Gerald Harris
MC Contributor
In order to obtain a degree from Jackson State University, you must complete 120 hours of community service. Transfer or nontraditional students must complete 60 hours of community service in order to graduate.
With over 4,000 higher educational institutions in the United State, very few require community service as a condition of graduation.
The Alice Varnado Harden Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning is the department tasked with helping students help the communities they live in by providing community service.
“Jackson State wants to promote all students towards improving the human condition and civic engagement,” said Regina Clay, Service Learning Faculty Liaison for the Harden Center for Service. “With the center requiring 120 hours of community service for traditional students and 60 for transfer students, it will give them an opportunity to give back to the community.”
Mario Rosales, a junior biology major from Mission, Texas., who attends David Libscomb University and isn’t required to complete community service for graduation, opposes it as a reason to dictate if someone should graduate.
“Community service should not be required for graduation, because it’s up to the individual to decide whether they should give back to the community or not,” Rosales said.
But, Timothy Hall, a sociology major from Nashville, Tenn., thinks the idea of community service is appropriate for a graduation requirement.
“I think having community service as a condition of graduation is great,” said Hall. “Service is in our blood as Jackson State Tigers and requiring us to serve only highlights the good in each of us.”
For more information about community service and the requirements, contact the Alice Varnado Harden Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning at 601-979-1294.
