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Cabrini One of Five Schools Recognized by Washington Center for Social Justice
RADNOR, Pa. (Oct. 20, 2009) — Cabrini College is one of five recipients of a Higher Education Civic Engagement Award, a new honor from the prestigious Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. Cabrini was recognized for an innovative approach for integrating civic and social responsibility into curriculums, and for a commitment to service-learning and civic participation. Dr. Marie Angelella George, president of Cabrini College, accepted the award at a ceremony yesterday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Center is based in Washington, D.C., and promotes work and learning experiences for students and recent graduates.
"Cabrini students are doing extraordinary work in communities locally and globally," said Dr. George. "This award celebrates the accomplishments of Cabrini students and further validates the College's commitment to social justice, academic excellence and transformational learning."
In the nomination letter for the award, Cabrini faculty described a new core curriculum, Justice Matters, and the College's local and global partnerships. Justice Matters is designed so that all Cabrini students become involved in increasingly sophisticated real-world, community-based problem solving that recognizes the needs and assets of global and local communities. Justice Matters includes a sequence of developmentally linked courses taken in the first, second and third years, with a capstone project in the student's major in the fourth year.
Cabrini has received more than $1.6 million from public and private sources to fund service learning and service initiatives. A partnership with the College's neighboring community of Norristown has allowed Cabrini to provide academic preparation, health and wellness, cultural development, and career development services to at-risk youth. In 2008, the College received a three-year grant from the Pew Foundation to create a prisoner re-entry program in the Norristown area.
Last year, Cabrini was one of nine Pennsylvania colleges and universities (and 111 nationwide) recognized for community engagement by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for "Curricular Engagement" and "Outreach and Partnerships," and has been named three times to the President's Higher Education Community Honor Roll for General Community Service, including twice with distinction. Nationally, the College is among the first to incorporate community service into its core curriculum, and is the first college or university in Pennsylvania to require community service of all undergraduate students.
Through the Washington Center, Cabrini students have worked at the White House, the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury and CNN.
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