Jackson State University has been named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities.
Jackson State University is a national leader among colleges and universities in community outreach and engagement. The university recently launched its JSU Cares campaign, promoting many of the community service activities of students and faculty.
“We’ve found that our students want to give back to the community. They understand the importance of community engagement and civic action and the role they play in positive social change,” said JSU President Carolyn Meyers, Ph.D.
Since 2007, JSU has required students to complete 120 community service hours to fulfill graduation requirements. But students, faculty and staff regularly feed the homeless, mentor and tutor youth, visit hospitals and nursing homes and participate in home-building projects.
Some of the university’s ongoing projects include, the Mississippi Learning Institute, a research-based literacy partnership between JSU and Jackson Public Schools, which helps to improve student reading and comprehension outcomes through enhancing literacy instruction, and the College of Education and Human Development’s Little Tigers Program, an early education initiative for children who live in the city’s neighborhoods.
The Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning has partnered with 64 nonprofits throughout this academic year, providing additional volunteer opportunities for students.
JSU was among seven Mississippi colleges and universities honored this year.
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 service.
The Corporation for National and Community Service 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.
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