The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the U.S. Department of Education named Gettysburg College's Center for Public Service (CPS) to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The Honor Roll recognizes institutions of higher education that support exemplary community service programs, thereby raising the visibility of best practices in campus-community partnerships during the 2011-12 academic year.

“Gettysburg College has a tradition of service with community. Our mission clearly articulates community engagement as priority, pledging to ‘prepare students to be active leaders and participants in a changing world… and to realize their full potential for responsible citizenship and value of a lifelong commitment to service,’” said Gretchen Natter, interim associate dean of College Life at Gettysburg College.

More than half of student population at Gettysburg – some 1,600 students – provided nearly 30,000 hours of service during the last academic year towards initiatives that include:

• The Campus Kitchen, where thousands of pounds of under-utilized food is reclaimed and turned into nutritious meals

• Adams County Food Policy Council, an initiative that joins students with community members to develop food policy and take associated actions

• Adams County Circles Initiative, a program that helps families find systemic solutions to poverty through relationship building, education, and community support

• Healthy Options, which provides families with educational resources and vouchers for fresh produce at local farmers markets

• Community-based research, which continuously produces findings that are instrumental in finding solutions for food justice

“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.”

The Center for Public Service was also recognized to the Honor Roll in 2008 and 2011.

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of competitive selection factors that include scope and innovation of service projects, the percentage of student participation in service activities, and measurable community outcomes, among other criteria.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

Contact: Kendra Martin, director of communications & media relations