College Selected as Host Campus for Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania Program

Westminster College was selected as a host campus for the 2010-2011 Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania Program.

Westminster has been awarded 20 positions for the program, according to Dr. Terri Lenox, Westminster associate professor of computer science and co-director of Westminster's Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, whose office oversees the program. This will be the fourth year Westminster has been selected to participate.

Interested students must show a willingness to serve and have a detailed plan of service. A selection committee will review the applications and participating students will be announced in early April.

Westminster students have a variety of volunteer options available, including: student coordinator or service-learning assistant in the Drinko Center; Lawrence County Community Action Partnership; Walker Neighborhood House; Villa Maria Community Center; SouthWest Gardens; Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Shenango Presbyterian Senior Care; ICARE House; New Castle Y; New Bedford Presbyterian Kids Zone; Royal Family Kids Camp; and New Wilmington Presbyterian Church.

Westminster has been named to the President's Higher Education Honor Roll every year since the program was launched in 2006. Nearly 65% of Westminster students volunteered last year, logging over 26,000 hours of service, over twice the national average (26.4% of the U.S. population) and more than 50% higher than the national average for college students (42.5%).

Hilliary Kane, director of the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development, announced the list of 47 host campuses, which includes community, public, and private colleges and universities.

Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania is an AmeriCorps Education Award program that recognizes college students' deep commitments to community service. Students involved in the program commit to completing 300 hours of service in one year and receive an award of $1,132 from the Corporation for National Service to use toward educational expenses.

Contact Jeff Ledebur, Americorps*VISTA in the Drinko Center, at (724) 946-6194 (e-mail ledebujt@westminster.edu) or visit www.westminster.edu/drinko for additional information.