The Corporation for National and Community Service has named Mount St. Mary’s College to its 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction. The honor was officially announced March 7 at the American Council on Education annual conference in Washington, D.C.Only 113 higher-education institutions earned recognition on the Honor Roll with Distinction, and Mount St. Mary’s was one of only a dozen colleges in California to achieve the status. Others included Loyola Marymount University and the University of San Francisco.“I am so proud of all our students, faculty and staff who provide the leadership for our service initiatives at the Mount,” says MSMC president Ann McElaney-Johnson. “Our College’s mission includes fostering a spirit of service in our students. We are so honored to receive this recognition on behalf of our students.”The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognizes institutions of higher education that support exemplary community service programs and raise the visibility of best practices in campus-community partnerships. The Honor Roll’s Presidential Award is the highest federal recognition an institution can receive for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.At Mount St. Mary’s, students engage in community service in a number of ways, including the College’s Mount Ambassadors. Having recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, the Student Ambassador Program is designed to motivate inner-city high school students to complete high school and to aspire to a college education. Mount St. Mary’s students work with thousands of high school students, and in some cases their parents, to answer questions that pertain to the college application process, preparation for college, college life, financial aid and provide assistance to the high school counselors.The college also organizes “Live at the Mount,” a program that helps high school students experience a college campus, and students participate annually in the Mount’s “Invitation to Serve” day of community service. The College’s Women’s Leadership Program offers a variety of service and leadership opportunities for students as well.Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, CNCS has administered its annual service awards since 2006. Mount St. Mary’s has earned this honor on several occasions.“Communities are strengthened when we all come together, and we are encouraged that these institutions and their students have made service a priority,” says U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Civic engagement should be a key component of every student’s education experience. Through reaching out to meet the needs of their neighbors, these students are deepening their impact, strengthening our democracy and ultimately preparing themselves to be successful citizens.”Ecclesia ‘Mystagogy’ workshop set March 16 at DohenyA workshop on the Easter season period of Mystagogy, designed for all Catholics, will be held March 16 at Mount St. Mary’s College’s Doheny Campus near downtown Los Angeles."The Period of Mystagogy: Unfolding the Mysteries (Not Just for Neophytes During Eastertime)” will be led by Carmelite Father Ronald Oakham, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. A pastor and a leader in the implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in the United States, Father Oakham will explore: —the difference between sacramental preparation and sacramental catechesis;—the period of Mystagogy as sacramentally structured in the Easter Season;—a methodology (with a practicum) of implementing this period in a parish;—and Mystagogy as a way of life for the Christian. The Ecclesia program workshops are open to all, but geared especially for church ministers, either lay or ordained, salaried or volunteer. They are held on the Mount's Doheny campus, 10 Chester Pl., Los Angeles. The cost is $25 per person, with a discounted price of $20 per person for groups of five or more people registering together. Information: http://www.msmc.la.edu/ecclesia, or contact Gail Gresser, director of Campus Ministry, (310) 954-4126 or mailto:[email protected].Sr. Thea Bowman Academy hosts Living Stations at parishes The African American Catholic Center for Evangelization’s Sr. Thea Bowman Music Academy will lead a Living Stations of the Cross Service on Good Friday, March 29, at two Los Angeles parishes. The Academy — made possible by the Dorothy F. Coleman Trust to supports youth ages 12-19 — will lead the Living Stations of the Cross at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 2190 W. 31st St., Los Angeles beginning at noon on Good Friday.At 6:30 p.m., Living Stations of the Cross will be led by Academy students at St. Bernadette Church, 3825 Don Felipe Dr., Los Angeles. All are invited to these events which are free and open to the public. For information, contact the AACCFE, (323) 777-2106 or http://www.aaccfe.com.Legislator, alumni honored by LMU African American group A veteran Congresswoman and two alumni will be among the honorees of the African American Alumni Association of Loyola Marymount University at its 11th annual awards reception and scholarship fundraiser on March 16 at the Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel. Rep. Maxine Waters will receive this year’s Hon. Irma Brown Dillon Community Service Award. Re-elected last November to her 12th term in the U.S. House of Representatives, she has fostered partnerships between the schools in her district and LMU for the past seven years starting with LMU’s Family of Schools organization in the Westchester area. In addition, she has offered a number of initiatives to preserve the unique environmental qualities of the Ballona Wetlands and bluffs. Also honored will be:—Gail Mitchell, ’75, a senior editor of Billboard Magazine since 1999 overseeing coverage of R&B and hip-hop. As part of her responsibilities, Mitchell writes and edits a weekly column, feature stories, special supplements and album reviews. She also serves on the board of the African American Alumni Association and is on the advisory board of LMU Magazine. Mitchell will receive the William L. Strickland Excellence Award in recognition of her professional achievements.—Glen Milus Jr., ’98, chief executive officer of Mindlab Business Solutions Inc., a private financial planning firm in Century City that serves clients in the entertainment and sports industries. Milus is on the board of directors of the Dare to Dream Foundation and has served as treasurer of the Pasadena-based Foundation for Living Beauty, which supports cancer hospitals. He will receive the association’s Rising Leader Award.KTLA newscaster Chis Schauble will host the 6 p.m. event, marking the association’s commitment to academic excellence and the spirit of community service. About 6 percent of LMU’s student body is African-American and the university has been cited by the Education Trust as one of the most successful universities at graduating African-American students. Proceeds from the reception will go to scholarships for deserving students. In the past 11 years LMU’s AAAA has raised almost $1 million in scholarship funds that have been awarded to 205 students. Information: (310) 338-5278.