4/5/10
George Washington University reaches Obama service challenge goalThe George Washington University community completed the 100,000 community service hours needed to secure first lady Michelle Obama as GW's Commencement speaker, the University confirmed Sunday night.
Knapp announced back in September that Obama would speak at Commencement on May 16 if the GW community could log 100,000 hours of community service by May 1. The University community reached this goal with a little less than a month to spare.
The University will continue to tally the amount of community service hours logged by the University, and an official tally will be announced at Obama's Commencement speech on the National Mall, according to the University's announcement.
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http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2010/04/05/News/Gw.Reaches.Obama.Service.Challenge.Goal-3899805.shtmlrelated:
Friday, Sept. 11, 2009
First lady offers service challenge . . .First lady Michelle Obama promised to be the 2010 Commencement speaker if the GW community completes 100,000 hours of community service this year . . .
Service hours will be counted monthly by the GW Office of Community Service, and “volunteerism, service learning, and federal work study service employment” will count toward the tally, according to a University statement. Work with AmeriCorps and other pro-bono service will be counted as well.
Obama’s challenge coincides with GW’s Freshman Day of Service, and the eighth anniversary of 9/11. More than 1,500 freshmen are expected to participate in the Day of Service, according to the statement.
Student Association President Julie Bindelglass and SA Executive Vice President Jason Lifton said Obama’s challenge spurred from a letter they sent the first lady over the summer, asking her to participate in the Freshman Day of Service. Read the letter here (PDF).
Although Obama said she could not attend the event, she offered the possibility of speaking at Commencement if GW students could complete her challenge.
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http://blogs.gwhatchet.com/newsroom/2009/09/11/first-lady-offers-service-challenge-may-be-commencement-speaker/