Westwood College Launches National "Good Works" Community Service Program

DENVER, June 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Throughout June, Westwood College will give out hall passes for its faculty and staff to skip school. But don't worry, it's for a good cause called "Good Works." During the month-long program, each of Westwood's 14 campuses will partner with local community organizations in an effort to donate up to $25,000 to select philanthropies and commit at least 5,000 hours in total volunteer time. As a part of the college's community outreach commitment, Good Works will work with more than 24 non-profit groups throughout the U.S. and participate in a series of mission-based summer camps, high school clean-ups, drives and fundraisers. 

"Our Westwood campuses aren't just schools. They are a part of a community.  So, we constantly look for opportunities to become involved with the neighborhood and extend our expertise in a way that will make a difference," said Dean Gouin, Chief Executive Officer of Westwood College. "While we do this throughout the year, we wanted to pull together all of our campuses to make a difference nationwide in the communities where our people live, work and study. So, we dedicated ourselves during the month of June to simply doing 'Good Works.'"

Westwood will contribute $5 for every hour of volunteer time to meet the $25,000 Good Works donation pledge. Highlights of upcoming Good Works activity include educational programs for the youth, such as the free, week-long Westwood Enrichment Summer Technical Program in Atlanta, where the Midtown Westwood Campus will work with local high school students. In Denver, Westwood employees will partner with the First Book Distribution initiative to deliver 450,000 new books to local children. And from Los Angeles to Chicago to Virginia, campuses will partner with organizations like the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure, A Better Chicago, United Way's Feed the Children, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, to name a few.

Westwood's year-round community service efforts include partnerships with school districts throughout the U.S. to build technology education into high school curriculum.  The college also offers art outreach programs that strive to make art accessible to the public - as with the Pop-up Art Loop exhibit in Chicago, where empty storefronts where transformed into public art galleries. For more information about additional community outreach initiatives, visit the college's website at http://www.westwood.edu/why-westwood/community-outreach.

About Westwood College
Westwood College is an institution of higher learning with 14 campuses located in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois and Virginia. Westwood offers a hands-on, career-focused curriculum in fields such as healthcare, technology and business. Westwood is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). A 2012 survey conducted by Noel-Levitz showed Westwood students are significantly more satisfied than the comparison group of approximately 125 public and private colleges, particularly in the areas of course content, quality of instruction and the school meeting their career goals. For more information, visit westwood.edu. 

SOURCE Westwood College

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