Photo via Ben Wright.
First Monday at school? Hit the snooze? For some students, this extra time served as the perfect opportuni- ty to give back to and learn about the Peoria community.
The Welcome Week Service Project, organized by the Lewis J. Berger Center for Student Leadership and Public Service and headed by student organization SERVE, offers students the opportunity to volunteer in their community before classes begin for the year. The Welcome Week Service Project began in 2012 and has continued as a beginning-of- the-year tradition.
290 students volunteered their time to the 2018 Welcome Week Service Project, making this year the most-attended since the tradi- tion began six years ago. According to Ben Wright, assistant director of student affairs for leadership and service, that adds up to roughly 870 hours of volunteer service, equal- ing an estimated economic impact of over $20,000.
Nick Topping, a junior biology major, helped package meals for the Midwest Food Bank, to be distributed to local food pantries and schools as requested. Packaging occurred in the Markin performance court.
“I feel like it is very easy to do helpful service, especially when Bradley lines up a project like this,
and all I had to do was sign up and attend,” Topping said.
The Welcome Week Service Project also reallocated students to projects off campus in the Peoria community.
Wright believes the Welcome Week Service Project is a great way to get incoming students involved and interested in the Peoria commu- nity right away.
“Bradley is not [students’] only home; Peoria is their home as well,” Wright said. “I want to see students bursting outside of this bubble, engaged on and off campus … seeing the things Peoria has to offer.”
Natalie Zito, freshman marketing and management & leadership major, volunteered at Common Place Family Learning Center in Peoria. There, she helped prepare a room for a mural in a designated tutoring room.
“The impact [the Welcome Week Service Project] had on me is just… a heartwarming feeling that I can help out in my new community,” Zito said. “[Volunteering through Bradley] gives you such a perspective on the community surrounding us.”
Other students volunteered their time supervising and reading in homerooms at Whittier Elementary School and Trewyn Middle School, organizing and cleaning the interior of Family House or assisting resi- dents with bingo at EP!C.
Some student organizations like Bradley Fellows and various Greek
houses signed up as a group, while other students showed up individ- ually.
Around 100 freshmen, just like Zito, took time out of their schedule of unpacking and situating them- selves for the year to volunteer.
“I decided to get involved my first week of my freshman year because there is always time to help others,” Zito said.
Heather Hawkins, senior indus- trial engineering major and president of SERVE, restated the importance of volunteer work within the Peoria community.
“Many of these non-profits rely on volunteers. If some of these places didn’t have volunteers like us Bradley students, they couldn’t get important tasks done,” Hawkins said.
SERVE continues to offer Service on Saturday opportunities similar to the Welcome Week Service Project throughout the year. Transportation, breakfast and lunch are provided each time.
To keep updated on volunteer opportunities in the area, visit the new website for Bradley students at volunteer.bradley.edu.
