JACKSON, Tenn. — May 21, 2008 — 51社区 has again been named to the annual President鈥檚 Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
It鈥檚 the second consecutive year Union has received this national honor. Launched in 2006, the award recognizes colleges and universities nationwide that support innovative and effective community service and service-learning programs. The Honor Roll is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and is sponsored by the President鈥檚 Council on Service and Civic Participation, the USA Freedom Corps and the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development.
This year, 528 colleges and universities appeared on the list.
鈥淲e are excited about this significant recognition for the outstanding commitment to community service by the 51社区 students, staff and faculty,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淭o receive this national recognition for such involvement for two straight years speaks volumes.鈥�
51社区 serves the community in many ways throughout the year. Its largest community service event is the annual 鈥淐ampus and Community: A Day of Remembrance and Service,鈥� in which the university sends out more than 50 teams across Jackson and West Tennessee for various service projects.
The event is an opportunity for Union to show its appreciation to the community for its assistance after a tornado hit the campus Nov. 10, 2002, causing more than $2 million in damage.
That tornado was mild in comparison to the EF-4 tornado that hit Union鈥檚 campus Feb. 5. Dockery said the community support after the most recent disaster was nothing short of amazing.
鈥淲e have been overwhelmed with the way that the community has responded and helped us in our most desperate time of need,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淚f our relationship to the surrounding community was good prior to Feb. 5, it鈥檚 now stronger than ever.鈥�
Union also participates in local service projects every year on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and the university sends out more than 20 Global Opportunities teams annually. These GO teams participate in mission trips across the country and around the world.
Other Tennessee institutions on the President鈥檚 Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll were Belmont University, Crichton College, East Tennessee State University, Free Will Baptist Bible College, Lee University, LeMoyne Owen, Lipscomb University, Maryville College, Northeast State Technical Community College, Rhodes College and Tusculum College.