March 13, 2013

Shawnee State University was named to the 2013 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This designation is the highest honor a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. SSU was chosen out of more than 1,000 universities that applied for the award.

"Receiving this award is a testament to the commitment of our students, faculty, staff, and institution to making a difference in our community – and in others around the country," said SSU President Rita Rice Morris. "Our students care about the world around them and look for service-learning opportunities."

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll honors the nation's leading higher education institutions and their students, faculty and staff for their commitment to bettering their communities through service. These are 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, CNCS has administered the award since 2006 and manages the program in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the American Council on Education and Campus Compact.

"Congratulations to Shawnee State, its faculty and students for its commitment to service, both in and out of the classroom," said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "Through its work, institutions of higher education are helping improve their local communities and create a new generation of leaders by challenging students to go beyond the traditional college experience and solve local challenges."

The CNCS is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, the Social Innovation Fund and other programs, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve.