For Kristen Scott Collier, class of 1992 and the longtime director of Wittenberg’s community service program, Halloween is not just about sweets and spooky stuff. It’s yet another reminder of the powerful role of service in the life of her alma mater.
“Every year, Wittenberg students contribute more than 20,000 hours in service, and each time they serve, they reflect the mission of Wittenberg, which encourages them ‘to become responsible global citizens, to discover their callings and to lead personal, professional and civic lives of creativity, service, compassion and integrity,’” Collier said.
“Service also provides an intentional opportunity to give back to the world and to promote social justice. It requires students to learn about community needs, about who they are, and about what they can contribute now and for a lifetime,” she added.
While nearly 230 children are expected to don costumes of every style, Oct. 20, during Wittenberg’s candy-and-craft-filled day of service, The Make A Difference Halloween Festival is just one of many service-oriented programs sponsored by the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement Community Service Program.
Since 2008, the Community Service Program has been introducing Wittenberg’s newest students to the vast opportunities associated with the university’s unique community service graduation requirement through its New Student Service Plunge program. As part of the initiative, first-year students, Wittenberg faculty and staff, and student coordinators from the Community Service Program work at service locations throughout the Springfield community. Participants also hear from Professor of Religion and Director of Urban Studies Warren Copeland, who serves as Springfield’s mayor.
The inaugural New Student Service Plunge in 2008 was a huge success with more than 90 students, faculty and staff members participating, and the momentum has continued with each successive year. Among the projects completed in recent years are unloading and organizing donations to the Clark County Community Habitat for Humanity ReStore, planting flowers at the Springfield Museum of Art, building an electric fence at On-the-Rise, helping tend to the Springfield Promise Neighborhood community garden, and cleaning out the Buck Creek along the Eco Sports Corridor.
“Having an opportunity to serve in the local community in the first days of their collegiate career allows new students to understand how important community service is to a Wittenberg education,” Collier said.
On Sept. 8, the program also facilitated a special service event in honor of the inauguration of Wittenberg’s 14th president, Laurie M. Joyner, Ph.D. Titled “Celebrating New Beginnings: Day of Service and Celebration,” the event was the culmination of a weeklong series of events celebrating the university’s mission and all dimensions of student life. Work took place at nine different sites throughout the community, including a neighborhood beautification project at Lincoln Elementary School’s Commemorative Garden.
“Celebrating New Beginnings: Day of Service and Celebration” was a partnership between Wittenberg’s Community Program and Springfield’s Promise Neighborhood, a comprehensive, collaborative commitment to ensuring that children succeed academically. Promise Neighborhood was inspired by New York-based social activist and educator Geoffrey Canada, who created the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) in New York City.
As for tomorrow’s event for children ages 3-12, expect to see a number of student volunteers who will lead the children through the activities. Many of the volunteers are active in Wittenberg’s fraternities and sororities, as well as service-oriented groups with some serving as leaders in the university’s Student Senate. The event is part of an annual nationwide celebration that occurs each October. Wittenberg has participated in the celebration for many years, but this will be the seventh straight year that the day of giving will be Halloween-themed and focused on giving back to children in the Springfield area.
“We are very excited for Make a Difference Day,” said student organizer Ilana Spaulding, class of 2014 from Ann Arbor, Mich. “We are thrilled that the Wittenberg community has come to embrace this tradition, and we look forward to welcoming so many kids from the area to our campus.”
For more on the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement Community Service Program, visit www.wittenberg.edu.