Johns Hopkins receives national recognition for community service efforts

Johns Hopkins University is among hundreds of colleges and universities recently recognized by the Corporation for National & Community Service for its role in addressing community challenges through service.

Image caption: The Johns Hopkins Tutorial Project is an after-school tutoring program that provides academic support for elementary school students.

Image credit: Noah Scialom

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, launched in 2006, annually recognizes institutions of higher education that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes in communities through service. Johns Hopkins was recognized for the first time this year in the General Community Service category.

In its application for recognition, Johns Hopkins highlighted its Community Impact Internships Program, which pairs undergraduate students with community-focused non-profits and social service agencies; the Tutorial Project, in which JHU student volunteers provide tutoring in reading and math to Baltimore City elementary school students; and the Student Outreach Resource Center's Service Scholars Program, which gives students an opportunity to make a long-term commitment to a Baltimore community organization.

"This recognition not only reflects Johns Hopkins' commitment to our community, civic engagement, and community service, but also highlights the collaborative relationships the we share with so many dynamic community partners," said Rollin Johnson Jr., director of JHU's Center or Social Concern.

CNCS, the federal agency for volunteering and service, has administered the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll 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.

College students make a significant contribution to their communities through volunteering and service, according to the most recent Volunteering and Civic Life in America report. In 2012, 3.1 million college students dedicated more than 118 million hours of service across the country—a contribution valued at $2.5 billion.