Source: Lee Ann Despar, 785-532-3674, ladesper@k-state.edu

Monday, May 23, 2011

FOR THE COMMON GOOD: FIVE AMERICORPS STUDENTS EARN NATIONAL AWARD FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE

MANHATTAN -- Volunteer service to communities in need has earned five Kansas State University students a prestigious honor from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The Eli Segal Education Award recognizes students who have completed 300 hours of volunteer service in the fields of education, allied health and nonprofit service as part of the Careers for the Common Good AmeriCorps program. The award can be used to help pay federally backed student loans or tuition at accredited institutions of higher education. The aim is to promote higher education students' participation in service-learning activities that serve high-need communities.

The awards were presented as part of AmeriCorps Week, May 14-21.

The Careers for the Common Good program was created by the Kansas Campus Compact and funded by a grant from AmeriCorps. The compact is based at K-State and is a coalition of higher education institutions committed to strengthening the collective commitment and capacity of leaders at colleges and universities to integrate civic engagement and service into the higher educational curriculum and environment.

"The AmeriCorps students' commitment of time during the school year helped many people in need throughout Kansas," said Lee Ann Desper, assistant director for service programs with the Kansas Campus Compact. "Making civic engagement and service a priority helps colleges and their students invest in community development and outreach."

K-State students who earned the Eli Segal award by successfully completing the Careers for the Common Good program are:

Kirsten Salyer, May 2011 bachelor's graduate in secondary education, Edgerton; Claudean McKellips, master's student in special education, and Megan Stremel, May 2011 bachelor's graduate in elementary education, both from Manhattan; Aubrie Adams, May 2011 bachelor's graduate in elementary education, Newton; and Marci Metcalf, May 2011 bachelor's graduate in elementary education, Oberlin.

Desper said another 10 K-State students are in the process of completing the program and becoming eligible for the Eli Segal award.