Hundreds of students will unite Saturday for a day of community service at MSU’s third Bulldog Benefit.
Traditionally, volunteers have included members of student organizations on campus, but all students are encouraged to participate, Bulldog Benefit director Lauren Denham said.
“So far, students from a range of organizations such as the Spanish Club, Residence Hall Association and Greek organizations have signed up, but any one is welcome to register on Saturday,” Denham said.
Denham said students will receive a map of their organization’s designated project site as well as instructions from a team leader assigned to their project.
“Each site has an instructor to oversee the project and to provide drinks and snacks donated by local businesses,” Denham said.
Nearly 400 students turned out for the event last year and participated in a variety of projects including painting, school cleanup, landscaping and community trash pick-up, former Bulldog Benefit coordinator Holli Hitt said.
“The basic premise was to match student volunteers with needs in the community,” Hitt said. “The project builds a sense of community between the city and campus.”
The event, modeled after a program at Texas A&M University, was designed to start with a strong student base of support and grow within the community, Hitt said.
“Hopefully, as it grows, people will become more willing to participate, and it will become a household name,” she said.
Student Association President Adam Telle said he and other SA members visited Texas A&M last fall and saw the program’s potential.
“The Student Association and student organizations ask so much from the city,” Telle said. “We can only ask as much as we’re willing to give back. It’s fun, and it’s a positive way for students to get out and get noticed.”
Denham said that the event is becoming more recognized and will include more student organizations this year.
“Bulldog Benefit has definitely grown,” Denham said. “The event now has its own position on the SA, and organizations that were not involved last year are participating this year.”
Although the program’s volunteers have primarily included students, the event could grow to include members of the community too, Denham said.
“I would like to see it eventually become an event in which the campus and city come together for a day of service-a time that is designated every spring, a tradition,” she said.
Denham said the relationship between the city and campus is one of the many reasons why individuals should participate in the event.
“Unfortunately, I think a lot of citizens have a negative perception of students whether it be as partiers or individuals who are just here for four years,” she said. “Bulldog Benefit allows students to be visible in a positive way.”
The event gives students chances to provide services that individuals or organizations in need cannot perform. Since Bulldog Benefit is free, those groups will not have to worry about a financial burden.
“Although the idea of community service may not sound appealing to a lot of students, it’s an amazing feeling when you stop and realize that you’re doing something for other people,” Denham said. “As a student, it just makes you feel good to know that you got up early on a Saturday to help someone you don’t even know.”
Like most universities, MSU participates in several community service projects throughout the year, but this project offers something unique, Denham said.
“Bulldog Benefit is one of the things that sets MSU apart,” she said. “This project is hands-on, and it requires students to be physical and get dirty. All community service is important, such as raising money for a cause, but this is different.”
Bulldog Benefit will begin with registration on the Drill Field at 8:30 a.m. and will end at 1:30 p.m.