Wednesday, March 03, 2010

For the fourth straight year, the University of North Carolina Wilmington has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. UNCW has placed on the honor roll each year since its inception in 2006.

UNCW students have a strong sense of civic responsibility and volunteerism. More than 4,700 students contributed more than 51,000 hours to volunteer and service learning projects in 2009. The economic value of that community service alone exceeds $1 million, according to Donna Chapa Crowe, director of the university's Center for Leadership Education and Service (CLES).

The campus has partnerships with more than 250 non-profit agencies, according to Chapa Crowe. While much volunteer work is done by groups across campus, Chapa Crowe said the center provides a central place for students to learn about and join existing projects or receive assistance in developing their own.

While three full-time staff members provide support, CLES is primarily student run. The office's 15 student leaders in the office organize and carry out the center's projects.
UNCW junior Kayla Holbrook said that CLES helps her find ways to give back to the community. She noted that the center has exposed her to a wide variety of service opportunities, from working with the elderly at the annual Young at Heart dance to helping the Cape Fear River Watch pick up trash at Greenfield Lake.

"You can volunteer and find something you want to do in any area," said Holbrook.
Along with their regional efforts, UNCW students also contribute on a global scale. They have assisted in disaster recovery efforts in Louisiana and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina and raised funds for victims of the Haitian earthquake. Last month, the university was named as one of the top 25 medium-sized schools in the nation for producing Peace Corps volunteers.

The Corporation for National and Community Service selects the honor roll each year to recognize institutions of higher education for their commitment to and achievement in community service. The Corporation oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

Media contact:
William Davis, UNCW Marketing and Communications, 910.962.2654 or davisw@uncw.edu