Wittenberg’s dedication to community service and engagement has once again been recognized nationally as the university was named on the 2014 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll With Distinction thanks to efforts spearheaded by the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement and the Community Service program.

Launched in 2006 by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.

Last year, the Hagen Center facilitated more than 40,000 hours of community engagement, including service, internships, work-study, community-based courses and research projects. Service projects account for 25,000 hours, translating to more than $180,000 in volunteered time to Springfield.

Additionally, Wittenberg was recognized on the 2014 Interfaith Community Service Honor Roll, a new category added this year by the U.S. Department of Education’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which joined the Honor Roll team as a program partner. Institutions that apply to the interfaith category must demonstrate participation of campus and community faith-based organizations, including cooperation of faculty, staff, and students of diverse faiths and secular perspectives in projects that tackle community challenges.

“It is because of Wittenberg’s relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that we seek to respect and understand people of all backgrounds, including diverse faith groups,” said Community Service Director Kristen Collier.

“Wittenberg emphasizes interfaith understanding not only through coursework on many major world religions, but also through student activities, campus ministry events, interdepartmental guest lectures and more recently, service projects.  Serving alongside people from various faith traditions allows us to explore interreligious commonalities and at the same time join together to address many of the challenges facing our communities.” 

Wittenberg’s efforts in the area of community engagement have been recognized nationally for five consecutive years (2006-2010) on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts. In 2013, the university again landed on the national honor roll, thanks to continuing engagement efforts spearheaded by Hagen Center.

“We are fortunate to have dedicated staff such as Kristen Collier and Cindy Larson, who work tirelessly to support the students and community partners each year,” said Warren Copeland, Springfield mayor, professor of religion, director of the urban studies program and faculty director of the Hagen Center.

“They lead a group of community service scholars who learn a lot about themselves by helping administer the program. Not only do students gain personally from their involvement in the community, but significant support is provided for various organization that work with people of all ages in Springfield. Through their work, Kristen, Cindy and the students make Springfield a more humane and productive place to live.”

Described by former Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher as “the model” for how universities should engage with their communities to promote economic development and ensure that generations of students are committed to civic engagement, the Hagen Center was founded with the following objectives in mind: (1) to expand and coordinate faculty and student scholarship, applied research and projects; (2) to focus faculty and student scholarship and service on strategic initiatives for maximum impact in the community; (3) to build upon and expand established community service and careers service partnerships; and (4) to provide a single point of contact for community engagement with Wittenberg.

The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll highlights the role colleges and universities play in solving community challenges. As a result of community service participation, students are more likely to pursue a lifelong path of civic engagement that achieves meaningful and measurable outcomes in their communities.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has administered the award since 2006 in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the American Council on Education, Campus Compact, and the Interfaith Youth Core.