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Southern Miss Named to National Community Service Honor Roll
The University of Southern Mississippi has once again been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The Honor Roll recognizes institutions of higher education that support exemplary community service programs and raise the visibility of effective practices in campus community partnerships. The Honor Roll’s Presidential Award is the highest federal recognition an institution can receive for its commitment to community, service-learning, and civic engagement.
Southern Miss was recognized for excellence in two categories – General Community Service and Education. Programs identified as exemplary included the Service-Learning Faculty Fellows program, which supports USM faculty incorporating service experiences into the classroom, Campus Link AmeriCorps, a one-on-one tutoring program for fourth through eighth graders, and R.E.A.C.H. (Reinvesting Eagles Around the Community of Hattiesburg), a program that places USM students with area non-profits as part of their on-campus job.
“Service is an important part of the Southern Miss experience, and the Honor Roll recognition is an excellent affirmation of this commitment,” says Christy Arrazattee, director of USM’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE). “Our hope is that Southern Miss students graduate understanding how to take part in making their communities better places for all.”
The CCCE is has many programs students can become involved in such as service trips during fall and spring break, a sustainability and service trip during the summer to Guelph, Ontario, and projects such as the Sweet Potato Drop and Okatoma Creek Cleanup every year. CCCE is also committed to pairing students interested in service with community partners in the Hattiesburg area including Big Brother Big Sisters, Edwards Street Fellowship Center, The Salvation Army, and many more.
“The President’s Community Service Honor Roll is a testament to the work and efforts of our University community, particularly our students,” says Chris Ferrell, CCCE program director. “Engaging and building relationships with the community at the level needed for this national recognition is not possible without the student body. This honor belongs to them.”
Last year, students volunteered more than 97,500 hours.
CNCS has administered the Honor Roll award since 2006 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, Campus Compact, and the Interfaith Youth Core.
To see a complete list of the President’s Honor Roll for 2015, visit: http://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/honor-roll. To learn more about the CCCE at Southern Miss, call 601.266.5074 or visit: http://www.usm.edu/center-community-and-civic-engagement
