Earlham Receives Highest Federal Service Award for Third Consecutive Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2009

RICHMOND, Ind. — Earlham College has been named once again by the Corporation for National and Community Service to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, Earlham President Douglas C. Bennett announced today. The Honor Roll recognizes colleges and universities nationwide that support innovative and effective community service and service learning programs.

"Service is a core value at Earlham," said Bennett. "We educate with a concern for improving human society, and service is one of the best ways students can contribute now and prepare for future roles in which they will continue to contribute their talents and knowledge. Earlham is delighted to have been chosen again for this honor."

Earlham has been named to the prestigious honor roll since its inception.The Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement. Earlham has been named to the prestigious list each year since its inception in 2006. Honorees for the award were chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovativeness 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.

At Earlham, service learning is designed to encourage civic responsibility among Earlham students through community service. Students are urged to address local issues concerning education, youth, housing, the elderly, mental health, poverty and the differently abled. The program works with community organizations to develop, recruit and assess student service positions in the community.

Earlham is also one of 27 colleges nationwide to host a Bonner Scholars Program. Through this program, 15 first-year students are awarded a four-year scholarship based upon financial need and an interest in participating in community service. The Bonner program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to serve and provide academic support and enrichment activities to students.

Earlham dedicated the Bonner Center for Service and Vocation in October 2008. President Doug Bennett and Director of Foundation Relations Barbara Gregg survey the crowd prior to the ceremony.In congratulating this year’s recipients, Molly Corbett Broad, president of the American Council on Education, offered "heartfelt congratulations to those institutions named to the 2008 Honor Role. College and university students across the country are making a difference in the lives of others every day — as are the institutions that encourage their students to serve others."

Overall, the Community Service Honor Roll recognized 635 schools nationwide.

"In this time of economic distress, we need volunteers more than ever. College students represent an enormous pool of idealism and energy to help tackle some of our toughest challenges,” said Nicola Goren, acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the Honor Roll. “We salute these institutions for making community service a campus priority, and thank the millions of college students who are helping to renew America through service to others."

The Community Service Honor Roll is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service and is sponsored by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation and the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, in partnership with Campus Compact and the American Council on Education.

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Contact:
Mark Blackmon, director of media relations
765/983-1256 — E-Mail Mark