Wilmington College honored by Obama White House for service
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Wilmington College's leadership in helping to build a national culture of service and civic engagement was recognized by inclusion in the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
The Corporation for National and Community Service announced Thursday, Feb. 25 that WC received the designation for the fourth consecutive year.
A spokesman for the organization praised this year's Honor Roll members for their "commitment to service."
"President Obama has made service a central cause of his administration and, through his United We Serve initiative, he is calling on all Americans to make service part of their daily lives.
"The President places a high priority on supporting and developing the role of higher education institutions, and their students, staff, and faculty, in addressing the nation's most pressing social needs."
The College, which already has nearly 6,000 hours of community service logged this year, received the award from the George W. Bush White House in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
"The federal recognition is based on criteria including the scope and innovativeness of service projects, percentage of student participation and extent to which the school offers academic service learning courses."
Tara Lydy, director of the Center for Service and Civic Engagement at WC, believes the judges were impressed by the quantity of local agencies served through the center, as well as the quality of the work.
"Also, the number of student volunteers and hours contributed based on the size of our college," she said.
Students are exposed to service from the time they step foot upon the campus - indeed, a component of the New Student Orientation program for incoming freshmen features service projects in the community held before the first day of classes.
Wilmington's hallmark for service has become not only a point of pride for the College but a significant factor in many students enrolling at the institution.
"I do believe Wilmington College is a special place for students with a heart for volunteerism," Lydy said.
"Through the Center for Service & Civic Engagement, we can assist students in finding volunteer placements that not only match their individual interests, but also increase their awareness of real world issues," she added. "I find it particularly satisfying to watch students bloom throughout their service experience."
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