ACADEMIC VOLUNTEERISM
THE BIG EVENT
The Big Event was created in 1982 and has become the largest one-day, student-run service project in the United States. Each spring semester, tens of thousands of Texas A&M University students volunteer together to say “Thank You” to the residents of the Bryan/College Station area. Over the last 37 years, Aggie students participate in this large annual event to show their appreciation to the surrounding community. Students complete community service projects such as yard work, window washing, and painting for residents of the Bryan/College Station community.
“Through service-oriented activities, The Big Event promotes campus and community unity as students come together for one day to express their gratitude for the support from the surrounding community.”
THE UNDERGRADUATE ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT PLANNERS & ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT PLANNERS
As the President & Co-founder of the Undergraduate Association of Student Planners, I had the privilege in leading both my and the graduate organization as The Big Event Leader & Coordinator two years in a row (Spring 2016 & 2017). As a group, we were fortunate enough to volunteer with Bill Eisele and his Family for two consecutive years. Coincidentally, Mr. Eisele was very familiar with our organization as he happens to work closely with the Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning as an Executive Associate Professor & Graduate Faculty Member. Mr. Eisele always believes in taking care of the volunteers after a long day of work, and thanked us by ordering Pizza. The Big Event was always a great opportunity to come together and give back!
SPRING 2017
During this Big Event volunteer opportunity our group was tasked with: weeding flower beds, spreading mulch, washing windows, cleaning gutters, organizing cabinets/closets/bedrooms, sorting & folding laundry, and painting & staining an outdoor swing set.
SPRING 2016
During this Big Event volunteer opportunity our group was tasked with: landscaping the front and back yard, Painting shelves, spreading mulch, raking leaves, washing windows, cleaning gutters, organizing cabinets/closets/bedrooms/drawers, and sorting/folding laundry.
ADOPT-A-STREET
Spring 2016
Environmental Issues Committee—Adopt-a-Street: Breanna-Lynn, Regina, Whitney & Kevin.
The City of College Station's Adopt-A-Street program was launched in the Fall of 1988 to provide residents, businesses, neighborhood associations, community organizations, and student groups the opportunity to enhance the aesthetics of their community by collecting litter within the right-of-way of a TXDoT or City-maintained street or section of a street.
An organization in which I was involved with, Environmental Issues Committee (EIC), was actively involved in participating in this volunteer event. As part of the Adopt-A-Street program, we were required to collect litter along both sides of our adopted street four times per year for a minimum of two years. The photo above was taken in Spring of 2016.
VOLUNTEER PEER NOTE-TAKER
RENR 215
Spring 2017
VOLUNTEER PEER NOTE-TAKER
LDEV 669
Fall 2018
As a peer note-taker, on both occassions, I was selected “after being among the first to respond to a request for volunteer note-takers.” As a volunteer peer note-taker, I was required to attend each class, and upload my typed notes to an online sharing platform, to help a student with disabilities at Texas A&M University.
Through this experience, I was able to help an Aggie in need, while also learning how to write clear, concise and comprehensive notes along the way. At the end of the semester, I was awarded approximately 37.5 & 20 total hours of volunteer time.
