Note: Photos used for this story were contributed by the JA Discovery Center of Greater Dalton.
Junior Achievement USA® (JA) recently awarded Dalton State College with a bronze level 2021-22 U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award in appreciation of their valued partnership and support despite the continued limitations on volunteerism during the pandemic. Dalton State was one of 65 organizations recognized at the JA Volunteer Summit in Washington, DC.
The U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award is a presidential recognition program created by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation for individuals and organizations that contribute a significant amount of time to volunteer service.
“Dalton State is a treasure to the Northwest Georgia community because of their dedication through service,” said Caroline Frost, director of development at JA Discovery Center of Greater Dalton. “Junior Achievement of Georgia and the JA Discovery Center of Greater Dalton are proud to share in Dalton State’s excitement for this well-deserved, national award.”
Dalton State students, faculty and staff contributed a total of 2,366 hours at the JA Discovery Center of Greater Dalton between September 2021 and May 2022.
“Not only has Dalton State had a brand presence in our facility through their storefront, but they have truly invested in the partnership with Junior Achievement by integrating volunteerism into their courses and, in turn, their campus culture,” said Frost. “Dalton State volunteers have made up nearly half of the overall volunteer base at the Discovery Center since its opening in 2021, supporting local middle school students and gaining professional development skills in return.”
Mallory Safely, assistant director of career and professional development and part-time instructor at Dalton State, is one of several faculty who integrate volunteer service into course curriculum. Safely, who serves on the Junior Achievement Advisory Board for Northwest Georgia and assists as a point of contact for volunteer efforts, says the award is more than an honor for Dalton State.
“It is an award for the hard work, dedication and volunteerism of our students, faculty and staff,” Safely said.
Volunteering not only offers students an opportunity to serve the Dalton community, but it allows them to develop leadership and team building skills.
“By volunteering, these Roadrunners are helping the youth of their community, while building necessary skills and qualifications that will assist them as they head out into their future careers,” Safely said. “I am so proud of our students and feel they are the real MVPs of the Bronze Award!”
The complete list of recipients can be found here.
About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches 3.3 million students per year in 102 markets across the United States, as part of 12.5 million young people served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.
About Dalton State
Dalton State College delivers a transformational education experience in a diverse, caring community to more than 4,500 students. An institution of the University System of Georgia, Dalton State provides broad access to high quality bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, and career certificate and teacher certification programs. Dalton State is Georgia’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution and attracts students from 33 countries worldwide.
