Camarillo, Calif., March 16, 2010 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) was recently named a recipient of the highest federal honor that universities can receive for service learning and civic engagement.
Seven hundred institutions of higher learning were named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service to America’s communities. The award recipients were announced by the Corporation for National and Community Service, in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education.
CI’s President Richard R. Rush stated, “This award is a testament to the commitment Channel Islands faculty, staff and students have to serving their community. It is particularly meaningful for CI as it validates our mission to incorporate service into the courses we teach and graduate students who are prepared to help solve the challenging social problems we face.”
Since the inception of service learning and civic engagement six years ago at CI, the campus has been committed to making service learning an integral part of its curriculum and student life. The University has reached out to the community to form reciprocal partnerships that have provided real benefit to the community and the campus.
Pilar Pacheco, Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement, stated, “We were named to the honor roll because CI was able to demonstrate its institutional commitment to service and service projects that have made an impact on the community.”
In any given semester, CI students join faculty in developing innovative programs and projects to meet local needs using skills gained from their course work. Some of these projects include tutoring homeless children, creating a public health campaign, and contributing to the restoration of New Orleans.
Pacheco stated that the University partners with many community-based organizations. “Our partners play an integral role in our students’ education.” She added that last year these partnerships resulted in CI students completing 14,500 service hours volunteering, and/or participating in service-learning or civic engagement projects. Using California’s calculated rate of $22 for each volunteer hour, in 2009 CI students provided $319,000 of economic benefit to the local community.
For media inquiries contact Nancy Gill, Director of Communication & Marketing at CSU Channel Islands at 805-437-8456 or nancy.gill@csuci.edu.
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.