On September 10, 2016, Stockton University hosted its annual Day of Service. Over 500 students and faculty, representing a variety of different university programs, gathered in the event room to kick start the day of giving back to the community. The Office of Student Development, along with Circle K and local organizations, organized the service activities that were to take place throughout the day. Each station worked diligently to fight global hunger, provide arts and crafts for children in the hospital, and pack books for disadvantaged countries, as well as offered education programs for suicide prevention, CPR, and voting registration. Following the activities, students were involved in a dialogue session to reflect on the work they had done and the lives that had benefitted from their work, including their own.

Two of my friends and I participated in the Day of Service for the first time, and we were amazed by the dedication and commitment that Stockton has towards giving back. There were hundreds of students and staff who, through collaboration and teamwork, worked towards something bigger than themselves.  My favorite station of the day, personally, was the Stop Hunger Now station that provided meals for underprivileged cities across the world. Students were asked to pack pre-sectioned meals of rice, soy, dried vegetables, and vitamins. Latoya Gillyard, representative of Stop Hunger Now movement, encouraged students to work as hard and effectively as they could; ultimately, setting a goal of making 48,000 meals in the allotted four hours of time. Every time the group made 1,000 meals, students would ring a bell to mark the effectiveness of their efforts.

Following the events, each group separated into mini breakout sessions, led by members of Circle K, to discuss the events of the day and the impact the Day of Service had on everyone in attendance. Not only had we helped those struggling both locally and globally, we learned the value of putting others before ourselves. I find great pleasure when making a difference in the world around me. Service has always been a big part of my life, and it was cool to bring that with me as I started my college experience.