Inaugural Service for Impact Day looks to make meaningful impact with southside neighborhood groups and nonprofits

The University of Indianapolis is excited to begin a new Welcome Week tradition with the first-ever Service for Impact Day to give back to the community on Saturday, Aug. 24. More than 150 Greyhound students, faculty and staff are expected to participate, helping more than a dozen different non-profit organizations like Bethany Community Gardens, Exodus Refugee Immigration Inc. and Indy Parks from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The service work will be followed by a celebratory gathering on UIndy’s Smith Mall.

This inaugural event is expected to become an annual tradition with the focus on inspiring students to give themselves through service in rewarding ways. It adds another layer of meaning to the UIndy motto which states simply “Education for Service,” particularly to the hundreds of newly-arrived freshmen students who arrived on campus on Wednesday.

“Whether it’s making mats for the homeless to sleep on, picking up trash around our community, or making meaningful cards to support grieving families who have lost a loved one, we want our first-year students to know that serving others is what being a Greyhound is all about,” said Marianna Foulkrod, the director of the Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement at the University of Indianapolis. “From the very first week on campus, we want our students to learn compassion and a global mindset that must be championed both inside and outside the four walls of the classroom.”

Service for Impact Day will begin with a short opening presentation on Smith Mall on the University of Indianapolis campus with brief remarks from UIndy President Tanuja Singh, the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, the University Heights Neighborhood as well as IndyHub. Immediately following the short introduction, groups of participants will board buses to serve at various locations. Several groups will remain on campus to work on service projects inside the Schwitzer Student Center. Everyone will get back together around 1 p.m. on Smith Mall for a celebratory gathering involving food trucks and fun activities.

“I am proud to unveil our inaugural Service for Impact Day because it fits so perfectly with UIndy’s mission to develop engaged and globally-minded students,” said University of Indianapolis President Tanuja Singh. “Our vision is to give our diverse group of learners opportunities to engage their world and enrich their lives. When you are serving others, you cannot help but to transform your world, and—more importantly—transform yourself.”