Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, formerly Our Lady of the Lake College, has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the eighth time and is the only institution of higher learning in Louisiana to be recognized with Distinction this year.
This designation is the highest honor a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service learning, and civic engagement. Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is one of 115 colleges and universities across the United States to be recognized for a strong commitment to service. Approximately 80 percent of the University’s almost 1,700 students participated in community service projects, logging more than 61,000 total service hours that represented an economic impact of nearly $1.4 million in-kind donations to the community.
“Service is a part of the very fabric of this Franciscan institution,” said University President Tina S. Holland, PhD. “Our service-related curricular and co-curricular programs allow our students to nurture intellectual, spiritual, social and civic development by participating in community improvement projects and service learning. Our holistic approach to learning fosters individual purpose and helps to form graduates who will become future leaders ready to serve in the community.”
CNCS manages the program in collaboration 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 and Campus Compact. Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, CNCS has administered the award since 2006. Institutions are chosen based on their achievements in general community service or in one of two special focus areas that align with the U.S. President’s education and innovation priorities. Schools are recognized with distinction when there is evidence that their service has made measurable improvement in the community.
“Service and higher education go hand in hand,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “These schools are inspiring young leaders to roll up their sleeves and work alongside community members to solve problems. By recognizing the institutions who are leading the way to achieve meaningful, measurable results for the communities they serve, we also highlight the vital role all colleges and universities play in addressing community challenges and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement.”
The entire list of schools recognized by the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll can be accessed at http://www.nationalservice.gov/honorroll/.
Photo 1: A group of students volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.
Photo 2: Students serve those in need at Sisters of Charity.