Students and staff at Aurora University joined forces with the community and beyond during the second annual Day of Generosity event that included a 24-hour window from Wednesday to Thursday evening where supporters made financial donations along with campus activities designed to promote positivity and giving back to others.
According to university officials, last year’s inaugural effort raised $135,000 from 368 donors.
A year ago, student efforts directed toward the local community included 42 blankets that were made for World Relief and the Oaken Acres Wildlife Center, 500 decorated lunch bags donated to Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora that included notes of encouragement from students and 100 hand-crafted cards and 50 felt and planted flowers that were delivered to the Fox Knoll Village senior living center in Aurora.
Once again, students were asked to stop by the lobby of the Crimi Auditorium Institute for Collaboration, 1347 Prairie St., where “campus community members were encouraged to share notes of encouragement, generosity and appreciation” by producing a community canvas.
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Aurora University Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement Jonathan Jensen said that students began signing the canvas earlier in the week following a kick-off breakfast for the event.
“There was a really nice showing of students signing our community canvas with words about what generosity means to them. That show of participation was encouraging on day one,” he said. “We’ve extended the time this year to allow participation with various groups including commuter students. Having events throughout the week and up to the day of giving, it provides opportunities to engage, participate and showcase ways that reflect on our shared service and purpose at the institution and that builds enthusiasm for the event itself.”
Students left messages reflecting positivity on the community canvas Wednesday including sophomore Andy Munjoy of Decatur, who said that a year ago “this was a great event on campus, especially for incoming freshmen to just get more connected with the people that work here.”
“To me, this is a positive thing. I mean, it helps people to get to know others better and college is kind of awkward sometimes meeting new people, so it’s great to just connect with others,” he said.
Karen Lopez, a freshman from Aurora, called the idea behind the event and the culture it is attempting to create “so sweet.”
“Yesterday, I came in and read a couple of these messages on the board and it was so inspiring to see here – people giving their thoughts and it’s so inspiring and sweet to see there are other students out there too that have these thoughts,” Lopez said. “It’s great to send positivity out there.”
Keilana Schmidt, a sophomore from Windsor, Colorado, recalled last year’s Day of Generosity event and said she “drew Snoopy on the message board last time.”
“To me, I thought Snoopy would draw attention to my little comment and I wished people good luck on their exams and stuff,” she said. “As far as my message this time, I haven’t decided yet, but this enhances the culture here by spreading positivity where it’s feels necessary or there’s not enough. There’s never too much of it.”
On the service side of things, Cristina Fialek, a freshman from Downers Grove, was working with staff member Ashley Hacker, director of marketing and design for student success, who together were cutting and tying blankets for a Day of Generosity project.
“They talked about the Day of Generosity in my classes and we’ve also been given emails about it so that’s kind of where I learned about it,” Fialek said. “I’ve been wanting to give back. I’m a Christian and after Lent, we focus on the idea of alms-giving and giving back to the community in the ways we can so this was a way I could do that.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.