On an honor roll

James Madison University has earned placement on the 2010 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the institution's support of volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. JMU has been on the honor roll, which is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, since the list was established in 2006. 

This year's award recognizes a wide spectrum of service by JMU students, faculty and staff during the 2009-10 academic year, according to Rich Harris, director of Community Service-Learning at JMU. 

"Our inclusion on the honor roll is recognition that service is an important part of the JMU culture," Harris said, adding that the people of the university engage in community service for reasons other than recognition. "We see a need and try to meet it." 

CNCS chose the honor roll institutions on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school's commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service. CNCS collaborates with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education in the honor roll. 

A total of 511 colleges and universities are included on this year's honor roll. An additional 114 schools received the recognition of Honor Roll with distinction, 11 were identified as finalists and six received the Presidential Award. 

The honor roll designation is one of several recognitions JMU has received for volunteerism and service. In January, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching acknowledged the university's community engagement efforts by approving JMU to receive its Community Engagement Classification for 2010. Also in 2010, and for the second time in its history, JMU's Alternative Break Program is the Break Away National Program of the Year. Recognizing the university's commitment to active citizenship, the honor is awarded by the national nonprofit organization that supports the development of quality alternative break programs by providing training and information to colleges interested in creating lifelong active citizens. Break Away also recognized the JMU program in 1999. 

Related Links: 

Community Service-Learning: https://www.jmu.edu/csl/