Woodbury University Earns Presidential Honor For Community Service and Civic Engagement

    WASHINGTON, DC, October 27, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Woodbury University announced today that it is a finalist for the General Community Service Award, a part of the 2015 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognition program -- the highest honor a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) administered the 2015 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll program. Woodbury is one of 16 finalists being recognized for exemplary community service, and achieving meaningful outcomes in their community.

"Community engagement is a core value at Woodbury University, so this recognition is especially significant for everyone associated with our institution," said Dr. David Steele-Figueredo, Woodbury University President. "Civic engagement is a primary focus of the executive leadership of the university and is deeply embedded in our culture."

The program cited Woodbury's activities in both general community service and education, calling out the university's 2014 Civic Engagement Symposium, the expanded mandate of the ACE (Agency for Civic Engagement) Center, the Service Learning Initiative within the School of Business, summer youth camps, its Initial Credit Summer School (ICSS) program and its college awareness initiatives in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

"Our students are empowered to lead lives of influence and improve society," Steele-Figueredo said. "Woodbury students are mentored while being given opportunities in which they can make a difference. They get involved in meaningful community projects to expand their connections and create possibilities - and in so doing, they develop a sense of belonging and gain a deeper understanding of involved citizenship. The university's commitment to community service includes not only the guided contributions of students but extends as well to the generous work of the faculty and staff. The university embraces and promotes a truly communal effort in aiding the greater community and assisting under-served populations."

"Service and higher education go hand in hand," said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "Every day these colleges and universities inspire young leaders to commit to solving problems alongside community members. By recognizing the institutions that are pioneers in achieving meaningful, measurable results for their communities, we also highlight the critical role all higher education institutions play in addressing community challenges and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement."

A total of 766 higher education institutions were named to the 2015 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Of this number, 16 were named as finalists, with four in each category. CNCS, the federal agency for volunteering and 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.

About the President's Honor Roll
The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The President's Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition an institution of higher education can receive for its community service work. CNCS is a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve.

About Woodbury University
Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. The university ranks 15th among the nation's "25 Colleges That Add the Most Value," according to Money Magazine, and is a 2016-17 College of Distinction. With campuses in Burbank/Los Angeles and San Diego, the university offers bachelor's degrees from the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and College of Liberal Arts, along with a Master of Business Administration, Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Science in Architecture. The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees, as well as a Master of Architecture degree with a concentration in Real Estate Development. Visit woodbury.edu for more information.

Media Contact:
Ken Greenberg
Edge Communications, Inc.
(323) 469-3397
[email protected]

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