Students, faculty and staff at Tusculum College provided more than 172,000 hours of community service to the Greene County area and East Tennessee region in 2015.
According to Dr. Ronda Gentry, director of the Tusculum College Center for Civic Advancement, 172,301.5 hours were recorded by members of the Tusculum College community during 2015. This included community service through service learning courses, the Bonner Leader program, student athletes, Nettie McCormick Fowler Service Day, Upward Bound and many other groups associated with Tusculum College.
“The vast majority of our service hours are contributed by our students,” said Dr. Gentry. “However, the idea of service and giving back to the community is prevalent among everyone associated with the college.”
Dr. Gentry added that the hours recorded for 2015 were contributed by 2,644 volunteers.
“We calculate the average value of an hour of service at $23.07 per hour, making our contribution in 2015 a total value to the community of $3,974,995.60.
Dr. Gentry also noted that 24 percent of the federal work study dollars that are apportioned to Tusculum College go toward community service activities. “That is huge,” she said. “The gold standard is 15 percent.”
The Center for Civic Advancement seeks to engage the heart, mind, and soul of Tusculum through cultivating awareness of self and of others. The Center aspires to do this through the establishment of meaningful relationships with our local, national, and global communities.
“Service-Learning is integral to the Tusculum College curriculum and reflects the college’s commitment to providing educational experiences that will prepare its graduates for the demands of active and responsible citizenship,” said Dr. Gentry.