DATE: October 15, 2007

CONTACT: Jennifer Shurley, (864) 656-0243
jshurl@clemson.edu

WRITER: Alex Hill, (864) 656-2061
ahill2@clemson.edu

EXPERT: Jennifer Shurley

Clemson University joins South Carolina Campus Compact

CLEMSON – Clemson University President James F. Barker joins 16 other higher education leaders in South Carolina committed to promoting community engagement and educating students for responsible citizenship.

The presidents have pledged as part of the South Carolina Campus Compact to create and sustain service-learning, civic-engagement and community-service initiatives that will provide South Carolina college students with the skills needed to be active citizens not only in their local communities, but the state, the nation and the world. The compact’s goals are to integrate service into college, increase collaboration between campuses and communities and facilitate volunteerism in the state by working together statewide and sharing information.

Campus Compact is an independent, nonprofit association under the umbrella of Brown University.  It is a national coalition of more than 1,000 college and university presidents, representing some six million students, who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education.  As the only national association dedicated to this mission, Campus Compact is a leader in building civic engagement into campus and academic life.

“Clemson is proud to be one of the 16 founding members of the South Carolina Campus Compact. Being a part of this statewide network will help Clemson strengthen our existing service programs and access resources for building new ones. This is a positive step for South Carolina and for Clemson.  Students at Clemson and all across the state will benefit through the resources that will be offered by South Carolina Campus Compact,” said Jennifer Shurley, associate director of community service for the Center for Student Involvement.