Saint Anselm College has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which was launched this year to recognize schools for distinguished community service nationwide.
More than 500 schools were considered for the honor roll, but only 141 were selected. The awards were given during an event marking the 20th anniversary of Campus Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,000 college and university presidents, supported by national higher education associations.
"We constantly challenge our students to understand the true meaning of civic engagement and community service," said college President Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B. "Serving a greater good means not only volunteering one's time to those in need, but understanding the root causes of social injustice and knowing how to effect real change in a community."
Saint Anselm offers a number of opportunities for students and the entire college community to demonstrate a commitment to service. Following Hurricane Katrina, the college raised $16,000 for the St. Joan of Arc School, a Catholic elementary school in the heart of New Orleans.
Also, the Meelia Center for Community Service provides about 17,000 volunteer hours a year to some 40 charitable organizations. The Spring Break Alternative program sends about 170 students volunteers annually to sites throughout the United States and in Honduras and Costa Rica. This year, 11 SBA students assisted the St. Joan of Arc school.
The honor roll is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, an federal agency charged with fostering a national ethic of service and volunteerism, along with the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.
"Higher education is a powerful engine of civic engagement and is central to achieving the president's vision of active citizens and connected communities," said Stephen Goldsmith, corporation chairman. "We applaud America’s college students and the universities they attend for stepping up to help people in need."