Centre News

Centre was recently named to the 2012 President’s Higher
Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation
for National and Community Service. Centre students are
involved with many community service efforts, both on campus
and off.

Centre was recently named to the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Honor Roll recognizes colleges and universities with outstanding commitments to community service and its effect on the region’s inhabitants.

“It is an honor to be included on this list with other outstanding institutions of higher education also committed to supporting the public good,” says Patrick Noltemeyer, associate dean and director of community service and the Bonner Program on campus. “The National Community Service Honor Roll is recognition of the positive efforts of our students as they partner with non-profit agencies to address needs in our community.”

Volunteer efforts continue to be widely important at Centre, both on campus and off.

“Service plays a major role in the life of the Centre community and is featured prominently in our mission statement,” Noltemeyer says. “Over 85 percent of our students engage in community service activities on a regular basis, putting their intellect, talents and abilities to positive use as they try to address needs in our area.”

A variety of campus organizations are dedicated solely to community service efforts, including Centre Action Reaches Everyone (CARE), the Centre chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity, and Centre chapters of other national organizations, including Best Buddies, NEST, Habitat for Humanity, Rotaract Club and Up ‘Til Dawn, among others.

The Bonner Program is also important at Centre, as 60 students on campus from all class years are required to complete eight to ten hours of community service a week to maintain scholarships from the organization.

Centre’s fraternities and sororities are also highly involved with community service efforts, maintaining long-lasting efforts to raise money for organizations including St. Baldrick’s, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and more.

Community service has become even more prevalent at Centre as professors continue to find ways to incorporate volunteer projects into their curriculum.

“With the support of the faculty and Community Based Learning Coordinator Mary Kate Clodius ’10, we have seen a greater connection between the student academic experience and their service work emerge over the last few years, and I believe this does much to support student learning and meet the needs of our area,” Noltemeyer says.

To learn more about community service opportunities at Centre, click here.

Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail elizabeth.trollinger@centre.edu with your feedback.

Centre College, founded in 1819 and chosen to host its second Vice Presidential Debate in 2012, is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges, at 42nd in the nation, and ranks 27th for best value among national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 34th among all the nation’s colleges and universities and has named Centre in the top five among all institutions of higher education in the South for three years in a row. Centre is also ranked fourth in the nation by U.S. News for its study abroad program. For more, click here.