Southeastern students to participate in ‘Big Event’
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – Approximately 550 Southeastern Louisiana University students will gather
on campus Saturday (March 12) before fanning out to area cities and towns to participate
in the Big Event, a massive community service initiative sponsored by the Student
Government Association.
The students, individual volunteers as well as members of more than 40 student
organizations and university teams, will be working at area job sites that include
local non-profits and charitable organizations, said SGA President Alexis Quackenbush.
“The Big Event is one big day of community service in which the Southeastern students
give back to the surrounding area,” said Quackenbush. “It is our way for the entire
student body and campus to express gratitude to area residents, businesses and agencies
that support us throughout our college careers. It truly is a unifying experience
for all the students involved.”
This is the sixth year that Southeastern students are participating in the Big
Event, a project initiated by Texas A&M University that has spread to approximately
80 universities nationwide. It is considered the largest single day of service where
college students give back to their communities.
Among the agencies being assisted this year are the Louisiana Children’s Discovery
Center, First Christian Church, Hammond Junior High Magnet School and the Tangipahoa
African American Heritage Museum and others.
The students will assemble in the Student Union breezeway with a 7 a.m. registration
and begin working at their job sites at 8 a.m.
Southeastern was recently recognized for its service activities by students and
other members of the campus community by being named for five consecutive years to
the President’s Honor Roll for Community Service by the Corporation for National and
Community Service.
