The Virginia Tech culture of service is evident in two new initiatives created to strengthen and support our service efforts: VT-ENGAGE and the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships (CSECP).

The number of hours recorded through VT-ENGAGE represents only a portion of the actual amount of service being performed, however; we continue to learn about new service projects and other community service activities performed by Hokies. As a benchmark, half of our alumni who are registered with VT-ENGAGE are each performing more than 100 hours of service per year. And it is not unusual to find retired Hokies who gladly volunteer nearly full time every week to give back to the community.

In an effort to strengthen community partnerships, VT-ENGAGE hosts a volunteer recruitment fair each fall for area nonprofit organizations. Last fall, 150 nonprofits participated in the volunteer fair as part of a new event called "Gobblerfest," which is designed to welcome new students and celebrate the start of the academic year. As a result of the volunteer fair, many students signed up to help the community in a wide variety of roles.

Established in August 2008, the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships (CSECP) puts VT-ENGAGE and service learning under one roof to support their shared mission to institutionalize community engagement at Virginia Tech. Associate Professor James Dubinsky, who co-chaired Virginia Tech's Task Force on Student Engagement and has a long record of participating in service learning, was selected as the center's first director.

FULFILLING OUR MOTTO

Unique service projects continue to spring up all the time. For example, Virginia Tech alumni and friends who are members of the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), a national service organization, are helping to lead a special project this year. The Southwest Virginia GFWC wanted to honor the award-winning Virginia Tech Rescue Squad (VTRS), especially for its service to the community on April 16, 2007. The chapter has galvanized local, regional, state, and national members of the GFWC in pledging to raise enough funds to purchase a much-needed new ambulance for the squad.

The Virginia Tech German Club Alumni Foundation (GCAF) recently came up with a way to elevate the importance of service in the surrounding community: an annual celebration in April called "Leading Lights: Neighbors Honoring Neighbors."

"The three pillars of the German Club are Leadership, Service, and Fellowship," explains Wayne Campbell, president of the GCAF. "Seeing the outstanding response of volunteers to the events of April 16, 2007, the GCAF Board of Directors proposed an annual community-wide celebration of volunteerism. The purpose is twofold: to recognize our neighbors who have volunteered and inspired others to volunteer and to help continue the culture of volunteerism among our neighbors."

Each April, an awards banquet will bring together key volunteers, the organizations they are supporting, and community leaders to celebrate the contributions made by these individuals. A generous first-year gift from the GCAF to establish Leading Lights will have a meaningful impact on the volunteer spirit in the community far into the future.

HONORING THROUGH SERVICE

Spurred by a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, members of the Tech community participated in the university's largest off-site Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day service project to date. The 2009 MLK Daycare Facelift Project was part of the national King Day of Service that actively honors the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of service.

On Jan. 19, 2009, more than 200 students were joined by faculty and staff members and community members to form 17 teams that performed facelifts for local daycares, including painting walls, fences, and artistic wall murals; adding chalkboard walls and magnetic walls; building sandboxes and dirt play boxes; mulching yards and play areas; and designing new reading and library rooms. Each team was provided with $100 in seed money to purchase supplies needed for the facelift, co-funded by CSECP. Additional support, including breakfast and transportation for volunteers, was provided by the Office for Equity and Inclusion at Virginia Tech.

Volunteers photographed the work of each of the teams so it could be electronically recorded to help plan future projects and generate excitement for service. Area churches and individual donors provided much-appreciated sack lunches for the volunteers, making the project a true community effort.

"Our new wall mural is beautiful," says Gulbun Esen, director of the Children's Nest in Blacksburg. "When parents and community members come into the daycare center, it is nice to be able to tell them that Tech students volunteered their time and resources to paint for us. It's like bringing a piece of the community into our center."

REMEMBERING THROUGH SERVICE

Remember, serve, and learn are the primary components of the VT-ENGAGE program, and they are closely intertwined. Service can be a powerful way to honor and help carry out the potential of a life cut short. We continue to develop and seek input on remembrance projects. Remembrance projects already have been established by families, friends, and alumni to honor those lost on April 16, including Teach for Madame, Teach for Jamie, and Erin Peterson Build.

When asked why he created Teach for Madame, an after-school language program for elementary school students in remembrance of French instructor Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, junior John Welch says, " I knew I wanted to contribute something to Madame's memory. I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the immense amount of talent and love for service shared by the victims of April 16. So with the announcement of VT-ENGAGE, I decided that volunteering to continue Madame's service of bringing language to youth with such great passion would be an appropriate way of remembering her."

Yet Welch never expected the program to grow as quickly as it has. With a good deal of innovation and entrepreneurialism, Virginia Tech French students have been able to take the program to three schools and plan to continue expanding it. Welch is in the process of incorporating these language programs into a single student-run nonprofit corporation and will continue to help other programs develop within that foundation, including Teach for Reema (in Arabic), to honor victim Reema Samaha, and a Spanish program for the Spanish Honor Society.

Because there is a need for elementary-age foreign language instruction in the Blacksburg area, "these programs can go a long way to prepare our youth for an international society," Welch says. "We'll do everything we can to bring that to our own community."

TEACH FOR JAMIE

Almost a year after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, students who had either been taught by Herr Jamie Bishop or had attended his weekly Stammtische at restaurants around Blacksburg came together to find a way to honor him. Teach for Jamie was born from their desire to remember a remarkable man. "He was so passionate about teaching and made the students passionate about it, too," says Betsy Potter, one of the founding members of the program. "We thought it was a nice way to honor him."

As with Teach for Madame, there is no cost for the elementary students to participate in this program, an aspect that the language students consider to be the most important of the program. All of the funding, such as money for the learning materials, comes from private donors.

The number of student volunteers has more than doubled since last semester, from 11 to 23. Teach for Jamie will now be offered not only at Margaret Beeks Elementary but also at Kipps Elementary, both in Blacksburg, bringing the total elementary student enrollment in the program to about 90 students.

ERIN PETERSON BUILD

Jon Butt (finance and management '82) is leading the effort to build five houses in memory of Erin Peterson, who also was dedicated to service. The first-year student was co-president of EMPOWER, an organization dedicated to building self-esteem and confidence in young minority girls. In cooperation with Loudoun Habitat for Humanity, the project will build homes in a new subdivision that, along with one of its streets, will be named for Erin. The subdivision will surround 22032 St. Louis Road in Middleburg, Va., adjacent to the St. Louis community, where Erin's family has roots. Construction on the five houses starts this spring.

Butt is the chairman, broker/owner, and a managing member of Riverstone Builders LLC, and a member of the board of directors of Loudoun Habitat for Humanity. When asked what inspired him to create the Erin Peterson Build, Butt says, "To put it simply, Hokie Spirit. I did not want the people we lost to be forgotten. Instead, I felt that we, as Hokies, had to do something to continue their spirit in a positive way. Doing good things that they were passionate about in their memory seemed to me to be the obvious choice--to be respectful but not to focus all our energy on a tragic day."

Approximately $400,000 is needed to fund materials for four of the five houses--the materials for the fifth house are being funded by a local corporation.To raise money, the Loudoun Habitat for Humanity is sponsoring an online auction by eBay's MissionFish program, which helps nonprofits fundraise on eBay and was founded by Milliken.

Additionally, volunteers are needed to work at the home sites, spread the word about the project, donate materials, provide housing for students working at the site, fundraise, and host a celebratory event, among other options. (To volunteer, e-mail Butt at erinpetersonbuild@yahoo.com or search Facebook for the "Erin Peterson Build" group.)

The experience of creating a project in remembrance of Peterson has taken Butt beyond his professional scope. "A couple of years ago, I never would have pictured myself creating a Facebook page, being a benefit concert promoter, getting involved with Habitat for Humanity, or selling items on eBay. Reconnecting with Tech through VT-ENGAGE, the Athletics Department, students, and other alumni who are involved with remembrance projects, as well as meeting dedicated people who work at Tech, makes me proud to be a Hokie."

SERVICE FOR LIFE

Actively living the Ut Prosim motto makes the Hokie Nation stand apart--and brings us together. If you or your organization would like to get more involved in service, contact VT-ENGAGE or CSECP for help finding and developing service projects. Your heart for service can go a long way toward helping your community. Join your fellow Hokies and make service a part of your life.

	Who has benefited from the 100+ hours of alumni volunteer labor? Here are some of the hundreds of organizations that have been helped by Hokies. 4-H (multiple locations) Boy Scouts of America (multiple locations) Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women A Forever-Home Rescue Foundation American Cancer Society Little Creek Volunteer Fire Company Special Olympics (multiple locations) Habitat for Humanity (multiple locations) Hearts & Hammers Morgantown Hospice Christian Dental Society Operation Blessing International Carnegie Hall Boys and Girls Club (multiple locations) Floyd County Humane Society New River Valley Lacrosse Club Montgomery County Christmas Store Girl Scouts (multiple locations) VCU Center for Human-Animal Interaction Meals on Wheels (multiple locations) Alden Park Neighborhood Watch American Association of Yoga in Daily Life J & J's Homeless Pet Rescue Samaritan's Purse American Red Cross Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad Starlight Children's Foundation Aquarium of the Pacific Animalandia Project Linus New Song Center for Grieving Children and Those Who Love Them Cat's Cradle of Greater Richmond St. John Bosco Knights of Columbus For the Kid AIDS Walk Atlanta Human Rights Campaign Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS "Dining By Design" North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission South Mountains State Park Canine Companions for Independence Locks of Love The Noblemen of Norfolk South Roanoke Nursing Home Bridges of Faith SOS Beagles Mathews Maritime Foundation Rotary (multiple locations) YMCA (multiple locations) Packages From Home Brooks Global Studies Magnet School National Marrow Donor Program Leukemia & Lymphoma Society WUMC Missions Team Appalachia Service Project Virginia Beach Vision icouldbe.org Blount Hospitality House Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater Destination ImagiNation Golden Retriever Rescue, Education, and Training Toms Brook Volunteer Fire Department George Mason High School The Florence Crittenton Agency Orphans International Junior Chamber International Duke University Hospital Best Buddies Program Project Styleburst (New River Valley Community Services) Youth Apostles Refugee and Immigrant Services Program at Lutheran Social Services Food for All 2nd Chance 4 Pets Breakthrough Austin Virginia Search and Rescue Dog Association Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries Karen Nash Memorial Butterfly Garden Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program FIRST Lego League East Hanover Volunteer Rescue Squad Sustainable Blacksburg Relay for Life Children's Miracle Network Classic

Other contributors to the article include Kymn Davidson-Hamley, executive director of the Montgomery County, Radford, and Floyd United Way; Joanna Crowder, senior in English and professional writing; and James Dubinsky, director of CSECP.