(March 6, 2013)

Centenary named to President's Community Service Honor Roll

SHREVEPORT, LA — Centenary College has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the seventh year in a row. The list recognizes the nation's leading higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities.

"Through the Centenary experience, our students are developing into leaders for a changing world," said Chris Lavan, Centenary Director of Global Engagement. "A major component of that experience is serving others. For the eighth year in a row, this honor has affirmed the commitment of our students, faculty, and staff to making a difference in the local community and beyond."

A total of 690 higher education institutions were named to this year's Honor Roll. Combined, the Honor Roll awardees engaged 3.1 million students in community service for a total of 118 million service hours. The economic impact of this service is valued at 2.5 billion dollars.

Among the many service opportunities students encounter at Centenary is MLK Service Day. On January 21, over 200 Centenary community members painted, cleaned, and made other repairs to local school and non-profit organizations in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Assistant Director for Community Engagement LaToya Hemphill, who has coordinated the event for the last three years, believes the Honor Roll recognition reflects Centenary's passion for service.

"We could not make the strides we have in service learning or continue to receive this accolade without our students' passion for volunteerism," said Hemphill. "They are the driving force behind our efforts to connect with our community, both local and global, and provide a helping hand wherever it may be needed."

Centenary's annual BIG Event is scheduled to take place March 16. BIG Event is considered the largest, one-day, student-run service project in the nation.

The President's Community Service Honor Roll is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency that oversees national service and promotes volunteerism. 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.