Ohio Campus Compact, a non-profit membership organization of 49 Ohio colleges and universities with strong community service, service-learning, and/or civic engagement programs on their campuses, has received special grant funding from Fifth Third Bank and State Farm Insurance. Each company is providing four legacy grants of $500 for outstanding college student service leaders to award to their community partners through the Charles J. Ping Student Service Award. The following individuals will be competing for this grant money for 2007-08:

The Charles J. Ping Award was designed to recognize and honor undergraduate students’ outstanding leadership and contributions to community service on their campus and within their community. This award is granted annually to undergraduates from Ohio Campus Compact member institutions who exhibit outstanding leadership in their community service endeavors both on their campus and within their community.

Candidates must be nominated by the president of their college or university. Candidates should meet the following criteria: 1) Evidence of exemplary community service during each student’s undergraduate years should reflect the student’s efforts to meet needs in his or her community. The Ping award recognizes student efforts, from individual commitment to service and community, to the ability to create an organization and to involve others. 2) Although outstanding community service of any kind will qualify, Ohio Campus Compact is especially interested in efforts that have connected service with academic study or designed programs with long-term community support.