E&H volunteers for high ranking

By JUSTIN HARMON/Staff

When it comes to community service, Emory & Henry College is no slouch.
As a matter of fact, the school is now ranked in the top six in the country for lending a hand to those in need.
“This is quite a significant achievement,” said Emory & Henry Director of Public Relations Dirk Moore.
The college received The President’s Award, the highest federal recognition for commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.
Emory & Henry was picked from among 780 applications nationwide. This also makes the college the first Virginia college or university to be recognized as one of the top six Presidential Awardees since the Honor Roll was established in 2006.
Moore said there are many other schools that do what Emory does, but he said Emory & Henry has a bit of an edge.
“The way we go about it is perhaps unique and more effective than in some other places,” he said.
According to Emory & Henry’s Web site, more than 80 percent of Emory & Henry students participated in service projects in 2009, joining with faculty to help transition the local economy from its former manufacturing-base to an economy that thrives on cultural and outdoor recreation, helping make Washington County a good tourist destination.
Moore also said the school has been part of a slew of other projects, including helping build a Habitat for Humanity house dubbed the “House of Hope” in six weeks. The college has also let the Highlands Project for Public Education, a program that works with 80 kids in the region to improve their grades and behavior. They also have a number of tutoring and mentoring programs going on.
“We use our assets to overcome any challenge and we do it all pragmatically and organically,” said Moore.
The other five institutions receiving the 2009 President’s Award are the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio; Willamette University in Salem, Ore.; Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn.; and Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, N.J.
Justin Harmon can be reached at 628-7101 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)