Giving Back

Incoming freshmen of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources have the opportunity to participate in a service project during their orientation class during the fall semester. This is an addition to the class to allow students to actively use their strengths, identified by Clifton's StrengthsFinder, to promote community service to the campus and the city of Stillwater and beyond.

One specific small group used their strengths to help sell, distribute, and support the efforts from Red Shirt, Orange Friday. Emily Frey, an agricultural communications freshmen from Idabel, Okla., was one of the freshmen who got to experience firsthand this unique opportunity to new students in our college.

"The purpose of this project was to raise money for care packages that will be sent overseas to our troops at war," Frey said. "Over a thousand shirts were sold at $10 a piece.

Students were asked to identify one strength they will use to complete this project. Frey used her strength of communication to complete the project.

Frey said she "personally attended the meeting discussing the organization and plan for the week and worked out a schedule, so that our group would know when, where, and what day they individually had to work."

Over 400 students and their Student Academic Mentor (SAM) took part in this event. Service projects like the one Frey took part in allowed each student to feel proud and accomplished. It was also a great way to establish links to give back to the community.

Interested in giving back? Check out the OSU Service-Learning Volunteer Center to see how you can make an impact where you are!