The colleges and universities that are members of Independent Colleges of Washington share a mission-driven commitment to service, stewardship, and justice in the world, and students, faculty and staff of the colleges do hundreds of thousands of hours of volunteer service in their communities each year. In recognition of these valuable contributions, Governor Chris Gregoire has proclaimed October to be “Independent Colleges of Washington Service Month” in the state.
Dedicated college volunteers help thousands of Washington agencies and organizations achieve their goals in education, human service, mentoring, environmental cleanup and protection, literacy, veterans affairs, and justice. An increasing number of college courses include a public service component, and many students who receive a well-rounded liberal arts education at one of Washington’s independent colleges opt for careers in public service fields.
“[Through service learning], my hope is to broaden the student’s view so they will stop seeing stereotypes and start seeing people,” said Dr. Catherine Punsalan, professor of theology and religious studies at Seattle University. “This is how we come to understand and grasp concepts like community and compassion.”
Colleges have been coordinating service projects since students began returning to campus in August. A selection of highlighted October service projects, as well as links to the individual campus service resources, is on the ICW Web site.
