History:
In 1982, members of the Student Government Association at Texas A&M University began
The Big Event as a way to say “Thank You” to the surrounding community. In 2011, the first Big Event took place at Southeastern Louisiana University with 34 job sites and over 300 students
giving their time to serve the community of Hammond, Louisiana. Now ten years, hundreds
of job sites, and thousands of students later, the student organizers and participants
are eager to serve the local communities like never before. As the project grows, the
mission stays true: “Through service-oriented activities, The BigEvent promotes unity among campus and community as students come together for one BIG day to express their gratitude of the support from the surrounding community.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Big Event?
The Big Event is a day of service where students come together to complete tasks in
the community to show our gratitude for all the support that they give us.
Where is the Big Event held?
Each Big Event team meets on campus and is assigned to a different job site.
Where do we meet the morning of the Big Event?
Participants will meet at Southeastern under the breezeway (commonly known as the
“S”) at 8AM the day of the Big Event.
How long does the Big Event last?
The Big Event starts at 8:00 am and ends after 12:00 pm. Historically, students will
volunteer at a job site for 3-4 hours.
Will food be provided or should I eat before I come?
What do I wear?
Each volunteer will receive a Big Event T-shirt that you are encouraged to wear during
the day. Teams do not know what job site they are going to until the day of, so we recommend
wearing comfortable shorts or pants and tennis shoes.
Be sure to wear clothes and that you do not mind getting dirty, as some locations involve
painting, planting, or cleaning.
What is a job site?
be assigned a job site, such as a nonprofit, business, or local area.
What type of tasks will I have to do?
of painting fences, bathing dogs, picking up sticks, raking, moving boxes, planting
greenery, or organizing items.
One Day. One Cause. One School.