MSU students give back for Make an Impact Day

Morehead State University hosted its 2nd Annual Make an Impact Day on Sept. 11 and 12 for all first-year students as part of their First-Year Seminar (FYS) Course.

Over 1,200 students participated in Make an Impact Day, working together through one of several service projects. Project leads and corresponding project impacts Included:

• Filling backpacks with school supplies, led by MSU's Office of Student Activities, over 380 backpacks donated to the local Rowan County Schools.
• Donating blood through the Kentucky Blood Center, 93 units were donated, with the potential to impact the lives of 279 Kentuckians.
• Making tie blankets, led by MSU's Herron Leadership Scholars Program; over 100 tie blankets made for child patients at UK St. Claire.
• Writing letters to alumni and donors of MSU scholarships, led by Alumni Relations and Development, nearly 400 letters were sent out in appreciation of their financial contributions.
• Voter registration, led by Rowan County Clerk's Office representatives, has 250 paper registrations and hundreds more online registrations.
• Making dog toys from old t-shirts, led by MSU's Student Government Association; over 500 dog toys made and donated to local animal shelters.
• Planting flags in ADUC Lawn, led by MSU ROTC and Enrollment Services; countless flags planted in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11.

Andrew Sexton (Class of 2020, 2022), service-learning coordinator, said students embodied MSU's mission of being a light to the mountains through the hands-on projects they completed.

"From making blankets for child patients to filling backpacks with school supplies, their efforts directly impacted the local community in meaningful ways. This event wouldn't have been possible without the incredible support of our campus stakeholders and community partners. This collective collaboration made this day of service not only successful but a testament to what we can achieve when we work together for the greater good." said Sexton.

For more information on how to share volunteer opportunities or collaborate on service projects, contact Sexton at 606-783-5493 or email servicelearning@moreheadstate.edu.

To learn more about MSU's Center for Career Development & Experiential Education, contact 606-783-2233 or email careerservices@moreheadstate.edu.

Photos: For this year's Make an Impact Day at MSU, students did everything from make t-shirt dog toys (upper right) to plant flags to commemorate 9/11 (lower left).