PNC Recognized for Distinguished Community Service

WESTVILLE – Purdue University North Central has been named to the first President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for distinguished community service in recognition of extraordinary volunteer efforts by the school and its students to serve area neighborhoods and Gulf Coast communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

PNC is one of 140 other colleges and universities recognized for distinguished service among the nearly 500 schools named to the President’s Honor Roll at the Campus Compact 20th Anniversary. The recognition is presented in cooperation with Campus Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,000 college and university presidents and supported by all the major national higher education associations.

“Our students have made the commitment to give their time and talents to a number of worthwhile service learning projects that have provided immeasurable benefit to our community,” said Dr. James B. Dworkin, PNC chancellor. “After Hurricane Katrina, our campus did not hesitate to get involved in the Gulf Coast relief effort. Thirteen students, a faculty member and an academic advisor gave up their 2005 winter break to travel to Mississippi to work with Habitat for Humanity. A second trip is planned for this year.”

According to Stephen Goldsmith, chief executive officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that works to foster a culture of volunteering and service in America, “Purdue North Central set a strong example for college-level civic engagement. It earned the distinguished service recognition thanks to the students who provided exceptional community service this past year, contributing their time, resources, energy, skills – and intellect – to serve America.”

From July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006, 205 PNC students contributed an average of 30 hours each to various service learning projects. This did not include the Hurricane Katrina projects.

The Hurricane Katrina relief saw about 50 total students working on a multi-faceted effort under the direction of PNC enrollment manager Keri Marrs de Barron. Projects included a clothing and toiletry drive for hurricane victims and a concert featuring four local bands, all of which included at least one PNC student, performing free of charge, and raised about $700.

Marrs de Barron, 13 students and a faculty member traveled to Mississippi to aid in the construction of two Habitat for Humanity homes being built for single-parent families. About 500 hours of time was donated by the team for this project. While the student team ended up in an area not directly damaged by the hurricane, the trip was a direct result of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Nationally, the Corporation for National and Community Service reports that college students provided nearly 2.3 million service hours volunteering in Hurricane Katrina relief. Thousands of students substituted work for fun during their school breaks by traveling to the Gulf to gut homes, clear debris, repair roofs and paint buildings. The estimated value of services provided by Honor Roll colleges and students was $87 million.

A comprehensive study released by the Corporation for National and Community Service shows that college student civic engagement has risen significantly in recent years. Using data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the study indicated that student volunteering increased 20 percent from 2002 to 2005, and 3.3 million college students serve their communities and nation. The study showed that college students ages 16 to 24 are more likely to volunteer than cohorts in that age group who are not enrolled.

 The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is co-sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. 

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