Rice’s community service makes national honor roll

BY B.J. ALMOND
Rice News staff

Rice University has been named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll — the highest federal recognition a university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, academic community service and civic engagement.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that leads President Barack Obama’s national call to service, announced the 2009 honor roll Thursday. Rice and more than 700 other colleges and universities were cited for their volunteer efforts to deal with such social issues as poverty and illiteracy.

“Rice’s placement on this honor roll is a reflection of both the community volunteer work done by our students and the projects and coursework completed in classes having community-based research components, as designated by the Center for Civic Engagement,” said Mac Griswold, director of Rice’s Community Involvement Center.

He estimated that Rice students contributed more than 21,000 hours of community service last year with more than 175 nonprofit community partners throughout Houston, the United States and the world.

“We are very pleased that Rice is among the universities recognized for volunteerism and community service,” President David Leebron said. “This is a well-deserved recognition of all our faculty, staff and students do, not only for our local community here in Houston but across the globe, to improve the lives of people and make a contribution toward ameliorating the lack of resources, education and health faced by so many.”

On Rice’s application for the honor roll, the Community Involvement Center highlighted several programs, including:

• Urban Immersion — a weeklong summer program that introduces Rice students to Houston and volunteer opportunities, such as spending time with kids at Casa de Esperanza de los Niños, which provides residential, medical and psychological care for children in crisis due to abuse, neglect or the effects of HIV.
• Alternative Spring Break — student-led trips to locations around the United States during spring break to perform service, learn about social issues and participate in group reflection activities on the experience, such as building houses in New Orleans. More than 140 Rice students and faculty will participate in this year’s Alternative Spring Break projects. Read more here.
• America Reads — a tutoring program that matches Rice students with local at-risk youths.

The Community Involvement Center is one of three components of the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), led by Executive Director Stephanie Shirley Post. The CCE identifies and cultivates opportunities for Rice students, faculty and staff to engage the Houston community and the world through scholarship, service and leadership.

The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees the annual President’s Higher Education Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education.

For the complete 2009 honor roll, visit http://myproject.nationalservice.gov/honorroll/.