Communication Associate: Public Relations | Lori Melton | lmelton@d.umn.edu | (218) 726-8830
April 5, 2013 Michelle Hargrave | Director | Office of Civic Engagement | 218-726-7125 | mhargrav@d.umn.edu
Cheryl Reitan | Associate Director | External Affairs | 218-726-8996 | creitan@d.umn.edu
UMD Receives Civic Engagement Awards
DULUTH, MN – The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) has been named to the Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and has received three awards from the Minnesota Campus Compact project.
NATIONAL AWARD
In March, CNCS announced UMD's place on the 2013 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. CNCS has administered the award since 2006 to honor the thousands of college students who supported relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS, had high praise for UMD and the other colleges and universities honored. She said, "These institutions have inspired students and faculty alike to roll up their sleeves and work alongside members of the community to solve problems and improve their neighbors' lives." College students make a significant contribution to their communities through volunteering and service. According to the most recent Volunteering and Civic Life in America report, in 2012, 3.1 million college students dedicated more than 118 million hours of service across the country, a contribution valued at $2.5 billion.
CNCS manages the National Honor Roll program in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the American Council on Education and Campus Compact.
MINNESOTA AWARDS
UMD also received Minnesota honors. In March, Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents' Awards went to three recipients affiliated with UMD:
1) Mary Cameron, associate director in the UMD Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity, received the Civic Engagement Steward Award for her work implementing the program, America Reads, America Counts. The program gave undergraduates the opportunity to tutor elementary school children in reading and math. She later expanded the program to serve area non-profit organizations. Each year, 80-100 college students serve as tutors.
2) UMD student Judy Breuer received the Student Leadership Award for establishing a food sensitivities support group in Duluth, which meets monthly and often brings in professionals to provide information. Breuer wrote a chapter in UMD's "DORM Good Food Cookbook" and worked with Health Services, Food Services, and the UMD dietician to improve food choices at UMD.
3) The Duluth YMCA Community Services Department received the Community Partner Award for their partnership with UMD. They provided internships for undergraduate psychology students and counseling graduate students and offered AmeriCorps service opportunities for UMD students and recent graduates. In addition, they placed over 350 students as academic mentors in the Duluth Public Schools.
The three recipients were recognized at a ceremony on April 1, 2013 at Hamline University in St. Paul.
About Minnesota Campus Compact
Minnesota Campus Compact, which brings people together across higher education to advance a shared commitment to civic engagement as a strategy for strengthening democracy as well as achieving core educational purpose. Each year, the Compact network recognizes outstanding student leaders, community partners, and staff or faculty "stewards" of engagement identified by member campuses.
About the Office of Civic Engagement
The Office of Civic Engagement facilitates these awards for the campus. The office creates actively engaged life-long citizens. It has established over 70 community partnerships with local organizations and mobilizes approximately 2,000 students a year. The students contribute more than 30,000 hours of service to the community annually. They assist UMD faculty in incorporating community-based learning in courses and they support departments and groups involved in community based learning. See http://www.d.umn.edu/outreach/civic/.
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