One hundred thousand hours. 25,000 students. Nine months.

That’s how many community service hours, students, and months, George Washington University has to reach in order to complete First Lady Michelle Obama’s community service challenge.

Obama challenged the university community to complete 100,000 hours of service by May 16, 2010. If they complete the challenge, Obama said she will speak at GW’s commencement ceremony in May 2010.

‘Mrs. Obama wants to recognize the good work the GW community is already doing and challenge them to do even more,’ said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, Obama’s press secretary.

GW’s Office of Community Service Web site reported 55,000 hours performed last year. But the university is hopeful they’ll make the goal because many more go undocumented, said Jason Lifton, executive vice president of GW’s Student Association.

Lifton said he believes that the challenge will provide incentive and push students to work even harder.

The challenge originated when Lifton and Julie Bindelglass, president of the Student Association, invited Obama to speak at GW’s Freshman Day of Service on Sept. 11. President Barack Obama had declared the eighth anniversary of the New York City terrorist attacks a National Day of Service.

‘We wanted to turn a day of tragedy into a National Day of Service by remembering those who were lost by helping those who need it,’ Lifton said.

President Obama could not attend the service but issued GW the challenge that day.

This year 1,500 freshmen participated in the Day of Service. Each completed 2.5 hours, totaling 3, 750 hours for the day. These hours will count toward the 100,000, Lifton said.

Brandon Neuman, a GW freshman, participated in the Day of Service, and said if they do not complete the task it will be tragic. By his estimate, each student only needs to complete 10 hours of community service the entire year to complete the challenge.

Neuman said most groups on campus are excited for the prospect of Michelle Obama as the commencement speaker, but a small group opposes her challenge.

The Young America’s Foundation is a conservative group on campus that has asked that their hours be deducted from the 100,000. They do not want to promote another liberal speaker on campus, said Joe Naron, a member of the Young America’s Foundation.

Others said the Young America’s Foundation is politicizing an event centered on community service, not party affiliations.

‘It would be an honor to have the first lady,’ Bindelglass said. ‘It highlights our commitment to service.’

As for Obama, she expects GW will reach the goal by commencement, Lelyveld said.

‘It is already on the first lady’s schedule to go,’ she said.

hmbehre@syr.edu

Published on September 22, 2009 at 12:00 pm