ACCSC Schools of Distinction

2010 ACCSC Community Service Awards

In 2010, the Commission launched a new institutional award designed to recognize ACCSC-accredited institutions that have made outstanding contributions to their local community through service initiatives. In selecting the winners for the 2010 Community Service Award, the Commission considered several compelling aspects, such as the scope of community service initiatives; the impact of the service initiatives; connections between education programs and service learning for students; the level of commitment of a school to its community; and a demonstration of how the initiative touched the personal lives of school personnel, students, or community members.

This year the Commission received 29 nominations from our accredited member schools that highlighted the significant commitment that ACCSC-accredited institutions have made towards their local communities. 

For the inaugural Community Service Award, the Commission selected Bidwell Training Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the Vatterott / L’Ecole Culinaire System of Schools.

Bidwell Training Center - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Each year, Bidwell Training Center ensures that there are ample opportunities for students to support important initiatives with outcomes that have a positive impact on the community at large. These annual efforts include blood drives, collections for local food pantries, collections of personal care items for the homeless, advocacy and fundraising for breast cancer awareness, community garden initiatives, and even bake sales to help out a needy student or associate.  

Bidwell Training Center believes that these types of opportunities often help students realize their own self worth and provide the incentive for development of leadership skills, which are critical to students’ success as they enter the job markets.  The community service initiatives, through creative planning and implementation, have become a seamless extension of the work that students, faculty, and staff do each and every day at the school.

Vatterott College / L’Ecole Culinaire System of Schools

In considering the nominations for the 2010 Community Service Award, ACCSC took note of the significant commitment made by the entire Vatterott / L’Ecole Culinaire System of Schools to play active roles in their respective communities.  Each year, individual Vatterott campuses, including L’Ecole Culinaire campuses, spearhead a number of community service initiatives that are designed to teach students to look outside the classroom to get a feeling for just how powerful an impact their future professions can have on the communities that they serve.  Activities include support of clothing drives, blood drives, and food banks as well as charitable events that benefit the Ronald McDonald House, the American Red Cross, and Toys for Tots.

As a community leader, Vatterott uses these service-oriented projects to address the challenges faced by our underserved populations, particularly during these difficult economic times. In addition to providing benefits to others, these outreach activities provide practical educational experiences that help students foster a sense of community awareness and civic pride.  It is Vatterott’s belief that students enhance their self‐confidence and self‐worth as they give of themselves to those less privileged.

2010 ACCSC Schools of Distinction

The ACCSC School of Distinction Award recognizes member schools that have demonstrated a commitment to the expectations and rigors of ACCSC accreditation, as well as a commitment to delivering quality educational programs to the students, graduates and employers that deserve our best work. Through this award, it is the Commission’s intent to recognize the importance of this significant achievement, including completing the accreditation process without stipulation and having been timely in the submission of the fees and reports required of an ACCSC accredited institution.

2010 ACCSC Schools of Excellence

In 2008, ACCSC announced the implementation of the School of Excellence Award. These schools are recognized for their efforts in demonstrating a high-level of achievement among their students. In order to be eligible for the award, a school must meet all of the criteria for the School of Distinction and a majority of the schools’ graduation and employment rates from all programs offered must meet or exceed the average rates of graduation and employment among all ACCSC-accredited institutions.