Texas Campus Compact Disaffiliates From National Organization, Changes Name To Campus To Community Coalition Of Texas

AUSTIN, Texas, July 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Campus to Community Coalition of Texas (formerly Texas Campus Compact) has announced a historic break with the Boston-based Campus Compact, becoming the first state chapter of the national service learning coalition to voluntarily leave, allowing them re-leverage 100% of member dues back into the State of Texas.

C3 Texas specializes in designing high impact service learning and civic engagement practices for campuses throughout Texas. Last year, students at C3 Texas campuses served a total of 22,654,279 hours, for a total value of $483,895,403 to the State of Texas.

The organization, which began in 2000, boasts a membership of 73 Texas colleges and universities, and will now also expand into the K-12 sector.

"Service learning is a credit-bearing educational experience that integrates meaningful community engagement with guided reflection to enhance students' understanding of course content, cultural competency, and civic responsibility, while strengthening communities," said Executive Director Patricia Potyka.

To reflect its changed scope, they have adopted a new mission incorporating the P-20 pipeline: Transforming education for the public good with a statewide coalition of institutions of education committed to developing civic engagement and service learning partnerships between communities, faculty, and students. 

"I'm grateful to all of our states college presidents, faculty members, and students who are investing their time and energy into service learning," said Texas State Rep. Jim Pitts of Waxahachie. "The work they're doing directly addresses needs of communities statewide, and moves us closer to the goals of our "Closing the Gaps" initiative.  I'm confident that this type of transformational higher education reform will continue to grow and develop under the Campus to Community Coalition of Texas' guidance." 

"I look forward to C3 Texas continuing its great work on behalf of Texas students," said state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of Bexar County. "They'll now be devoting even more resources to Texas education at a time when our state sorely needs it, while reinforcing the message of service to community in young people."

C3 Texas' Board of Directors for 2012-13 are all presidents of Texas higher education institutions:

Chair: William Flores, Ph.D., President, University of Houston Downtown
Vice Chair: Katherine Persson, Ph.D., President, Lonestar College -- Kingwood
Treasurer: Cary Israel, J.D., President, Collin College
Secretary: Jake Schrum, M.Div., President, Southwestern University

William Holda, Ed.D. (Executive Committee) President, Kilgore College
Rodney Mabry, Ph.D. (Executive Committee) President, University of Texas at Tyler
John Ellis Price, Ph.D., CPA (Executive Committee) President, University of North Texas at Dallas
Thom D. Chesney, Ph.D., President, Brookhaven College
George Martin, Ph.D., President, St. Edward's University
Baker Patillo, Ph.D., President, Stephen F. Austin State University
George Wright, Ph.D., President, Prairie View A&M University
[Ex-Officio/CEO] Patricia Spencer Potyka, M.A. Executive Director

For more information on C3 Texas, including membership info for new and renewing members, visit the official website at www.c3texas.org.

SOURCE Campus to Community Coalition of Texas