Assumption Holds First 1904 Day of Service
On April 7, Assumption University hosted its inaugural 1904 Day of Service, with over 1,200 students, alongside more than 100 faculty and staff, devoting a day to give back at 39 different sites in the surrounding Worcester area.
The day was a way for members of the Assumption community to truly live out the University’s Assumptionist-inspired mission, demonstrating commitment to the common good in the city we are proud to call home.
“I have been asked about why we did this a few times,” said Assumption President Greg Weiner. “In our mission statement, which talks about our devotion to the common good, there’s a very important connection to understand. When we consider a good that is common, what we did today was not just to do nice things for other people. We did good things to build a community of which we are a part.”
Some of the service locations members of the Assumption community visited included the Worcester Housing Authority, NEADS World Class Service Dogs, Habitat for Humanity, and the EcoTarium. Community members met the individual needs of the many different sites through service that included weeding, painting, fixing and building fences, spreading mulch, planting trees, and much more.
“This day presents so many opportunities,” said Sydney Kahan, assistant coach of the women’s soccer team, who spent the day with the team at Mesa Farm in Rutland. “I know our girls are so excited for the opportunity to work here.”
Dale Perkins, owner of Mesa Farm alongside his wife, Ann Tripp, noted the importance of having Assumption community members help during this day of service, saying that the work the students did will help to prepare for summer.
“We work with a nonprofit called City to Saddle, and we bring about 100 kids here for a week every summer. It’s mostly a riding program, but we try to incorporate the entire farm,” said Perkins. “Having Assumption students here is an awesome way to get everything started for that program.”
Alyssa Johnson, a member of the class of 2025, was excited that the service she did at Overlook Farm, also in Rutland, allowed her to use her creative skills in a helpful way.
“My favorite part of the day was when we were assigned to help to build a fence in front of the farm,” she said. “We could design it however we wanted, and it was a cool chance to have fun with decorative elements and be creative.”
Students also helped to clear flowerbeds at the Worcester Housing Authority, where CEO Alex Corrales said that the assistance groups like the Assumption students, faculty, and staff provide is critical to helping them accomplish their needs with limited resources.
“Without this help we would certainly feel the difference,” he said. “We hope that we can continue this relationship with Assumption every year.”
Una Murphy, a Campus Minister, spent her day of service at the Urban Missionaries of Our Lady of Hope Center in Worcester, which helps to provide programs to low-income members of the Worcester community. Alongside members of the men’s lacrosse and soccer teams, faculty, and coaches, Murphy helped to clean, rake leaves, power-wash the building, and to disassemble unusable furniture.
“The 1904 Day of Service was a wonderful way to live out the mission of Assumption in an embodied way,” said Murphy. “As a campus minister, I feel passionate about the way serving others can transform how we feel about ourselves, about others, and about our agency to make change in the world. By providing students an opportunity to leave the comfort of campus and focus on serving others, they see how a small sacrifice of time, combined with others’ time, can make a real impact on the community.”
After devoting the morning to service, a celebration was held in the Plourde Recreation Center and the Laska Gymnasium for all students, faculty, and staff.
“The impact you made on our community, for our mission, for the kind of education we seek to provide – it was profound,” said Weiner at the celebration. “Thank you so much for what you’ve done for our community and for the common good in the truest and the deepest sense. When I’m talking about Assumption students, I always say that what distinguishes you most is the unique nature of your education and your unique character. That character was on display for the entire community, the entire world to see. So, thank you.”
To view more photos from the Day of Service, please click here.