More than 600 John Brown University Students -- including 452 new students -- spent Monday morning volunteering throughout the community during the college's annual Serve Siloam event.
Students did community service at 35 locations in Siloam Springs, including churches, schools, city parks, nursing homes and private homes. The annual event, which began in the 1990s, is part of JBU's five-day new-student orientation, according to Danielle Keller, orientation director. Classes begin today.
The college has a record number of new students this year, including 364 freshmen and 92 transfer students, she said. In past years, the university has averaged about 350 new students each year and broke 400 students on several occasions, she said.
Students are assigned to groups of 8 or 10 for orientation. In addition to Serve Siloam, activities for the week include chapel services, classroom preparation, community building sessions, games, rallies, karaoke and lots of food, Keller said.
The purpose of Serve Siloam is to get new students out into the community to give back, she said.
"So much is being poured into JBU and so much is being poured into our new students. (Serve Siloam) is a really valuable tool for them to give back," Keller said.
The university has the philosophy of "Head, Heart and Hands," she said. The community service gives new students a taste of what the hands part of the motto is by using their hands to do manual labor to help the local community.
"It's about giving back and to instill something in new students that is a big part of who we are -- that we care about serving and we care about ministry and we care about doing good work outside the classroom," Keller said.
The service also gives students a unique way to bond with each other that goes far deeper than just sitting around and talking. Often times students will have professors and other university staff working alongside them and have the opportunity to see their professor washing cars or spreading mulch.
"There's something really valuable in that for our new students," Keller said.
Matthew Branum, a new student from Fort Smith, was busy edging the sidewalks around the Siloam Springs Museum with a hand tool on Monday morning.
Branum said he chose JBU because he really likes the idea of a Christian college where he can grow with other believers. He said he enjoys helping people and Serve Siloam was a good way to connect the college with the community.
Suzanna Rusco, a new student from Tulsa, spent her morning working inside the museum washing windows and display cases. She chose JBU because of the atmosphere and to attend the recently established nursing school.
"I love it," she said of Serve Siloam. The event helps people get to know each other and bond as they work alongside each other, she said.
Don Warden, Museum director, said the approximately 25 students who came to volunteer at the museum got a lot done in a short amount of time. Students worked cleaning inside and out, edging sidewalks, trimming vines, replanting landscaping, painting signs and washing windows.
"We're glad to have them here," Warden said. "It helps us get a lot of things done we wouldn't get to ourselves."
A group of students was busy washing buses at Friendship Pediatric Services on Monday morning.
JBU students have volunteered at Friendship Pediatric Services for the past six or seven years, according to Renee Philpot, director of the organization.
In the past students have done jobs such as cleaning the playground, reorganizing storage units, cleaning windows and trimming shrubs -- tasks the staff members don't have time to get to, she said.
"I really enjoy them coming because they're so positive and happy," Philpot said.
Philpot said that one girl thanked her profusely on Monday for allowing the students to wash the buses and commented on what a fun job it was.
In past years, JBU students have gone on to do internships and work for Friendship Pediatrics, she said.
"It's really a win-win for everybody," she said.
General News on 08/26/2015