Undergraduate Admissions

In May, shortly after final exams had concluded and they had submitted their final grades, a group of Gannon University faculty members weren’t making summer vacation plans.

They were donning old clothes and grabbing paint brushes.

The professors, led by Maria L. Garase, Ph.D., assistant professor in Gannon’s criminal justice program and a member of the City’s Graffiti Task Force, spent several hours restoring a section of downtown Erie that had fallen victim to extensive graffiti.

The efforts of Garase and the other professors – from academic disciplines as varied as nursing, community counseling, English, and physical therapy – helped Gannon University record 77,487 hours of community service during the 2008-09 academic year. That figure represents a nearly 7 percent increase from the 72,553 hours that Gannon faculty, students, staff, and administrators, recorded the prior year.

In addition to giving generously of their time, Gannon University students, faculty, and staff gave more than $170,000 to agencies and organizations locally, regionally, and nationally. The contributions came from efforts that included the Gannon University Relay for Life and donations to the United Way of Erie County and to the WQLN Collegiate Challenge.

More about Gannon University’s 2008-09 service and volunteer efforts

Gannon students contributed the majority of the hours – more than 66,000 – while faculty, staff, and administrators contributed more than 11,000 hours through projects such as the graffiti removal.

The University’s service hours fall into four main categories:

• Community service – Students, faculty, staff, and administrators recorded 23,837 hours in this category in serving the community in a number of ways. For example, the Gannon University Social Work Club hosts an annual Christmas Dinner and Wellness Fair, a free and popular event that has grown considerably over the years. The dinner’s impact on the community extends beyond the fact that hundreds of local residents who might not have much to celebrate around the holidays are treated to a full turkey dinner and donated clothing. The attendees, many of whom represent an underserved segment of the community with respect to health care and other areas, are able to meet with representatives from social and human service agencies. Golden Harvest Food Drive and GIVE Day (Gannon University’s Invitation to Volunteer Everywhere) are other examples of community service done by students, faculty, and staff.

• Service-learning – Hours in this category totaled 27,931 by students in nearly 60 different courses. Service-learning has a direct tie to students’ class work. For example, the University’s Villa Maria School of Nursing annually hosts a community health and wellness fair at the John E. Horan Garden Apartments that allows attendees to receive basic health screenings and health-related information. Also, students in a business technology course created a time sheet for the Erie City Mission to log its volunteer hours.

• Federal work study – Hours in this category totaled 16,229. Federal work study is a form of financial aid, whereby students receive a stipend. Local agencies benefit from the work that students do on their behalf, all the more so because they not compensate the students. The stipends come from both federal sources and from Gannon.

• “Other” – Nearly 9,500 hours were recorded in this category. For example, Gannon’s Science in Motion program is an educational outreach program designed to enhance science education in part by providing professional development opportunities for area teachers. In addition, Gannon University’s seminarians participate in volunteer service as part of their preparation for the priesthood. And, the Gannon University Support Staff Association (GUSSA) periodically holds clothing drives and raises money for the American Cancer Society.