The Alpha Phi Omega fraternity will be hosting the President's Volunteer Service Award for the fourth year at Seton Hall University in February.
The award is given by the federal government to those between the ages of 15 and 25 years old who complete a specific number of volunteer service hours in 2012, according to the president of APO, Moira Kelly. While the PVSA is awarded nationally through the government, APO has been certified to accept submissions and distribute awards to local recipients since 2010.
"This award program is great for Seton Hall because it strives to recognize students for efforts in servant leadership on campus," Kelly said. "People, not just Seton Hall students, deserve recognition for performing service in the community, and we are happy to be a part of that."
Kelly also said that they reached out to people in South Orange such as students at Columbia High School and members of the youth ministry at Our Lady of Sorrows parish.
APO gave out 19 awards in 2011 and currently has 22 recipients this year, according to Kelly. Because the number of people honored is unlimited, all are invited to submit hours.
"Our chapter admires the winners for their commitment to service," Kelly said.
According to Kelly, award winners receive a letter congratulating them from President Obama, a PVSA pin and a certificate. She also said that a PVSA award looks good on both job and graduate school applications.
The only requirements that submitters need are to complete a certain amount of hours of service. For those in the 15-to -5- year-old age group, they need to complete 100-174 for a bronze level award, 175-249 hours for silver and 250 or more hours for the gold award. According to Kelly, there are other qualifications for those under the age of 14 and over 26.
Submissions are open until Friday, at 11:59 p.m. For more information, contact the project coordinator Ricky Harzula at Richard.harzula@student.shu.edu.
Tiffany Do can be reached at tiffany.do@student.shu.edu.
