News

April 19, 2018

UAlbany Hosts Inaugural BIG EVENT April 21

Full day of community service part of Public Engagement Month

More than 1,300 students, faculty, staff and alumni will roll up their sleeves and pitch in on 22 community service projects on Saturday, April 21, in a massive volunteer effort that is the first of its kind for UAlbany.

The BIG EVENT is a full day of community service and public engagement. The day begins at 9 a.m. by the small fountain outside of the Campus Center on the uptown campus, 1400 Washington Ave. Between 9 and 9:30 a.m., the Student Association will take a photo of the volunteers wearing capes as they seek to break the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people wearing capes in one place.

Eleven service projects are happening in the surrounding community with transportation provided to these various locations. They include:

  • The American Red Cross ‘Sound the Alarm Project’
  • Pine Hills Neighborhood Clean-Up Day
  • Erie Canal Cleanup
  • Habitat for Humanity ReStore
  • Myer’s Middle School Vegetable Project
  • South End Earth Day
  • Catholic Charities’ Mercy House Clean-Up Project
  • Camp Skully Clean-Up Project

On campus, the number of service projects continues to expand with currently 11 service activities being hosted within UAlbany’s Campus Center and Downtown Campus. This includes service for local causes, such as:

  • UAlbany Indian Quad Pond and Trail Clean-Up
  • Friends of Jaclyn
  • American Cancer Society Relay For Life
  • The Red Book Shelf
  • The Poor People’s Campaign Rally
  • American Red Cross Blood Donation and First Aid Training
  • Albany Outreach for Animals
  • St. Anne’s Institute
  • South End Children’s Café

“UAlbany’s BIG EVENT is about our community coming together to help others by giving something of ourselves for a greater good and purpose,” said Director of the Center for Leadership and Service Martha Asselin. “The rewards for your service will be incredible, for you will enrich the world around you through your commitment.”

For more information, contact Martha Asselin at masselin@albany.edu.