KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University has been named to the 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Established in 2006, the CNCS Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions reflecting the values of exemplary community service and achieving meaningful outcomes in their communities. The WMU application was submitted by Shawn Tenney from the Office of Service Learning.
"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 chief executive officer 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."
CNCS oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school's commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.
Highlighted in this year's application were WMU's Children's Trauma Assessment Center, the Walker Institute for Race and Ethnic Relations, the College of Engineering and Applied Science and the Haworth College of Business. A documented 380,000 hours of service were provided by WMU's students across campus in the past year.