By Steve Seepersaud
Our alumni are smart and hard-working. They use those attributes to further their careers, and in giving back to their communities.
This was evident April 12-14, during the Alumni Association's fifth annual Alumni Global Day of Service. The idea is to get alumni around the world to volunteer during a given weekend, either in groups or on their own. This year's event was one of the most successful to date.
- There were more than 50 group projects across 25 regions in the U.S., plus a project in Malaysia.
- More than 700 alumni registered to participate in group projects.
- Nearly 50 alumni engaged in independent service.
Neil Morris '93 led a Meals on Wheels food-delivery project in Bergen County, N.J., that attracted more than 20 volunteers.
"Meals on Wheels is meaningful to me personally," he said. "I've participated with my family over the years during the holidays in Rockland County, N.Y., my hometown. I've also led teams at work over the past five years with Meals on Wheels in the city. Our project was a huge success. We went on eight different routes to deliver emergency packs of food and treats for the upcoming holiday. It was quite meaningful for everyone involved, especially seeing the smiles on the faces of the recipients."
Diana Weber '13 organized a project with Brady Drummond-Ryan '79 at Crisis Assistance Ministries in Charlotte, N.C.
"Our group helped sort and organize donated items," she said. "We were so impressed with the organization and efficiency of their processes. It's always fun to connect with other alumni, but working together as a team to support a greater cause makes for an even better time. Alumni Global Day of Service projects are great reminders to make volunteering more of a regular habit. A little help can often go a long way."
Andrew Horowitz '15, co-founder of The Binghamton Marketing Collective, led this alumni affinity group as it worked with the organization Futures and Options to mentor disadvantaged teens in New York City.
"We spent the day interviewing students for a prestigious internship program — Futures and Options teams with more than 200 major corporations in the city that host students for paid summer internships," Horowitz said. "Everyone who volunteered was overtaken by a sense of awe and inspiration, as the students were ambitious, talented, friendly and ready to take on the world."
Emin Israfil '09 held a beach cleanup project in the San Francisco area in support of the Surfrider Foundation.
"It felt great to be able to lead a group of Binghamton alumni to make a difference in the community," he said. "Being all the way in San Francisco made the turnout extra special. Binghamton has deep roots in engineering, technology and philanthropy. It makes sense that so many alumni are settling in Silicon Valley and are looking for ways to give back to their local communities."
Amelia LoDolce '02, executive director of Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments (VINES), said 40 students, alumni and family members helped with the organization's urban farm expansion in downtown Binghamton and the construction of the Deerfield Place Community Garden in Vestal.
"We really enjoyed connecting with and working alongside people of all ages and backgrounds who all have been a part of Binghamton University. I'm proud to be an alumna of a University that puts such an emphasis on community service," she said.
Visit the Alumni Association's Facebook page to see photos from Alumni Global Day of Service.
