Georgian Court University has been named to the 2015 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The program recognizes colleges and universities that support exemplary community service programs and raise the visibility of effective practices in campus community partnerships.
Georgian Court was recognized in the general community service category, which highlights the qualitative impact that a university’s service programs have on the community. Honorees are chosen based on the scope and innovation of service projects as well as measurable community outcomes. The most current honor roll evaluates service completed during the 2013–2014 academic year. At GCU, students, faculty, and campus community members donated nearly 71,000 in service hours to worthy causes.
“One of the most important hallmarks of the Georgian Court University community is service,” said Evelyn Saul Quinn, GCU’s vice president for mission integration. “As a Mercy institution, following in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, we are inspired by her legacy of meeting the needs of our time. The entire community is dedicated to contributing to a world in need, both locally and as global citizens.”
Ms. Quinn and her colleagues have developed a system to track the hours of service completed by every individual and organization on campus. Clubs, organizations, and honor societies receive a spreadsheet to follow the service completed each month. Students, faculty, staff, and administrators are given spreadsheets to track individual community service.
GCU’s involvement is broad and far-reaching. The campus is involved in dozens of volunteer efforts, including the following projects and charities:
- Campus Clothesline Project for domestic abuse awareness
- Veterans Day Memorial Wall
- Team IMPACT
- Harbor House Youth Shelter
- Christmas collection for the homeless
- FACES 4 Autism
- Make-a-Wish Foundation
- Sleepout for the Homeless
- Read Across America
- Back-to-school drives for Catholic Charities
“At GCU, we also understand that as we provide service, it is each individual here that benefits in even larger ways as we reflect on being part of the change needed in our world,” said Ms. Quinn.
The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll Corporation is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service in partnership 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, Campus Compact, and the Interfaith Youth Core.
