Whitworth recognized on 2015 President’s Honor Roll for Community Service
December 19, 2016
The Corporation for National and Community Service has once again recognized Whitworth University for its commitment to community service. Whitworth has been recognized in the 2015 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll in two categories: General Community Service and Community Service in Education. This is the third consecutive year that Whitworth has been recognized in two categories.
By recognizing institutions that achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve, The President's Honor Roll, launched in 2006, annually highlights the important role that colleges and universities play in solving community problems and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement.
Whitworth has a 15-year commitment to growing strong communities in Spokane. In particular, the university has committed to a partnership with the West Central neighborhood to build upon the efforts of community organizations, churches and residents to promote the greater good in an under-resourced community. This promotion ranges from recruiting volunteers to serve in West Central to direct investment of staff time and financial resources in the neighborhood. Ongoing programs offered through the Dornsife Center, such as mentoring, STEM enrichment programs, and Community Building Day, have also taken West Central as an intentional focus.
Whitworth’s RISE (Reinforcing the Importance of Support in Education) tutoring and mentoring program was developed in 2012 by Whitworth alumni Elise VanDam,’13, and Andrew Pearce, ’14, with the aid of Susan McDaniel, Whitworth’s interim student-leadership program assistant. This student-led program gives members of the Spokane and Whitworth communities opportunities to mentor and tutor students ranging from elementary to high-school levels.
In September 2015, approximately 1,070 students, faculty and staff participated in 107 Community Building Day projects, providing 4,280 hours of service to the Spokane community. Outside of Community Building Day, employees documented 244 hours of volunteer service.
Whitworth was also recognized in 2015 by Campus Compact for its first Neuman Civic Fellow, and Elizabeth Porter, ’16, was recognized for her work to advance civil-rights education in Spokane schools. (For more information, view a press release here.)
Also in 2015, Whitworth University placed 10 STEM education specialists in the Spokane community to provide hands-on, technical support in STEM education activities to youth programs. Under the supervision of Pete Tucker, Ph.D., professor and chair of computer science, 10 Whitworth student volunteers provided more than 1,000 hours of service in locations like Boys and Girls Clubs, Mobius Science Center, and Spark Central.
To read more about the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, visit www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/honor-roll.
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Meredith Devey, community engagement specialist, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4685 or mdevey@whitworth.edu.
Lauren Clark Hughes, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or lclark@whitworth.edu.
By recognizing institutions that achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve, The President's Honor Roll, launched in 2006, annually highlights the important role that colleges and universities play in solving community problems and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement.
Whitworth has a 15-year commitment to growing strong communities in Spokane. In particular, the university has committed to a partnership with the West Central neighborhood to build upon the efforts of community organizations, churches and residents to promote the greater good in an under-resourced community. This promotion ranges from recruiting volunteers to serve in West Central to direct investment of staff time and financial resources in the neighborhood. Ongoing programs offered through the Dornsife Center, such as mentoring, STEM enrichment programs, and Community Building Day, have also taken West Central as an intentional focus.
Whitworth’s RISE (Reinforcing the Importance of Support in Education) tutoring and mentoring program was developed in 2012 by Whitworth alumni Elise VanDam,’13, and Andrew Pearce, ’14, with the aid of Susan McDaniel, Whitworth’s interim student-leadership program assistant. This student-led program gives members of the Spokane and Whitworth communities opportunities to mentor and tutor students ranging from elementary to high-school levels.
In September 2015, approximately 1,070 students, faculty and staff participated in 107 Community Building Day projects, providing 4,280 hours of service to the Spokane community. Outside of Community Building Day, employees documented 244 hours of volunteer service.
Whitworth was also recognized in 2015 by Campus Compact for its first Neuman Civic Fellow, and Elizabeth Porter, ’16, was recognized for her work to advance civil-rights education in Spokane schools. (For more information, view a press release here.)
Also in 2015, Whitworth University placed 10 STEM education specialists in the Spokane community to provide hands-on, technical support in STEM education activities to youth programs. Under the supervision of Pete Tucker, Ph.D., professor and chair of computer science, 10 Whitworth student volunteers provided more than 1,000 hours of service in locations like Boys and Girls Clubs, Mobius Science Center, and Spark Central.
To read more about the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, visit www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/honor-roll.
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Meredith Devey, community engagement specialist, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4685 or mdevey@whitworth.edu.
Lauren Clark Hughes, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or lclark@whitworth.edu.
