Lansing, MI — Madonna University and the All Saints Neighborhood Center, Neighborhood Centers Inc. — Partnership for Community Cohesion received the 2007 Carter Partnership Award. This campus-community partnership was recognized June 20, 2007, at the Fox Theatre in Detroit at the annual Governor’s Service Awards.

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award for Campus-Community Collaboration recognizes college/university and community groups that work together in exceptional ways to improve people’s lives and help college students learn the value of community service in the process.

2007 Carter Partnership Award Recipients

The $10,000 award will be divided equally by the partners to support their program. In 1999, the All Saints Catholic Church assumed control of a recently-closed church building and turned it into a community center. Madonna University initially provided tables, chairs, desks, computers and software, and soon followed with a host of service-learning activities such as literacy tutoring, health and wellness programming, day care provision for ESL class attendees, neighborhood surveys and asset-mapping, and a residential camp at Madonna for the Center’s youth participants. Partnership work outside of service-learning includes the provision of technical assistance by University representatives on the design of early childhood and family-based programs, client tracking systems, computer literacy training, and the establishment of a computer lab at the Center.

“The Center has brought the neighborhood new life and hope,” said Kevin West, Service Learning Director at Madonna University. “Each year our faculty and students at Madonna joyfully and willingly work with the Center to assist in its development as a stronger community program.”

The Partnership for Community Cohesion was among four finalists vying for this award. A selection panel composed of representatives from community, higher education, business and government organizations selected the four finalists based on the combined merits of each program, giving careful consideration to how closely the program applicants matched the award criteria. The committee is independent of Michigan Campus Compact, the award host.

The Michigan Campus Compact (MCC) promotes the education and commitment of Michigan college students to be civically engaged citizens, through creating and expanding academic, co-curricular and campus-wide opportunities for community service, service-learning and civic engagement. MCC was chosen by the award founders to host the award in Michigan. The purpose of the award mirrors the purpose of the Michigan Campus Compact.

Lead Sponsor

• Chemical Bank

Corporate Sponsors

• Ford Motor Company Fund
• Sodexho, Inc
• Chartwell’s Higher Education
• Central Michigan University

Gold Sponsors

• Albion College
• Grand Valley State

University

• Madonna University
• Michigan State University
• Olivet College
• University of Michigan – Dearborn

Silver Sponsors

• Alma College
• Davenport
• Eastern Michigan University VISION Office
• Hope College
• Kalamazoo College
• Lansing Community College
• Marygrove College
• Mid Michigan Community College
• Oakland University
• Schoolcraft College
• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
• University of Michigan – Flint