CSUEB Freshmen Will Contribute More than 5,000 Hours of Community Service This Quarter

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First-year students volunteer at Hayward High as part of the Freshman Day of Service.

  • March 28, 2016

Through mid-May, ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ freshmen will be volunteering at dozens of projects across the region. The Freshmen Day of Service (FDoS) is a requirement for first-year students at CSUEB through their general studies course. 

FDoS connects students with more than 30 non-profits, schools and community agencies that host over 85 projects. Students select and register for a four to five-hour project that best suits their schedule and interests. At these projects, students serve meals, support seniors, remediate the shoreline, restore community gardens, assist with technology instruction and much more. 

“My experience with Freshmen Day of Service was awesome because I was able to help out at a community breakfast and garden for an elementary school,” said Kalette Cole, now a senior studying psychology. “We had a blast working and being able to see the immediate change after we accomplished pulling up weeds and restoring a garden for children who attended the school.”

Cole was so inspired she joined Pioneers for Change, a paid service learning program for students, which helps to organize the projects. The group participates in community based internships, group trainings, weekly meetings and community service events.

“I hope that freshmen can see the impact that they will have by just donating a few hours of their time in completing tasks throughout the community,” Cole said. “Some of the projects have immediate results, while others do not, but the action of community service promotes leadership experience for everyone involved, and encourages positive change. There is also the opportunity to make meaningful connections with others through service, and be inspired by leaders in our community.”

According to Andrea Wells, the senior coordinator of operations and partnerships in the Center for Community Engagement, freshmen at ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ have contributed 13,675 hours of service to the East Bay region since 2012. This year, the CSUEB freshmen class grew to more than 1,700 students and by the end of spring quarter 2016, the total number of hours served will near 20,000.   

The following community partners have worked with CSUEB since the first year of the initiative:

  • · Alameda County Community Food Bank
  • · Alameda County Office of Education - Project EAT
  • · Downtown Oakland YMCA
  • · Hayward Public Library
  • · Keep Hayward Clean and Green Task Force
  • · Math Science Nucleus
  • · Save The Bay