Springfield College Named to National ‘Most Committed to Community Service’ List
June 28, 2011SPRINGFIELD, Mass., June 28, 2011 – Springfield College was among 20 colleges and universities selected by USAToday, in conjunction with OnlineColleges, for their commitment to community service in an article published on Wednesday, June 15.
About Springfield College, the article states, “Basketball may have been invented at this venerable Massachusetts institution, but its litany of community service awards—including three Jostens/NADIIIAA (National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators) honors granted earlier this year—renders it remarkable. Consistently recognized as a valuable member of the community, it engages students with the 5A Program (around 30 participants), AmeriCorps (100 participants), Habitat for Humanity, and plenty more amazing organizations. SC also works very closely with its partners to ensure the most effective, efficient assistance possible, taking pains to meet each neighborhood’s unique needs.”
Springfield College was ranked No. 9 on a list that included public and private colleges and universities of all sizes.
Springfield College has a myriad of community service projects that distinguish it from other institutions. Last year, 3,279 students on the Springfield, Mass., campus performed almost 166,200 hours of community service. The 100 AmeriCorps participants alone served more than 75,000 hours in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics and other community-based organizations, providing academic coaching, health counseling, in-school counseling, youth leadership development and volunteer management and recruitment services to more than 14,000 individuals in greater Springfield.
One highlight for the college is its annual Humanics in Action Day, where all classes are suspended for a day in the fall so that students, faculty, staff, and alumni can complete community service projects throughout the city of Springfield. In addition, in the days after a tornado damaged neighborhoods throughout Springfield on June 1, Springfield College students devoted their time and efforts to many people who had been affected.
“Springfield College strives to remain a part of, and not apart from, the community,” Springfield College President Richard B. Flynn said. “We are honored to be included on this list of distinguished and impressive institutions, and will continue to perform the kinds of service that educate our students in spirit, mind and body for leadership in service to others.”
The honor is the latest for Springfield College, which was recently named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the third consecutive year.
