Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--After returning early to campus next week, nearly 150 Mississippi State students will be putting some sweat equity into area communities.
The university's first Service DAWGS project will take the volunteers to a variety of locations, among them a Habitat for Humanity construction site and a crop field where they'll glean fruit for a food pantry.
DAWGS is an acronym for Donating a Wonderful Gift of Service.
Led by April Heiselt, the teams will fan out at 8 a.m. Monday [Aug. 11] and complete their work at 1 p.m., followed by a barbecue lunch. Heiselt, an assistant professor of counselor education and educational psychology, is service learning coordinator for MSU's Leadership Programs.
The university begins fall semester classes Aug. 18.
"Service is a very important part of the learning process, and it's a focus that is gaining attention nationally at educational institutions," Heiselt said. "We think this is a significant way to start the semester by allowing students to connect with their community, and we expect it to become an annual event."
Working through the Maroon Volunteer Center in the Colvard Student Union and with Day One Learning Communities, Heiselt is encouraging other students to register online at www.msstate.edu/org/campusoutreach.
"We also welcome faculty and staff participation as a way of demonstrating Mississippi State's commitment to giving back," she said, adding that volunteers are needed for registration, food and water distribution and a variety of other tasks.
Interim President Vance H. Watson has spoken frequently over his long MSU career about the "stewardship gene" of Mississippians.
"We're very aware of our responsibilities to reach out and serve others in the Starkville area, and we encourage our university family to participate," Watson said of the new Service DAWGS program.
Student volunteers, who will be identified by their T-shirts, will be working on nine projects. They include:
--Aiken Village Preschool on campus, painting an outdoor shed and preparing a garden area.
--Boy Scout Camp Seminole in northern Oktibbeha County, clearing debris, removing tile flooring and preparing camp for fall activities.
--Starkville Habitat for Humanity, home construction projects.
--T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability on campus, preparing and painting a client art gallery.
--Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services local office, washing vehicles used for community service.
--Salvation Army, organizing donated items and cleaning the local facility.
--Society of St. Andrew's, working with the religious hunger ministry to glean watermelons from a field near Eupora for donation to the Mississippi Food Network.
--Starkville Parks and Recreation, removing trash and limbs.
--Starkville's Sudduth Elementary School, preparing an educational discovery garden.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to be involved," Heiselt said.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.