Fairmont State Receives National Recognition for Community Service

The Corporation for National and Community Service has honored Fairmont State University as a leader among institutions of higher education for its support of volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. 

FSU was admitted to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for engaging its students, faculty and staff in meaningful service that achieves measurable results in the community. 

FSU Interim President Maria Rose said that providing opportunities for responsible citizenship is an integral part of the University’s mission.  

“Our students participate in meaningful community service projects through the Office of Community Service Learning, as well as various faculty-led initiatives. I am pleased to see Fairmont State students actively involved with the Humane Society, the Soup Opera, FSU Reads and other special projects, such as providing free income tax preparation, creating a nature trail or building a putt-putt golf course at the Fifth Street Park. Fairmont State is a part of the community, and our faculty, staff and students are making a difference.”

 “Congratulations to Fairmont State 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, an estimated $750,000 was donated in-kind through the service of Fairmont State’s students, faculty and staff.

“Each year there is an increase in the number of those who volunteer their services, as well as an increase in the number of agencies, causes and people who are reached by those services,” said Donna Yergovich Nuzum, Director of Community Service Learning.  “This honor is national recognition of FSU’s commitment to our community.”

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.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which has administered the Honor Roll since 2006, admitted a total of 641 colleges and universities for their impact on issues from literacy and neighborhood revitalization to supporting at-risk youth. Of that total, 511 were named to the Honor Roll, 114 received the recognition of Honor Roll with distinction, 11 were identified as finalists, and six received the Presidential Award.

"As members of the class of 2011 cross 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 communities and their own lives through service to others, thanks to the leadership of these institutions," said Patrick A. Corvington, Chief Executive Officer of CNCS. 

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.

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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, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Barack Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

Office of Community Service LearningDonna NuzumHonor RollRecognitionMaria Rose