteer with community service and service learning projects, providing a tremendous benefit to our community. In fact, many student clubs, organizations and individuals are reaching out to take on projects on their own as they begin to understand the impact their actions have on those around them," said PNC Chancellor Dr. James B. Dworkin. "Our PNC students have become visible members of the community and are to be commended for their efforts."
Laura Weaver, Service Learning coordinator, PNC's Center for Service Learning & Leadership added, "Through service learning and community service projects, our students are taking on essential roles as community volunteers and becoming civic-minded citizens. At PNC we are committed to community engagement and service learning."
In the 2008-2009 academic year 120 PNC students enrolled in courses with a service learning component. Their service learning projects included:
Students in Early Childhood Education coordinating the "Month of the Young Child" to bring awareness to the need for quality pre-K education.
Communication students partnering with Mixed Up Mutts, Christian Community Action/Spring Valley Shelter, Big Brothers/Big Sisters to raise funds, promote events and advance community support.
Computer & Information Technology students developing a computer system for the Porter County Salvation Army.
Biology and Nursing students working with health organizations to further the knowledge of medical ethics and its importance.
During the 2008-2009 academic year, 420 PNC students engaged in a form of community service, totaling 5,700 hours with an estimated worth of $115,425 to the community. These projects included:
- PNC Construction Club partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build homes in LaPorte County.
- Reading to children at the LaPorte YMCA Child Care Center.
- PNC Athletes helping to clean up after the 2008 floods in Lake and Porter County.
- Taking part in Rebuilding Together in Chesterton and Valparaiso.
"Congratulations to Purdue University North Central and its students for their dedication to service and commitment to improving their local communities," said Patrick Corvington, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "Our nation's students are a critical part of the equation and vital to our efforts to tackle the most persistent challenges we face. They have achieved impactful results and demonstrated the value of putting knowledge into practice to help renew America through service."
Across Indiana, students donated 7,660,651 of hours of service, valued at more than $155 million.