On November 8, 2015, nearly 200 Randolph-Macon College students expressed their gratitude and support for the Ashland community by participating in The Big Event. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves for The Big Event, performing a variety of service projects across the Ashland community: window washing, yard work, interior and exterior painting, and more.

Photos: The Big Event

The Big Event
In 1982, The Big Event was founded at Texas A&M University by Joe Nussbaum, vice president of the Student Government Association. Nussbaum envisioned a one-day service project in which students could show their appreciation for local residents for their continued support of the university. The Big Event has grown to become one of the largest one-day, student-run service projects in the nation and occurs on more than 75 campuses around the world.

Giving Back
“Throughout the years, the Town of Ashland has shown endless support to the students of RMC,” says Jayme Watkins, assistant director of Student Life. “For this reason, the Student Engaged in Responsible Volunteer Experiences (SERVE) program at Randolph-Macon College strives to reciprocate that appreciation to the residents of Ashland. The Big Event was one way for the Yellow Jacket community to give back in a very hands-on way.”

Volunteers moved furniture at Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church, winterized garden beds for local residents, and trimmed trees around Ashland.

Brooke Ford ’18, a biology major, served as executive director of The Big Event. Ford reached out to local businesses, who helped defray the costs for tools and T-shirts; arranged for a campus bake sale to raise funds; and worked with The Big Event committee to make sure that job sites were safe.

“The Big Event was designed to be a student-led event, and we kept true to that as much as possible,” she says. “The committee reached out to local residents and churches, and we worked alongside the Ashland Police Department to ensure the safety of our student volunteers.”

Baxter Carter ’18, a political science and philosophy major and classics minor, enjoyed giving back to the community.

“It was also very meaningful that I was able to do this with my fraternity, Theta Chi,” says Carter. “Afterwards, my brothers and I talked about how it was one of the best experiences we’ve had at Randolph-Macon. I enjoyed the close connections we made with the people we helped.”

This was the first time that RMC has participated in The Big Event. Watkins says it was a wonderful way to reach out to the community.

“We are already looking forward to doing it again next year,” she says.

Leadership and Service at RMC
Leadership development is one of the primary focuses of RMC’s Student Engagement Center. With programs and initiatives such as the Student Leadership Conference, the Leadership Fellows program, and Leadership Week, RMC prepares students to be the leaders of tomorrow.

The multi-year Leadership Fellows program has a membership of 91 students. The program instructs participants on the predominant theories of leadership, including the Social Change Model, Servant Leadership, and Transformative Leadership. The program is designed to build upon itself year after year, with students helping to direct their own personal experiences and educate their peers.

SERVE (Students Engaged in Responsible Volunteer Experiences)
The SERVE program provides students with dynamic opportunities for service and service- learning, and helps them explore the root causes and contexts of social needs through connections with the greater community.

SERVE students engage in a variety of service activities throughout the year, including Macon a Difference Day, the culmination of a week-long community-service initiative that brings together students, faculty and staff to help beautify the RMC and Ashland communities. To date, SERVE students have provided 25,420 hours of service to the community, and they have donated $165,118.79 to philanthropic causes.

Service Fellows
The Service Fellows program is designed to operate much like a not-for-profit service organization. Service Fellows have the opportunity to progress through four years of guided service, exploration and reflection in this co-curricular program. Fellows work together and with other community organizations to provide service to others.