Fall 2013 proved to be a semester of service for SABIC Foundation Year students. After completing a volunteerism workshop, students participated in three programs throughout Austin.
In partnership with Keep Austin Beautiful, SABIC students spent one Saturday morning cleaning up the Johnson Creek trail near Lady Bird Lake. After two hours of intensive cleaning students collected 35 bags of trash! It was eye-opening to see the impact this work made in just one day of service.
As an ongoing opportunity throughout the semester, SABIC partnered with Meals on Wheels to deliver lunchtime meals to home-bound older adults and persons with disabilities in two East Austin communities. Each Friday, four students engaged with community members through meal deliveries and lively conversation. Students enjoyed the opportunity to exchange culture, language and friendship in a community very different from the campus experience.
To close out the semester, SABIC participated in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program, sorting and labeling gifts for families in need. Students spent the chilly December afternoon preparing for the upcoming gift distribution, working together to accomplish the goal. Upon arrival there were boxes of overflowing gifts to be organized. After three hours of diligent labor, students had sorted hundreds of gifts to be given to children all over Austin. Leaving the boxes emptied, students were filled with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment at their work.
Serving the community and seeking the good of others, SABIC students had a busy and fun semester. SABIC students truly embodied the motto “What starts here, changes the world.”
