More than 1,000 students and employees 'serve wholeheartedly' as part of 13th Annual Service Day
Lacey Klotz |
Service is a hallmark of Lipscomb University, and that’s why on Wednesday, March 28, more than 1,000 students, faculty and staff cleared their afternoon schedules to give back to the community as part of Lipscomb University’s 13th annual Service Day.
From noon to 4 p.m., all university classes were canceled as volunteers headed to 50 organizations around the Nashville community including the American Red Cross Association, Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Matthew 25, local churches and elementary schools, and more, to paint, pick-up trash, landscape, work in classrooms among other various tasks.
“Our theme verse this year was Ephesians 6:7, ‘serve wholeheartedly as if you are serving the Lord, not man,’ and our Service Day participants did just that,” said Sam Smith, dean of student life and director of Service Day.
“Service Day has become one of the identifying components of our Lipscomb community. The 3,000 service hours we accumulate on this single day reminds our neighbors that we value them. It also helps students find service passions that they will be involved with for years and years after they graduate from Lipscomb.”
Nathan Morgan, a junior accounting major, spent his afternoon picking up trash at a local apartment complex and says he learned a valuable lesson from today's service project.
"I think having the opportunity to serve our community is important because a lot of times when your going to school your schedule is crazy and everything is about you, so a day like serve day is awesome because it allows us to focus on others instead of ourselves," said Morgan. "Today was also awesome because we not only picked up trash, but got to know the people living in the apartment complex. This is how positive change in our community is going happen, by taking the time to care for and get to know those around us."
Beginning in 2002 with only 50 participants, Lipscomb’s campus-wide service day has become one of the most anticipated days of the spring semester and a very meaningful event for the entire campus community.
To learn more about Service Day and other events like it, visit: https://www.lipscomb.edu/studentlife.