NSU Students Reach Out To Community During The Big Event

TAHLEQUAH Despite dreary weather and a chance for rain, more than 300 Northeastern State University students turned out for a chance to give back to the Tahlequah community during The Big Event.

Organized by Herb Rozell Scholars Cody Brumley and Breanna Walker, The Big Event brought volunteers from numerous NSU student organizations to homes, parks and civic organizations around the community to wash windows, paint, rake leaves, and clean up tree branches, among other projects.

"This was a chance for the people of Tahlequah to recognize NSU students as a valuable part of this community," said Matt Starke, director of Leadership Development and Community Engagement. "The Big Event may be just a one-day thing, but it gets our students thinking about what else they can be doing for the community the other 364 days of the year."

Brumley and Walker solicited projects from the community for students to complete, recruited students and organizations to volunteer, and assigned and navigated groups to the 20 different job locations.

"It's not just about the work that we are doing, we're also getting a chance to meet and talk to people in the community and have an impact on their lives," said Brumley.

This is the second time NSU students have participated in The Big Event. The annual community-service project is organized by NSU's Herb Rozell Scholars.