MFRI Assistant Director Martina Sternberg, Ph.D., will present to those convening at Howard University next week to take part in the President's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge and July 9-10 Summer Gathering.
Sternberg, who is a veteran and has a daughter serving the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, lead last fall's Stand Down for Homeless Veterans and was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the creation of Operation Diploma, MFRI's post-secondary education initiative. She will be presenting on veterans and military families.
"In the fall of 2011, the White House launched the President's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge," she said. "This is a vital initiative which invited institutions of higher education to commit to a year of interfaith and community service programming on campus. Student service members and veterans are important members of the higher education community, and I am honored to be taking part in this event."
Next week's Summer Gathering will celebrate achievements of participating post-secondary institutions during the past academic year, and will provide an opportunity for attendees to share ways to inspire other institutions to get involved in this effort. Howard University is located in Washington, D.C.
The event is being hosted by the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Education in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service and the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
The Center's mission is to "promote student achievement by connecting schools and community-based organizations, both secular and faith-based," according to its website. It is part of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which works to form partnerships between the federal government and faith-based and neighborhood organizations to more effectively serve Americans in need.