US News & World Report praises Warren Wilson College Service Program

Warren Wilson College students Courtney Schwein, left, and Sophie Willihnganz participate in 2015 Service Day at Verner Center for Early Learning in Asheville. Photo by Susannah Kay

From Warren Wilson College

Press release

Warren Wilson College’s Service Program is one of only 26 college service-learning programs noted as “outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success” by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to Warren Wilson, Brown University, Duke University, Stanford University, Tulane University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Notre Dame, among others, made the list.

During the 2014-15 academic year, 783 Warren Wilson College students worked with 257 community partner agencies to provide 58,015 hours of service. “This list identifies colleges that excel at offering academic work that integrates community engagement into the course curriculum,” said Dean of Service Cathy Kramer. “For our students, service is an integral part of a Warren Wilson College education. We champion our students to engage with community partners to make a positive impact on the community and, simultaneously, enhance learning.”

In the last year, 24 Warren Wilson College faculty members offered 44 service-learning courses in every division and more than 10 individual academic departments. In recent months, the faculty liaison to the Warren Wilson Service Program, Annie Jonas, Ed.D., professor and chair of the education department, was named an inaugural Engaged Faculty Scholar with the North Carolina Campus Compact, which supports outstanding faculty and encourages them to share their service-learning expertise with fellow educators. In addition, psychology professor Kathryn Burleson, Ph.D., wrote about her students’ service-learning work on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in an influential new book that heralds the merits of taking students off-campus to learn with culturally diverse communities in the United States.

In addition, roughly 250 new Warren Wilson College students, along with returning students and faculty and staff members, kick off each academic year with the annual Service Day. The day connects Warren Wilson College with nearly 20 different community partners, including school and community gardens as well as food banks, in Buncombe County dedicated to addressing issues related to the regular accessibility of healthy food for all.

U.S. News & World Report writes, “In service-learning programs … volunteering in the community is an instructional strategy – and a requirement of a student’s course work. The service relates to what happens in class, and in turn, the course work plays off of the volunteering.” For the 2016 service-learning list, U.S. News & World Report accepted nominations of “institutions with stellar examples of service learning” from high-ranking representatives of more than 1,500 schools. The institutions referenced most often made the list.

In addition to its service-learning recognition, Warren Wilson College retains its standing in the top tier among the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges.”

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About Kat McReynolds
Kat studied entrepreneurship and music business at the University of Miami and earned her MBA at Appalachian State University. Follow me @katmAVL

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One thought on “US News & World Report praises Warren Wilson College Service Program

  1. Robin A. Hyatt

    I kept thinking I’d lost my place while reading. 6 paragraphs and three contain the phrase, ‘in addition.’ Here are some alternatives from which to choose: also, additionally, plus, as well as, not to mention, together with, and so on. You get the idea by now, I’m sure. Thanks

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