During the ceremony, which was held in the Umunhum room in the Student Union, five different awards were presented to persons and organizations that have excelled in community service.
Various "honorable" individuals were also announced as recipients of certificates.
One of the five awards, the "Community Partner Award," was accepted by Jim Somers, a volunteer manager at Sacred Heart Community Center in San Jose.
Somers said he appreciates any kind of recognition the agency can acquire.
"Receiving such an award is meaningful," Somers said, "especially being awarded as a volunteer. It's like icing on the cake."
Sacred Heart supplies food and clothes to low-income clients and currently is a host to about 40 SJSU service-learning students per semester, and the organization assists more than 1,500 customers a day, according to the Center for Service Learning.
Blanca Sanchez, a senior majoring in hospitality management, who won the "Student Award," said she has always loved what she does.
"I try to give back to the community that I have received a service from," said Sanchez, who donated 141 hours to service learning through Pre-College Programs, tutored high school students and participated in other community services for about four years.
She said she recognizes there is an interest in community contribution among SJSU students and said, "The more people are engaged in service activities, the greater impact they can give on the community. We can always do more."
Elena Klaw, an assistant professor in the psychology department, who was merited a "Faculty Award," said she was honored to receive the award.
"At the department level, it's often harder for faculty members to develop and institutionalize innovative forms of pedagogy," Klaw said.
Service learning is "the most exciting and meaningful experience," Klaw said during her short speech.
Klaw has taught a number of service learning courses, including psychology classes, dealing with issues of homelessness and group dynamics. She profoundly integrated the learning skill into her teaching.
The recipient of the "Department Award" was the urban and regional planning department, and the award was accepted by interim chair Dayana Salazar.
The department was honored for offering a variety of service-learning classes to SJSU students.
The "Collaborative Project Award" was handed to Project Shine, which has emphasized teaching English and citizenship to older immigrants and refugees.
The organization provides interdisciplinary service learning classes to 139 students, the Center for Service Learning stated.
Dana L. Lapham, an AmeriCorps development specialist, said the celebration ceremony, which she helped coordinate, was "a wonderful collaboration of community organizations, faculty members and students."
Michael J. Fallon, program coordinator at the Center for Service Learning, said in terms of timing, the ceremony was consistent because April is the time for current service learning to be completed.
Fallon said he preferably uses the term, "community partners," instead of community organizations because the community nonprofit organizations have special relationship with SJSU in providing social and human services, including education.
Marshall Goodman, the SJSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, who was the award presenter at Wednesday's ceremony, said service learning gives students opportunities to apply what they have studied in the classroom to the real world as a case study.
From his own experience, joining a political campaign as a volunteer when he was a college student, Goodman said he realized how important it is to challenge and question the facts and have different perspectives.
Debra David, director at the Center for Service Learning, said she truly appreciates the service-learning efforts, put forth by the devoted students, faculty members and community partners.
David said service learning "creates a win-win situation" among community contributors.