Application Process Now Open for 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

Washington, D.C. – Entering its sixth year, the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is now accepting applications for the 2012 season. The Honor Roll increases the public's awareness of the contributions that colleges and their students make to local communities and the nation as a whole.

The Honor Roll is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), supported by the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, the American Council on Education, and other higher education associations. The 2012 Honor Roll will accept applications in two categories for service performed during the 2010-2011 academic year:

• General Community Service recognizes the quality of, quantity of, and commitment to community service initiatives at a college or university. This category will reflect the best practices of community service and service-learning, such as long-term campus-community partnerships and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.
• Special Focus Area recognizes exemplary initiatives aligned with the President’s education and innovation priorities.

CNCS will select six institutions – three from each category – as Presidential Award winners. The General Community Service Presidential Awards will be presented to institutions that reflect the best practices of community service and service-learning.

Applications for the Honor Roll continue to increase. For the 2011 Honor Roll, more than 850 institutions applied for six winning slots, a nine percent increase over the year before. “The continued growth of our application pool showcases the commitment of our nation’s college students to give back to the country and serve their communities,” said Robert Velasco, II, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “We look forward to a robust application class again and encourage the higher education community to continue their dedication to service.”

Launched in 2006, the President's Honor Roll annually highlights the role colleges and universities play in solving community problems and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement by recognizing institutions that achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve.

The application for the Honor Roll can be accessed at http://myproject.nationalservice.gov/honorroll/. All higher education institutions are welcome to apply and the application deadline is December 9, 2011. The winners will be announced on March 12, 2012 at the American Council on Education (ACE) Conference in Los Angeles.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a strong partner with the nation's colleges and universities in supporting community service and service-learning. Last year, CNCS provided more than $215 million in support to institutions of higher education, including grants to operate service programs and the Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for college tuition and student loan repayment. CNCS is a catalyst for service-learning programs nationwide that connect community service with academic curricula. Through these programs, in classes, and in extracurricular activities, college students serve their communities while strengthening their academic and civic skills.

CNCS oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school's commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service. To learn more about the Honor Roll and to apply, visit www.NationalService.gov/HonorRoll.

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