Providence, RI--The Corporation for National and Community Service recently named Providence College to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to disadvantaged youth. 

"I am pleased that Providence College has been placed on the Honor Roll, but the true honor for me is the opportunity to work with the incredibly dedicated students, faculty and staff and the wonderful community partners with whom we serve," said Raymond L. Sickinger, chair of the Department of Public and Community Service Studies and director of the Feinstein Institute for Public Service.

Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. Honorees for the award were chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovativeness 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.

Providence College's Feinstein Institute was recognized for its achievement in five project areas:

• The formation of a Service Board that includes representatives from all campus constituencies to discuss ways to collaborate and ways both to coordinate and improve the effectiveness of service experiences; 
• The support of four to five after school programs in the city of Providence, providing supervision and training of all student volunteers. The College also provides student tutors, student-led programs, work study students, and faculty advice;
• The engagement in issues around health, healthcare, and environmental stewardship;
• The development of a project to respond effectively to growing student interest in global opportunities for service; and 
• The support of partnerships in four ways: the Department of Public and Community Service Studies Practicum course, the College Off-Campus Work Study Program, the Community Advisory Board, and the Community Congress.

The Honor Roll is jointly sponsored by the Corporation, through its Learn and Serve America program, and the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

In congratulating the winners, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said, "Americans rely on our higher education system to prepare students for citizenship and the workforce. We look to institutions like these to provide leadership in partnering with local schools to shape the civic, democratic and economic future of our country."

Overall, the Community Service Honor Roll awarded six schools with Presidential Awards.  In addition, four schools were recognized as Special Achievement Award winners, 127 as Honor Roll With Distinction members and 391 schools as Honor Roll members.  In total, 528 schools were recognized.  A full list is available at www.nationalservice.gov/honorroll.

"There is no question that the universities and colleges who have made an effort to participate and win the Honor Roll award are themselves being rewarded," said American Council on Education President David Ward.  "Earning this distinction is not easy.  But now each of these schools will be able to wear this award like a badge of honor."

For more information, go to http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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