Peoria, IL (September 10, 2012) The Lewis J. Burger Center for Student Leadership and Public Service at Bradley University has been selected to receive a national student leadership award by the Jenzabar Foundation.
The Burger Center will receive a $5,000 grant in recognition of its Service on Saturday program that was started last fall to make volunteer opportunities more accessible to Bradley students and to best serve the Peoria community. The program was implemented with a $2,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Central Illinois.
Last year Bradley hosted six Service on Saturday events that collectively were attended by more than 670 students and provided more than 2000 hours of community service. During each of the events, students chose to serve at approximately 10 volunteer project sites. A variety of projects are offered to ensure all students are able to volunteer at a site that is aligned with their interests and passions. Service on Saturday agency partners include South Side Mission, Crittenton Centers, YWCA, Peoria Historical Society, Arthritis Foundation, Peoria Area Blind People’s Center, Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association, Children’s Home Association of Illinois, and the Peoria Art Guild.
During the 2011-2012 academic year, Bradley students completed 48,500 hours of service and raised approximately $194,000 for local charities.
The Service on Saturday program was recognized last month with Bradley’s Helen Bartlett Award for Excellence in Service to Students. A review panel selected the recipient based on their contributions to student life
The first Service on Saturday event of this semester will be held on Saturday, September 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Jenzabar Foundation is a charitable and educational organization that recognizes and supports the good works and humanitarian efforts of student leaders serving others across the global community. It seeks to foster a culture of service and to educate and inspire future generations to create a better world.
Bradley is a private, independent university in Peoria, Ill., offering 6,000 students the choice of more than 100 academic programs. Bradley links academic excellence, experiential learning and leadership development with an entrepreneurial spirit for a world-class education. Its size provides students with extensive resources not available at most private colleges and the personal attention not commonly found at large universities