Students led by Mark Agars, professor of psychology at Cal State San Bernardino, have been recognized for the volunteer work they do on behalf of the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County, which recently presented the professor an award during its annual donor recognition luncheon.

“It is a testament to the kind of impact our students are having in the community — often in ways that fly under the radar,” Agars said.

For the last eight years, students in Agars’ lab have volunteered their time with their professor to support the nonprofit community group’s effort to support and empower area residents as they work toward economic stability.

Agars said that every other year, the community organization surveys both the social service agencies it works with and the residents it serves. Agars and his students have assisted with the survey development, data entry on a few thousand surveys, data analyses and writing the report on the community’s services and needs.