Fall Service CORDs awarded

Friday, December 14, 2012

Oklahoma State University's Service-Learning Volunteer Center provides leadership for students by offering interactive and meaningful service-learning activities and providing opportunities to promote the general welfare of citizens. The center promotes Service and Civic Engagement, one of the six pillars of the OSU experience.

Since its inception in 1984, the SLVC continues to enrich the lives of community members through service projects. The center is responsible for approximately 100,000 hours of community service and it continues to set and reach new goals of assisting the community.

This fall, the Service-Learning Volunteer Center has recognized four undergraduate students with the CORD. CORD stands for Creating Opportunities for Responsible Development. These four fall graduates have completed over 400 hours of community service, with at least 40 of those hours served through the SLVC. The simple orange cord worn during their commencement ceremony, symbolizes these students' commitment to service.

This year's CORD recipients are:

Amanda Ford, a finance major from Wichita, Kansas. Ford served more than 500 hours through Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

"I've been able to spread the word about Big Brothers Big Sisters which gives me hope that more people will get involved and therefore more matches can be created to improve the lives of even more children," Ford said.

Carrie Lee Foster, an architecture major from Murphy, Texas. Foster spent 562 hours serving through ASTEK, Architecture Students Teaching Elementary Kids.

"It was so rewarding walking into the class every week and seeing the children's faces light up. OSU has fostered a creative fellowship that will serve me in personal and professional development and helped me learn creative ways in which I can serve and start my own service project," Foster said.

Katherine Howser, an elementary education major from Talihina, Okla. Howser has recorded 718 hours serving at the Humane Society.

"I am very proud that I was able to give so much to the local Humane Society and being an OSU student," Howser said. "I hope to make my university proud of my hard work and dedication."

Sheridan Smith, a psychology major from Owasso, Okla. Smith has spent 429.5 hours working with educational research, the Humane Society and OSU educational events.

"I am very glad OSU has the CORD program. It motivates student volunteers to go above and beyond their own expectations and goals. It also allows students to find new ways to volunteer and continue in the future," Smith said.

Graduate students can also qualify for the CORD upon serving 300 hours for the community, 30 of which must be served through the SLVC.

If you are interested in applying for the CORD program or want to learn more about the SLVC, visit union.okstate.edu/Volunteer/ or contact Joyce Montgomery at 744.5145.