SUNY Delhi O'Connor Center Nationally Recognized for Seventh Year

DELHI, NY (03/08/2013)(readMedia)-- SUNY Delhi has been recognized with the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the efforts of its O'Connor Center for Community Engagement for the seventh consecutive year. SUNY Delhi has received this prestigious honor every year since the inception of the award.

The Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement. SUNY Delhi was among a select group of colleges and universities across the U.S. that were chosen based on several factors, including scope and innovativeness of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

"The timing of this honor is particularly appropriate. Over 40 students, faculty and staff are currently assisting our fellow New Yorkers in Manhattan and Breezy Point who are recovering from Hurricane Sandy," said Elizabeth Sova, coordinator of the Center. "There is a strong community service tradition at Delhi and we're very pleased to be recognized leader in community service."

SUNY Delhi students understand the value of community service, ranking their college number one among the Colleges of Technology on the Student Opinion Survey for opportunities for community service. The survey also reported for SUNY Delhi the highest percentage of students engaged in service through an academic course.

The O'Connor Center for Community Engagement documented over 25,000 volunteer hours by 1,105 students in 2012. Highlights of the year included: Delhi students working with The Arc of Delaware County (Delarc) to help those with intellectual and developmental disabilities attend traditional college classes as part of an inclusive classroom program; formalizing service-learning as part of a Delhi education; partnering with Oneonta World of Learning and WSKG to offer children science programming; and hosting Delhi's annual Community Service Day when hundreds of service hours were performed by over 200 students, faculty and staff at dozens of locations throughout Delaware and Otsego Counties in celebration of the college's 100th birthday.

The most significant, combined volunteer effort by Delhi students for 2012 was in response to Hurricane Irene. Delhi students raised over $3,000 worth of food and in-kind donations within the first three days of classes, and students, faculty and staff volunteered over 1,000 hours of service to help those whose homes have been ravaged by the storm.

The O'Connor Center for Community Engagement was established on the Delhi campus over 13 years ago, thanks to lead support from the Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation of Hobart. The Center matches individual students, clubs, classes, and faculty and staff volunteers with non-profit agencies and organizations within the greater Delhi community that wish to partner with the college. It serves as a clearinghouse for these community organizations, and facilitates volunteerism by arranging for transportation, orientation and training, and feedback on completed community service projects.

To serve as a host organization for Delhi students who wish to do volunteer service, please contact the O'Connor Center for Community Engagement (607) 746-4781.