For the fifth time since 2006, Mars Hill College has been named to the President’s Community Service Honor Roll.
 
The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll annually recognizes institutions of higher education across the nation for their commitment to and achievement in community service. The President’s Service Honor Roll increases the public’s awareness of the contributions that colleges and their students make to local communities and the nation as a whole.
 
Nationwide, a total of 690 higher education institutions were named to the 2013 honor roll. Of this number, 113 institutions earned the recognition of Honor Roll with Distinction (a recognition that Mars Hill achieved in 2012.)
 
According to LifeWorks Director Deb Myers, approximately 931 students, staff and faculty at Mars Hill College gave 45,675 volunteer hours of community service last year.  (The 2013 award is for hours of service given the previous year.)  This total includes hours given for service scholarships (for example, Bonner Scholarships and Grayson scholarships), as well as planned service events on campus (such as MHC’s Day of Caring in August and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in January).  The amount does not include volunteerism on the part of individual students or participation in campus-based programs to raise money or awareness to address significant social issues, like hunger, illegal drug use, or bullying.
 
Myers said that community engagement through service to others is a vital part of the mission of Mars Hill College.  “Community Engagement connects Mars Hill College students to our community, both locally and globally,” she said.  “Through service, students have the opportunity to positively impact the community in which they live while developing critical thinking and problem solving skills.  Additionally, students apply classroom learning to real life experiences, improve interpersonal skills, and develop a lifelong commitment to make a difference in their community.”