Community Service Challenge

Dear Orange Friends,

As we kicked off the academic year and the observation of the University’s 150th anniversary, we committed to a goal of asking our students, faculty and staff to donate 15,000 hours of service to our community. I am proud to say that that goal was met and surpassed during the fall semester. Now, we want to double our impact by logging an additional 15,000 hours this semester.

We all volunteer for different reasons. Junior Seth Reed is following the example of his sister, Bethany Reed ’18, by serving as an orientation leader. He admires Bethany for her positive attitude, which motivates him to seek out opportunities to serve others. In his first year, he was accepted as one of 24 participants in Orange Seeds, a leadership program where students use their free time to volunteer with Vera House, Meals on Wheels, and other community service agencies. After volunteering throughout the fall semester, Orange Seeds students plan and execute a major campuswide service event for spring.

A chemical engineering student, Seth believes that what he is learning at Syracuse University should be shared. As an outreach coordinator for the Engineering Ambassadors through the Shaw Center for Public and Community Service, Reed and six co-coordinators facilitate interactive lesson plans for local middle school students on STEM topics. They are empowered to explore the physics of roller coasters, understand the properties of acids and bases, create popsicle stick bridges, and many more hands-on learning experiences.

No matter your reason for volunteering, I ask that you join me in logging your hours by visiting the 150 Days of Service web page. If you are looking for volunteer opportunities, you can find them online. As I write this letter, we are very close to 20,000 total hours for the academic year. Let’s see what we can do for our community together this semester.

Sincerely,

Kent Syverud
Chancellor