UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- In honor of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., student volunteers from Penn State New Kensington and other Penn State campuses in western Pennsylvania took on community service projects in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Billed as "Make it a Day On, Not a Day Off," the activities were part of the University’s celebration of King’s life. The third Monday in January is a federal holiday, and there were no classes.
The multi-campus community service project is an annual event that moves around the region. Penn State Beaver was the first host campus in 2009 and began the cycle anew last year. Lauren Blum, assistant to the director of student affairs, accompanied nine New Kensington students – Trevor Guerao, Lynsie Headley, Shannon Josefoski, Wati Kumwenda, Ben Lesko, Alain Niyibizi, Vanessa Osabuteym, Cody Shoemaker, and Josh Williams -- to the Greater Allegheny campus.
“Penn State encourages the community service aspect of the holiday," said Blum, who holds a master’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “Students volunteered to give up their day off at school to assist the organizations with cleaning, painting, organizing -- whatever needed to be done.”
They joined 100 of their counterparts from the Penn State campuses of Altoona, Beaver, DuBois, Erie, Fayette, Greater Allegheny and Shenango, and traveled in groups to help with the daily activities of various community organizations in the greater McKeesport area, including Braddock Day Care, McKeesport Little Theatre, Auberle, The Palms at O’Neil, Braddock Library, Braddock Free Store, White Oak Borough, and White Oak Park. The students performed a variety of tasks: cleaning, organizing and working with the elderly and children.
Kumwenda, a sophomore biomedical engineering technology major from Republic of Malawi in southeast Africa and Shoemaker, a senior electro-mechanical engineering technology major from Kiski Area High School, were the veterans of the service day. They were a part of the New Kensington contingent that journeyed to Monaca, Pennsylvania, and the Beaver campus a year ago.
“It’s always so nice to see our students taking their day off from classes to give back to others,” Blum said. "We have such a great group of caring young adults that we are proud to say are from Penn State New Kensington. This event every year is a staple for Penn State’s west campuses, and we are proud of the work our students do.”
Josefoski, a junior business management major from Highland H.S., and Alain Niyibizi, a sophomore science major, worked at the Palms, an assisted-living home in White Oak. The facility is designed to meet the changing needs of seniors who want to remain independent, but need a little extra assistance in their daily routines. Josefoski and Niyibizi washed walls, organized clothes, and helped residents bowl during leisure activities.
“It was a wonderful experience, and the employees were appreciative for the extra help,” said Josefoski, who co-chairs the campus THON committee. “It really makes a big difference to the families and to the community.”
A senior in the Information Sciences and Technology program, Lesko was drawn to volunteering because he was inspired by a quote by World War II hero Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, “Nothing is stronger than the heart of a volunteer.” In 1942, Doolittle volunteered to lead the first bombing raid on the Japanese homeland and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.
Lesko was assigned to a day care center, and his group cleaned and repaired the faciltiy. Although the center is funded by user fees, many families cannot afford to pay. The woman who manages the day care takes in those children anyway.
“What she is doing, the time and effort she puts into these kids, whether funded or not, is what volunteering is all about,” said Lesko, who was home schooled. “Volunteer work may not have its physical rewards at times, but the lessons you learn, and the smiles you receive from the people you are helping, is absolutely priceless.”
New Kensington hosted the event in 2012 and is expected to be the base campus in 2018 or 2019. In the past two year, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College and Penn State Altoona joined the original six campuses and will be a part of the rotation of future community service projects.
Volunteering an ongoing exerciseServing the community is not a one-week gig for campus students, faculty, staff and alumni; it is a yearlong calling. Bringing together the campus and community has been a major component of Chancellor Kevin Snider's eight-year administration. The campus has been volunteering at nonprofit organizations and sponsoring community events a lot this past year in particular.
-- The Penn State Homework Hotline is the most recent community initiative. The Homework Hotline offers free math tutoring sessions for local middle and high school students by telephone or email on evenings during the school year. New Kensington campus students with strong math skills, such as engineering and information sciences majors, serve as tutors, guiding students through their homework problems by focusing on the terms and processes.
-- Student clubs at Penn State New Kensington made the holidays a bit brighter for children and senior citizens in the Pittsburgh region. The Veterans Club and Lion Ambassadors organized events to collect toys, deliver Christmas cards and decorate living quarters. The veterans group held a week long toy drive that benefited patients at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The club collected seven large bags of new toys, crafts and books, which were delivered to the hospital by club president Mustafa Arslan. The Lion Ambassadors delivered Christmas cards to residents and decorated the hallways of West Haven Manor, a nursing home in Apollo. The cards, which were donated by faculty and staff of the campus, were personalized by New Kensington students. Bringing joy to senior citizens has become part of the service mission of the Lion Ambassadors. In April, the group tripped the light fantastic with residents of Logan House in Lower Burrell at the inaugural Senior Citizens Prom. The festivities provided an entertaining evening for the senior residents of the assisted-living facility, and an opportunity for the students to share time with those who may not have regular visitors.
-- The Alle-Kiski Alumni Society, which is based at the New Kensington campus, sponsored a food drive in October, in conjunction with its televised Penn State football game party. Penn State fans filled a truckload of boxes with canned food and nonperishable items, such as paper products and infant/baby supplies. The items were donated to the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches Food Bank, which serves the local region.
-- The campus community volunteered in the fall for a "Day of Caring," a program of the United Way of Westmoreland County to help revive western Pennsylvania communities. Volunteers traveled in September to the Valley Points Family YMCA in New Kensington to assist with an interior painting project. They painted the conference room, hallway and cardio room. Utilizing volunteers for the work allows the YMCA to concentrate its resources in other areas, such as youth development.
-- The Student Life office hosted three drive-in movies and BBQ throughout the summer. The family events were geared to the local community.