Now in its eighth month, an initiative to compete 175 acts of service during Mary Baldwin University’s 175th year is going strong.
Coordinated through MBU’s Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement, the idea stems from a call to action from President Pamela Fox who set a goal of 175 “acts of good” by the end of the academic year, to celebrate the school’s 175th anniversary.
The inaugural act of service took place on a service trip to Haiti, where Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences students partnered with nursing students in that country, kicking off a movement that already includes dozens of wide-ranging projects.
No act of good is considered too small to be considered. For example a staff member and her daughter recently donated flowers to the elderly.
Another, more dramatic act of good occurred this semester when two Mary Baldwin students along with a campus safety officer saved a nearby burning house and informed the unbeknownst family inside.
At Christmas VWIL cadets laid wreaths on fallen hero’s graves at Arlington National Cemetery.
Members of the Office of Information Technology comprised of Laura Sheffey, Brian Yurochko, Sam Sauder, and Lee Reid donated their time and money to prepare laundry packets for 20 thermal shelter residents to do their laundry. Each packet contained two laundry pods, fabric sheets, and six dollars in quarters.
Just seeing a need and filling it is the goal behind the project.With less than three months to go, the challenge is well on its way to completion.
“We currently have 104 acts of good posted, and are looking for more,” said Spencer Center Director Christina Harrison.