Snapshots Announcements Spotlight UTSA Athletics

December 2014, Issue 12

Four Cs
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UTSA Earns Place on 2014 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

The Four C's Payoff

This month, UTSA was named to the 2014 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the 5th year our university has been recognized with this prestigious award.

As a Student Affairs team, we earn this award each and every day in our interactions with each other and our students. So, in a sense, this award also highlights our accomplishments in valuing individual differences, and finding ways to harness the power of our different personal perspectives (Blue, Green, Gold, Orange) to deliver programs and services that impact student learning and personal growth.

President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll Program

The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognizes institutions of higher education that support exemplary community service programs and raise the visibility of effective practices in campus community partnerships. This year The University of Texas at San Antonio has been recognized on the Honor Roll for the 5th year in a row under "General Community Service" and for the first time under "Education."

General Community Service Category

The General Community Service category recognized the commitment UTSA has to improving the quality of life for community residents, particularly low-income individuals, as well as the services students perform to address community needs in the areas of education, health, economic opportunity, and the environment. The projects and departments submitted for consideration for the award were:

Education Category

The Education category recognized the commitment UTSA has to improving educational outcomes for youth. The projects submitted engaged UTSA students in service that addressed attendance and behavior issues, high school graduation rates, and college success and readiness. The projects and departments submitted for consideration were:

  • Inspire U Mentoring Program - UTSA Office of P-20 Initiatives
  • TRIO Upward Bound Animal Shelter Service Project – UTSA Trio Programs
  • UTSA VOICES College Day: Volunteer Organization Involving Community Education and Service & Student Center for Community Engagement and Service

“Community engagement is at the very core of UTSA's mission,” said UTSA President Ricardo Romo in his recent holiday message. “Volunteerism and participation in civic projects teach our students about the importance of lifelong public service and how to be better global citizens.”

The application was a collaboration between Belinda Harmon, Director of Community Outreach in the Office of P-20 Initiatives; Brian Halderman, Program Director for the Center for Civic Engagement; and Cristina Dominguez, Program Coordinator for Volunteer Services in the Student Center for Community Engagement and Inclusion.

Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, the Corporation for National and Community Service has administered the award since 2006 and manages the program 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 and Campus Compact. Here's the full list of Honor Roll recipients, including the four institutions awarded with the the Honor Roll’s Presidential Award.

More information on the below departments is available via the links their respective websites:

Cristina Dominguez
Program Coordinator,
Student Center for Community Engagement and Inclusion

Four C's / REACH Staff Training Schedule - Spring 2015

Four C’s/REACH Training Resource Links

Any questions or comments? Please send us an email at VPSA@utsa.edu.