Belmont placed on ‘Honor Roll with Distinction,’ one of only 110 schools nationwide
Washington, D.C. – The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the U.S. Department of Education has honored Belmont University as among the nation’s leading colleges, universities, students, faculty and staff for its commitment to bettering Nashville through service.
Belmont University was admitted to the Honor Roll with Distinction for its students’ and employees’ support of volunteering, service learning and civic engagement.
“Through service, these institutions are creating the next generation of leaders by challenging students to tackle tough issues and create positive impacts in the community,” said Robert Velasco, Acting CEO of CNCS. “We applaud the Honor Roll schools, their faculty and students for their commitment to make service a priority in and out of the classroom. Together, service and learning increase civic engagement while fostering social innovation among students, empowering them to solve challenges within their communities.”
Eduardo Ochoa, the U.S. Department of Education’s assistant secretary for postsecondary education, said, “Preparing students to participate in our democracy and providing them with opportunities to take on local and global issues in their course work are as central to the mission of education as boosting college completion and closing the achievement gap. The Honor Roll schools should be proud of their work to elevate the role of service-learning on their campuses.”
The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, the initiative celebrates the transformative power and volunteer spirit that exists within the higher education community.
Belmont’s Director of Service Learning Tim Stewart said, “It is so gratifying to see the hard work of our students, faculty and staff be recognized again ‘with Distinction’ by the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. I think it truly does reflect the conscious effort we make to provide opportunities and support to help the Belmont community ‘engage and transform the world with disciplined intelligence, compassion, courage and faith.’”
As a Christian community of learning and service, Belmont continuously seeks opportunities to engage students in ways that meet the needs of the community and produce measurable results. Last academic year, Belmont students volunteered some 60,000 hours with 60 nonprofits, churches and organizations served. Their community service was valued at $450,000.
The Corporation for National and Community Service, which has administered the Honor Roll since 2006, admitted a total of 642 colleges and universities for their impact on issues from literacy and neighborhood revitalization to supporting at-risk youth. Of that total, 513 were named to the Honor Roll, 110 received the recognition of Honor Roll with distinction, 14 were identified as finalists, and five received the Presidential Award. For a full list of recipients, visit www.NationalService.gov/HonorRoll.
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. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
