On Saturday, Sept. 7, more than 900 Emory students, along with 30 faculty and staff members, gathered in the Emory Student Center (ESC) eagerly anticipating a day of volunteer service and community. The volunteers represented 50 recognized student organizations and support from several university departments.
Emory Impact Service Day — a tradition previously known as Welcoming Day of Service — is a student-led program that invites participation from the entire university community. As each fall semester begins and the Emory community reconvenes, this event underscores the university’s mission of service to humanity.
After arriving at the ESC, volunteers were divided into teams before boarding Emory shuttle buses destined for 10 service organizations throughout the Atlanta area. By the end of the day, Emory students, staff and faculty had contributed more than 2,400 hours of volunteer service. The organizations included the Atlanta Community Food Bank; American Cancer Society Hope Lodge; Nicholas House Atlanta, which helps families experiencing homelessness become self-sufficient; and Safehouse Outreach, which assists people in extreme poverty transition to independent living.
Like its predecessor, Impact Service Day is the academic year’s first event hosted by Volunteer Emory, an initiative of Campus Life’s Center for Civic and Community Engagement (CCE).
Students describe their Impact Service Day experience
“I learned about Impact Service Day through a course teacher,” says first-year student Michael Hu. “I think getting the community together is great. There are people from all over the school, including graduate students, freshmen and sophomores. Meeting new people and seeing everyone come together is really cool.”
Karen Wang, also a first-year student, appreciated the opportunity to get students more involved with the metro Atlanta community. “I participated in the Ignite Community Engagement pre-orientation program, and they talked a lot about the importance of engaging with the community and doing work that will help the Atlanta community,” she says. “I really wanted to get involved in a hands-on way through Emory, and this was the perfect way.”
First-year student Alma Cedillo sees a link between community engagement and academic study. “Volunteering teaches you how to work in teams. It is just inspiring,” she says. “Emory is very big on service and we are very collaborative with each other — not just at service events but in the classroom too. I feel very supported by staff and teachers, so it is natural for us to want to give back.”
Byron Jones, CCE’s director for student-led community engagement and the staff lead for the event, is pleased with the university’s first Impact Service Day. He points out that, in addition to serving others, students who volunteer together build community with one another, often forging close bonds and even lifelong friendships.
“Emory Impact Service Day introduces students to opportunities to make a significantly positive impact on the university and the larger Atlanta community,” Jones says. “Service is important to students’ time in college, and it teaches lifelong skills. Service to community — on campus and beyond — is an essential element in students’ flourishing during their Emory experience and in the many years ahead.”
About Volunteer Emory
Volunteer Emory has engaged the Emory community with the Atlanta community for more than 40 years. A part of Campus Life’s Center for Civic and Community Engagement, Volunteer Emory works with a range of Emory student organizations and more than 50 community partners to provide university community members with service opportunities. Among them are support for domestic violence survivors, environmental sustainability, cultural awareness, animal welfare and many more.