Randolph-Macon College has a long tradition of giving back. Students, often working alongside staff and faculty, regularly perform community service—both locally and well beyond the parameters of the college.

The Randolph-Macon College chapter of Ducks Unlimited recently gave a generous donation to Ducks Unlimited, a nationwide organization with a mission to conserve, restore, and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. Hunter Hughes ’19 serves as president of the RMC chapter, which was founded in February 2016. A business major and member of the lacrosse team, Hughes helped organize the chapter’s spring fundraising banquet.

From Fundraising to Giving
“The money we raised goes directly to Ducks Unlimited, which uses the funds for research or land conservation,” explains Hughes. The banquet, which was attended by 150 guests, included raffles and silent and live auctions. One notable item was a guided duck hunt, donated by Austin White ’17, that was auctioned for $1,000. “Our major donors were Michael Hughes ’91, Clayton Harris ’06, Mark Hamby ’87, Mark Heede, Troy and Melissa Painting, Phil and Sherri Wyatt, Chip Heaps ’79, Christiaan Pond, Michael Sterling, P.J. McNeely, Harry Bigley ’90, George Rapp Sr. ’90, and Grove Avenue Dentistry,” says Hughes. “We also received donations from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s.” That evening, the chapter raised an astonishing $13,553.

The RMC Ducks Unlimited Chapter
Current students as well as alumni serve on the RMC Ducks Unlimited chapter committee.

Jack Lambert ’19 serves as co-chairman; Benton Wentz ’19 is treasurer; Lucas Powell ’15 serves as ticket chairman; Nathan Altaffer ’16 is the alumni chairman; Brandon Kincaid ’15 is the sponsor chairman; Mason Engel ’18 is the raffle chairman; and Brandon Settle ’16 is the social media chairman. The group meets every other week in Washington-Franklin Hall. Biology Professor Benjamin Ramage serves as advisor for the group, which has more than 50 members.

“I’m incredibly impressed by the organization and professionalism of the students running this group, and the amount of money they raised far exceeded my expectations, especially since the event happened in their first year of operation,” says Ramage. “I wish I could take some credit for their successes thus far, but in truth it is the students who deserve all the recognition. I’m very much looking forward to working with them this coming year.”

Looking Ahead
Hughes says the chapter is excited about future projects.

“We plan to do a lot more,” he says. “We hope to a have a booth near the tailgates during RMC’s Family Weekend, and we look forward to next year’s spring banquet, too.”

Giving Back
In 2015-16, RMC students collectively amassed more than 27,400 volunteer hours and donated $49,897.71 to various causes. Students in Fraternity and Sorority Life contributed more than 13,600 hours of collective service to the community and donated $1737.73 to various organizations and philanthropies. In addition, $21,000 was raised and donated to the American Cancer Society from the annual Relay for Life.

Over 200 students participated RMC’s first Big Event, a day of service to give thanks to the Ashland community. The Students Engaged in Responsible Volunteer Experiences (SERVE) program, in the Office of Student Life, is an integral part of Randolph-Macon College.