Hobart and William Smith Colleges

30 Years of Day of Service

In 1994, Day of Service began as “a message of hope.” Thirty years later, HWS celebrates the thriving tradition that anchors the campus’ civic engagement.

BY NATALIA ST. LAWRENCE ’16

For three decades, Days of Service have brought volunteers from campus and the surrounding area together with the common purpose of giving back to the greater Geneva community. In April, as part of HWS’ Volunteer Leadership Summit, 300 alumni, students, faculty and staff volunteers participated in the spring Day of Service.

“The collective efforts of students, faculty, staff and our community partners over the past 30 years have not only made an impact on the greater Geneva community, they have shaped a culture of civic engagement and stewardship on our campus,” says President Mark D. Gearan.

Days of Service was founded in 1994 by former Dean Richard Guarasci and former staff members Lara Chatel-Turbide and retired Lt. Col. John Norvell ’66, P’99, P’02, L.H.D. ’24. The idea took shape during a trip led by Guarasci and Chatel-Turbide to a City Year Day of Service event in Boston. On the return journey, the group agreed to launch a similar initiative on campus.

“Students were really excited, and the event has stuck ever since,” says Hobart Associate Dean David Mapstone ’93, who began working for HWS in 1994.

Days of Service “spoke to Generation X and how they wanted to participate in democracy and have their voice heard. They wanted to get their hands dirty,” Mapstone recalls. “Additionally, Guarasci and Hobart and William Smith were finding ways to incorporate service- learning into the curriculum,” connecting classroom learning and community service to foster civic responsibility.

In April 1994, The Herald ran an article ahead of the inaugural Day of Service, encouraging students to “make a difference in your own life and in the life of our city. You will send a message of hope. Your energy, idealism and commitment will move toward what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned as ‘the beloved community.’”

Over the years, Days of Service has evolved through the sustained efforts of the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL) and the HWS Days of Service club, expanding to multiple days each year. The first Day of Service of the academic year is hosted during Orientation, giving every new student the opportunity to participate at the beginning of their college experience.

With the support of Director of CCESL Katie Flowers and Associate Director of CCESL Peter Budmen ’15, M.A.T. ’16, this spring’s 30th anniversary took shape with the planning of Holly McCarty ’25 and Caroline Ruffner ’25, co- chairs of the Days of Service club, who wanted the milestone event to perpetuate the sense of purpose they’ve felt and witnessed in their peers.

“This is an amazing time to be on campus because the anniversary offers students the opportunity to participate in a tradition that HWS holds so dear,” McCarty says.

“I love when people ask to return to a site that they’ve volunteered at before because they had such a positive experience,” says Ruffner. “I’ve also loved working with CCESL and community members to connect HWS to the Geneva community.”

During the spring Day of Service, HWS volunteers worked at more than 20 sites throughout the Finger Lakes, supporting Geneva Reads, the National Marrow Donor Program, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Rochester, and Habitat for Humanity among other organizations and initiatives.

Parish Administrator at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Sue Adams has hosted Days of Service volunteers at her church all 30 years. “We’re a downtown parish and every nook and cranny is used for the betterment of our community. When people volunteer, it makes our programs accessible to children in Geneva. Having volunteers is an enormous gift. I don’t think we could have done all that we’ve done in the last 30 years without…the help of HWS students a couple of times a year.”

Jackie Augustine ’99 — who has participated in Days of Service as a student, a former Geneva city councilor and through organizations including Seneca7 and BluePrint Geneva — says service is “a learning experience for everyone involved.” Students are able “to see some of the work going on around them,” while community members “learn about the things that draw students off campus and inform their commitment to service. Some of the students we met during Day of Service went on to become active volunteers, and sometimes staff, down the road!”