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In recognition of Raritan Valley Community College’s leadership role in serving the local community, the College has been named to the 2015 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll “With Distinction.” The College was honored in both the General Community Service and Education categories.

RVCC was the only community college in the country to be recognized “With Distinction” in the Education category. In total, only 36 institutions were recognized nationally in this category.

In addition, RVCC was one of only two colleges in the state, and the only community college in NJ, to be recognized “With Distinction” in the General Community Service category. Nationally, 120 higher education institutions were recognized “With Distinction” in this area.

“Being named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll represents RVCC’s commitment to not only educating our students, but also preparing them for a lifetime of good citizenship and leadership in addressing important community needs,” said RVCC President Michael J. McDonough. “It is a true testament to the College’s longstanding commitment to service learning that RVCC was the only college in New Jersey—and the only community college in the country—to be honored in both the General Community Service and Education categories.”

The Honor Roll recognized 877 higher education institutions nationally. The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll was created in 2006 to recognize higher education institutions that support exemplary community service programs and raise the visibility of best practices in campus-community partnerships. The Honor Roll is the highest honor a university or college can receive by the United States government for its commitment to volunteering, service learning and civic engagement.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.

Since the Honor Roll was launched, RVCC has been named to the list every year and first achieved the honor “With Distinction” in 2006, recognizing thousands of students, faculty, administrators, and community partners for their commitment to bettering the local communities through service.

RVCC students are increasingly involved in addressing and solving community problems through community service. Their participation in service learning is tied to academic coursework and organized service through student clubs as well as various community engagement activities.  From non-profits, to schools, to government agencies, students serve more than 250 organizations in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties. These include pre-K-12 schools; ESL programs; after-school centers; nursing homes; adult day care centers; food banks; environmental agencies; courthouses; probation departments; youth correctional facilities; and homeless, domestic violence and animal shelters.

Annually, more than 1,000 RVCC students contribute the economic equivalent of over $1.5 million in service to numerous local, national and global organizations and their clients (based on Independent Sector’s calculation of $25 an hour for New Jersey). In a five-year period, students contributed the economic equivalent of over $7,000,000 to the community, making the College publicly regarded as an important and reliable partner in the community.  

For additional information about the Honor Roll, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/honorroll.

Raritan Valley Community College’s main campus is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. Serving Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for close to 50 years, RVCC is an educational and cultural center that is nationally recognized for its innovative programming, service to the community and environmental leadership. The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training, professional development and personal enrichment courses. The College also has a performing arts center and planetarium.

RVCC is committed to offering a quality and affordable education through effective teaching, liaisons with the community’s businesses and state-of-the-art technology. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.



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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 11, 2016

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #38