News Release

Nigel Nyambuya, OWU Class of 2014, works with The Columbus Initiative. The mentoring program links OWU students with children at Linden Elementary School in Columbus. The program exemplifies the many community service initiatives undertaken by OWU students each year. In recognition for their efforts, Ohio Wesleyan has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction.

Photo by John Holliger

Ohio Wesleyan Receives National Recognition for Community Service
University Again Named to President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

May 17, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the third consecutive year, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is honoring Ohio Wesleyan University as a leader among institutions of higher education for its support of volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.

Ohio Wesleyan was admitted to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction for its strong commitment to service and compelling campus-community partnerships that produce measurable benefits for the community.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which has administered the Honor Roll since 2006, admitted a total of 641 colleges and universities to the 2010 Honor Roll for their impact on issues ranging from literacy and neighborhood revitalization to supporting at-risk youth. Of that total, 114 received the recognition of Honor Roll with distinction.

“As the class of 2011 crosses the stage to pick up their diplomas, more and more will be going into the world with a commitment to public service and the knowledge that they can make a difference in their community and their own lives through service to others, thanks to the leadership of these institutions,” said Patrick A. Corvington, Chief Executive Officer of CNCS. “Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan and its students for their dedication to service and commitment to improving their local communities. We salute all the Honor Roll awardees for embracing their civic mission and providing opportunities for their students to tackle tough national challenges through service.”

During the 2009-2010 academic year, Ohio Wesleyan students volunteered more than 47,000 hours of their time and their talent to help others locally, nationally, and internationally.

“Ohio Wesleyan students are committed to serving others and improving lives,” said Rock Jones, Ph.D., president of Ohio Wesleyan. “From mentoring schoolchildren to providing translation services for Hispanic families, from building homes to working to alleviate global poverty, they are wonderful role models for the world.”

A total of 851 institutions applied for the 2010 Honor Roll, a 9 percent increase over last year, a sign of the growing interest by colleges and universities in highlighting their efforts to engage students in making a difference in the community.

Nationwide in 2009, 3.2 million college students dedicated more than 307 million hours of service to U.S. communities, providing outreach valued at more than $6.4 billion. Examples include business and law students offering tax preparation and legal services, and college-student volunteers providing meals, creating parks, rebuilding homes after disasters, conducting job training, running senior service programs, and much more.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a strong partner with the nation’s colleges and universities in supporting community service and service-learning. Last year, CNCS provided more than $215 million in support to institutions of higher education, including grants to operate service programs and the Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for college tuition and student loan repayment. CNCS is a catalyst for service-learning programs nationwide that connect community service with academic curricula. Through these programs, in classes, and in extracurricular activities, college students serve their communities while strengthening their academic and civic skills.

CNCS oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service. For a full list of recipients and descriptions of their service, visit www.NationalService.gov/HonorRoll.

About Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier small, private universities, with more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 Division III varsity sports. Located in Delaware, Ohio, just minutes north of Ohio’s capital and largest city, Columbus, the university combines a globally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that translate classroom theory into real-world practice. OWU’s close-knit community of 1,850 students represents 45 states and 52 countries. Ohio Wesleyan earned a 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in General Community Service, is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” and is included on the “best colleges” lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.

About the Corporation for National and Community Service
CNCS is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorp, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Barack Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.