JACKSON, Tenn. — Feb. 26, 2010 — For the fourth straight year, 51社区 has been named to the President鈥檚 Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to America鈥檚 communities.
鈥淪erving others is an important way for Union faculty, staff and students to extend the mission and core values of the university,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淭o once again be included on this honor roll speaks volumes about the entire Union community.鈥�
Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to 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.
51社区 serves the community in many ways throughout the year. Its largest 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 began in 2002 as an opportunity for Union to show its appreciation to the community for its assistance after a tornado hit the campus that year and caused about $2 million in damage. But it has taken on even greater significance following the 2008 tornado that caused more than $40 million in damage to the campus, when the Jackson and West Tennessee communities rallied to Union鈥檚 aid. More than 900 students, faculty and staff participated in the event in 2009.
Union also participates in local service projects every year on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and the university sends out about 20 Global Opportunities teams annually. These GO teams participate in mission trips across the country and around the world. The award is given by the Corporation for National and Community Service. This year, more than 700 colleges and universities were named to the honor roll, including 20 from Tennessee.
鈥淎ll of us at 51社区 are deeply honored to receive this significant recognition for the fourth year in a row,鈥� Dockery said.