Mercer University makes President’s Higher Education Community Honor Roll

Everyone at Mercer is aware of the strong push on campus for service and work in the community through programs like LEAP and Mercer on Mission. Because of these efforts, Mercer University has been honored as one of 113 schools recognized on President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for 2013.
Schools applied for the list with a rigorous application and the selection was made by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
“We are thrilled to have been named to the President’s Honor Roll with Distinction this year. This was an enormous effort and a credit to the incredible heart that I think makes Mercer so distinctive. It just goes to show that every little bit counts and every little bit matters,” Coordinator of Community Engagement Chelsea Flieger stated.
In addition to a general focus on service learning, volunteerism and community engagement throughout the University, Mercer was selected for three features/ projects as presented on Mercer’s application. The three features Mercer presented for review from the past year were LEAP, Mercer on Mission and Law and Public Service initiatives.
There were many other programs at Mercer that were considered, but the applying committee decided these three where the best examples of Mercer’s efforts in service and the community.
Hours and percentage of students involved were also important in determining campus involvement for this award.
For the 2011-2012 school year, it has been reported that over 224,572 hours have been logged by over half the student population in service-learning and volunteer activities. Mercer has many programs in every aspect of the school that focuses on service and the community.
“The President’s Honor Roll is an important initiative not just for encouraging volunteerism and service-learning among college students but for giving students practice in civic engagement--practice that we hope they will take with them past graduation throughout their lives,” stated senior vice-provost for service-learning Mary Alice Morgan said in a press release about the award. She feels very strongly about the importance of service and how it impacts college students.
Mercer and Emory University were the only institutions chosen from Georgia for this honor. Mercer is very excited about this national recognition from among peer institutions and how it reflects positively on all of Mercer.
“This is external affirmation of the way service and service learning infuse every corner of Mercer. It’s part of Mercer’s identity really,” Morgan claimed.
Out of 690 named institutions, 113 were chosen with distinction. Mercer has been mentioned in the past but this time is the first where Mercer has been mentioned with distinction.
“However, the reward is not this nomination but the results that come out of the work our students are doing in our community.” Flieger stated.
Mercer will continue to improve and grow in whatever areas students want to pioneer growth and achievement, especially in the realm of service in Macon and around the world.
“The future is only limited by the imagination and community engagement of the professors” Morgan said.