Prospective students considering Dartmouth have one more rating upon which to base their decisions. The College has recently been included in the new college guidebook Colleges with a Conscience, which profiles schools for commendable civic and community service records.
Dartmouth was recognized in particular for the Tucker Foundation's community service efforts, of which approximately 60 percent of the student body is involved, and the Rockefeller Center's extensive civic and political involvement. The book also noted the post-graduate opportunities through the Careers for the Common Good initiative, oriented towards not-for-profit careers, and the number of fellowships and grants awarded for leave-term service plans.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, President Wright said that the College's strength lies not just in these centers, but across campus.
"I don't know that there is a specific area [where we excel] because we really attract an environment and support for students to follow their own interest," Wright said. "I think that's really the enduring strength. We look for student innovation."
Provost Barry Scherr commended the College on its accomplishments.
"Obviously we are delighted that we have been included, but we are also probably not too surprised because we do have strong programs," Scherr said.
The book was co-published by the educational services company The Princeton Review together with Campus Compact, a non-profit organization that promotes community and public service at colleges nationwide. Over 900 colleges were reviewed for inclusion in the book, 81 of which were chosen for the final version. To be included, colleges first had to be nominated by independent organizations knowledgeable in campus community service.
In May 2004, after narrowing down the nominations, The Princeton Review and Campus Compact invited the chosen schools to apply for a spot in the book. Jan Tarjan, associate dean of the Tucker Foundation and director for community service, compiled the 30 page application in conjunction with the president's office. Tarjan said she was pleased by the College's nomination.
"I think we should be proud that we merit being counted among the institutions that clearly think it is important to spend resources on civic engagement and community service," Tarjan said.
The criteria addressed in the application included information on the practices of the admissions department and the availability of funding for community service, the amount of community and civic involvement of the student population and the school's support for community service-based education, student activism and student governance.
The application also included a campus-wide survey about student service involvement and student reflections on Dartmouth's civic and community service opportunities. The survey showed that approximately 79 percent of students are involved in these activities, largely due to the availability of the College's centers for philanthropic and civic work, such as the Tucker Foundation and the Rockefeller Center, Tarjan said.
Wright agreed that community service was a major part of the Dartmouth tradition.
"It's a deeply rooted part of the culture. The Dickey Center and the Rockefeller Center are about 25 years old and are a big part of the College," he said.
Tarjan cited a number of opportunities beyond the well-known civic and community service centers that made Dartmouth stand out, including the Dickey Center for International Understanding, the Center for Women and Gender and the Greek system, as well as the Office of Residential Life and athletic department for their community outreach efforts. She also commended the involvement of students in the "broad spectrum" of political groups, including the Student Assembly for its student governance.
The book, which will be used by students deciding which colleges to apply to, should help bring students with interests in community and civic service to Dartmouth, Scherr said.
"For those students that have any interests in that area, it will at least make Dartmouth a campus that they will look at more closely, and hopefully they will seriously consider coming here," he said.
