UNC One of Six Schools Honored for Student Service

Posted on Feb. 26, 2010

The University has been named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

UNC is one of only six colleges and universities in the country to receive the award, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.

U.S. Rep. David Price ’61 joined the CNCS in the announcement.

The recognition was based on activities from the 2008-09 school year, in which:

• Carolina students contributed more than 1 million hours of service through meal packaging events;
• More than 1,800 Carolina students — 600 more than the previous year — were involved with the UNC Dance Marathon, raising more than $390,000 to benefit the N.C. Children’s hospital; and
• Other projects involved more than 150 community partners. Many students gave up vacations from school through Alternative Break experiences, in which they traveled to help in a variety of destination communities. In addition, nearly 2,000 students contributed in nearby North Carolina communities through service-learning courses, internships and fellowships.

The Campus Y is home to student activists and community advocates; the APPLES Service-Learning program provides opportunities for the campus community; and the Carolina Center for Public Service is home to student fellowships, grants and faculty development opportunities.

A new social media site, Heels Help, also has been set up to connect volunteers with organizations. It is sponsored by The Daily Tar Heel.

The other five schools named to the honor roll are Emory and Henry College of Emory, Va.; Lee University of Cleveland, Tenn.; Ohio Wesleyan University of Delaware, Ohio; Raritan Valley Community College of Branchburg, N.J.; and Willamett University of Salem, Ore.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than a million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve.

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More online…

• Dance Marathon Raises More Than $420,000 for Hospital
  News report from February 2010
• 1,600 Students Vow to Dance in 12th Annual Marathon
  News report from February 2010
• 11th Annual Dance Marathon to ‘Rock Out for the Kids’
  News report from February 2009

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