ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. (June 3, 2011) — St. Mary’s College of Maryland has been admitted to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the third year in a row. This is the highest federal recognition a college can receive for commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.
To be admitted to the Honor Roll, a school must demonstrate that its students, faculty, and staff are engaged in meaningful service that achieves measurable results in the community.
St. Mary’s students donated thousands of hours of service to local community organizations this past year. For example, the relatively new “Stuff The Van” program is popular with students, staff, and faculty as they fill a van with non-perishable food to give to a local food bank. Next year, they plan to include clothes, toys and school supplies.
A college auction raised $15,000 for Christmas in April that went toward renovating a house in St. Mary’s County; students then helped with the renovations, including roof repairs and installation of wheelchair ramps. A final example, Gaypril, is the most recent addition to service programs at St. Mary's, consisting of informative films, outreach to local support centers, and donations to youth groups.
A total of 851 institutions applied for the 2010 Honor Roll, a nine percent increase over last year. 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.
"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. “Congratulations to St. Mary’s and its students for their dedication to service and commitment to improving their local communities.”