Students Build Belonging Through Service
Samantha Russell didn’t expect to spend 460 hours volunteering during her sophomore year at Neumann University. But as the early elementary and special education major began participating in community projects tied to the university’s 60th anniversary, she kept signing up for more opportunities to serve.
By the time the anniversary arrived this month, Russell had logged more service hours than any other student who took part in Neumann’s universitywide goal of completing 60,000 hours in a single year.
“One of the best experiences I could have had is this service opportunity. It allowed me to do something I might already do—or try something new—and make such a big impact in the community,” Russell said. Her volunteer work ranged from collecting soda can tabs for donations at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware to helping clean up a nearby park.
Russell is one of nearly 1,000 students who participated in the private Catholic university’s yearlong effort, which not only helped the surrounding community southwest of Philadelphia but also strengthened student engagement and belonging at a time when many institutions are battling an epidemic of loneliness.
As students at Neumann worked toward the milestone through sustained community engagement efforts, more than 100 alumni and nearly 200 faculty and staff joined in. Together, the university community contributed thousands of hours to service projects addressing food insecurity, youth and education support, senior care, housing and basic needs, and environmental stewardship.
The effort culminated last Friday, when members of the campus community gathered to pack 30,000 meals for Kids Against Hunger, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing childhood hunger in the United States.
Chris Domes, Neumann’s president, said the university wanted to mark its anniversary through service rather than a traditional gala or formal celebration.
“Service is an important part of our ethos as an institution,” Domes said. “So when we were launching our 60th year, we decided to put our energy into something we truly believe in—giving back to others.”
“We felt this approach would showcase our brand, our identity and our mission,” he added. “By coming together as a university to serve and support others, we demonstrate what we stand for in a tangible way.”
Neumann’s service initiative has helped the community while giving students hands-on opportunities to connect with each other and the campus.
Student belonging through service: Domes said the initiative not only underscores the university’s mission but also helps strengthen campus engagement, persistence and students’ sense of connection to Neumann.
“One of the things we pride ourselves on at Neumann is experiential learning,” Domes said. “Students complete internships and other opportunities outside the classroom before they graduate, and service learning is an important part of that.”
“When we think about the student experience, I think students recognize that being part of something meaningful matters,” he added. “This generation wants purpose, value and understanding in what they do. Service allows them to connect in meaningful ways to their education and to the community.”
Russell agreed, saying the initiative gave her opportunities to get to know other students.
“Coming into Neumann last year, I’m a very shy person and I’ve had a lot of anxiety growing up, so getting to do these community service projects is one little step toward getting me outside my comfort zone,” Russell said.
Other institutions are also experimenting with ways to help students connect in person. For instance, New York University recently launched a universitywide initiative encouraging students to put their phones down and connect with friends through device-free spaces on campus. At the University of California, Davis, the campus library has emerged as a “third space,” hosting musical performances, visits with therapy dogs, meetings with mental health ambassadors and other activities designed to bring students together.
Neumann’s service initiative has given students structured opportunities to build connections across the campus community.
Connection to campus: Russell said she met one of her closest friends through a service project.
“At the time, I joked around with her, ‘I’m probably never going to see you again,’” Russell said. “Less than a month later, she transferred into my math class, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.”
“Service learning lets students form relationships they never expected to have—connections that can turn into lifelong friendships,” she added.
Domes said other institutions should consider more widespread and intentional service-learning initiatives on campus.
“It’s really important to listen to this generation of students and what they need,” Domes said. “So much of our world focuses on the challenges we face and the anxiety students build around these issues.”
“The more we can help young people engage in opportunities to serve others, the more they gain a sense of purpose and meaning,” he added. “When students come together around a common goal, it brings people together—and that’s something we need more of in our world, not less.”
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