The State University of New York at Fredonia has been named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement.
Honorees for the award were 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. The university was named in recognition of the activities and accomplishments of students in cooperation with the SUNY Fredonia’s Volunteer and Community Services program, administered by Director Joyce Smith.
Ms. Smith noted the importance of being named to the honor roll in demonstrating that SUNY Fredonia students are committed to serving others, “We have an effective community service program here at SUNY Fredonia. Our students have helped to improve the quality of life of so many off-campus community residents, particularly low-income individuals and families.”
During the 2008-2009 academic year, over 1,800 SUNY Fredonia students provided 13,190 hours of service in various forms of volunteer activities, with the value of the time estimated at $267,097.50.
Among the projects submitted with the honor roll application representing long-term commitments were the Annual Campus-Wide Donation Drive, which in December 2008 resulted in 60 bags of clothing, 40 boxes of food and 25 boxes of toys to be distributed through the Holiday Caregivers Coalition; the SUNY Fredonia chapter of Friends Across Borders, which is the first college-based chapter of the organization in the U.S., whose members and faculty traveled to Belize to work with students and teachers at partner schools in Belize City and deliver donations of school and playground supplies; and the Fall Sweep, the annual event sponsored by SUNY Fredonia’s Applied Communication Association in cooperation with the Advanced Leadership Program and Public Relations Student Society of America, which provided over 900 hours of service in raking leaves and other debris for community homeowners.
The Corporation for National and Community Service administers the annual honor award, which this year recognized more than 700 colleges and university nationwide for their impact on issues from poverty and homelessness to environmental justice.
