WyoTech Receives National Recognition of Community Service

For the fifth consecutive year, the Laramie campus of WyoTech has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).  The Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Selection to the Honor Roll represents recognition from the highest levels of the federal government of commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement on campus and in the community.

This is especially good news for a school that has negatively been in the news recently, and could significantly help the opinion many in Laramie have of the school.

In response to the recognition, Guy Warpness, campus president of WyoTech in Laramie said:

WyoTech-Laramie students and faculty logged over 13,896 volunteer hours in 2011… Receiving this honor five consecutive years illustrates our continued commitment to the community.”

In 2011, more than 1,000 WyoTech students in Laramie participated in various community service projects including work for Spring Community Clean-Up Day with the Laramie Beautification Committee.

Perhaps the most touching community service effort was the restoration of a fallen soldier’s (Captain Bruce Hayes’) pickup for his wife. Students and faculty dedicated hundreds of hours to the project learning life lessons in addition to enhancing their education with hands-on training in rust repair, fabrication, dent removal, custom paint, and much more. In November of 2011, Captain Hayes’ wife, friends, and family were invited to a special unveiling of the completed truck on campus.

Director of Student Services Kyle Morris echoed the comments of Warpness:

Our students amaze us year after year with their dedication and willingness to volunteer their time in our community.  The fact that our campus has been continually recognized puts a well deserved spotlight on our students and their contributions.”

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which has administered the Honor Roll since 2006,

admitted a total of 642 colleges and universities for their impact on issues from literacy and neighborhood revitalization to supporting at-risk youth. A total of 513 institutions were named to the Honor Roll and WyoTech-Laramie is the only school in Wyoming that earned the designation in 2012.

“Through service, these institutions are creating the next generation of leaders by challenging students to tackle tough issues and create positive impacts in the community,” said Robert Velasco, Acting CEO of CNCS.

We applaud the Honor Roll schools, their faculty and students for their commitment to make service a priority in and out of the classroom. Together, service and learning increase civic engagement while fostering social innovation among students, empowering them to solve challenges within their communities.”