Students, faculty and staff members who wish to say "thank you" to the Nacogdoches community can sign up beginning today to participate in The BIG Event.
Student affairs and the SFA Volunteer Program will host their third BIG Event from noon to 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 23. Students, faculty or staff members wishing to sign up can do so beginning today through Wednesday, April 7, in the Involvement Center on the first floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center.
The BIG Event is designed for SFA students to go out into the community and complete various service projects. Through the University's partnership with United Way, students will have the chance to provide service to one of 19 non-profit groups, as well as to other businesses and individuals in the community.
"This event is for the students to give their time and energy to say thanks to the community and citizens of Nacogdoches and Nacogdoches County for their support of SFA," said Jamie Bouldin, assistant director of student life and coordinator of The BIG Event.
Students participating will complete service projects in groups of five or six people with a faculty or staff team leader and mentor.
Bouldin encouraged faculty and staff members to get involved because students will get to meet them outside of the classroom, and they will interact with each other in a different way through working together. Team leaders will attend a mandatory meeting in April.
"In addition to working on projects with students, mentors will facilitate discussions about what students are learning from the event," Bouldin said.
This will be the third BIG Event at SFA," she said. Last year, more than 200 students worked together to complete 19 service projects in one day, and she is hoping for an even bigger turnout this year.
Bouldin said past projects have ranged from painting and yard work to helping disabled individuals move into housing with accommodations. Projects will come from United Way agencies ,but also may be accepted from businesses and individuals looking for assistance.
"Anyone can sign up to take part in The BIG Event," she said, "but volunteers need to be committed and follow through with their project." Last year, almost half of the people who signed up to volunteer failed to attend the event, according to Bouldin, but others stepped up to complete the projects.
She asked that students check their class schedules before signing up. Since the event falls during school hours on a Friday, students should clear their participation with their professors.
SFA's BIG Event is modeled after similar projects at universities such as Texas A&M and Virginia Tech. SFA's Volunteer Program also hosts Service Saturdays for smaller groups to tackle projects. They plan on taking a group of students to New Orleans for Spring Break to volunteer with other organizations.
Bouldin believes The BIG Event helps others see students in a new light.
"Communities see one side of students," she said. "The (event) is a good way for students to show that they can do more than go to school in this area."
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