Concordia students lend helping hand to community organizations

Students at Concordia recently worked with local social and civic organizations in Seward and Lincoln as part of Dr. Kathy Miller’s Social Problems course.

According to Miller, professor of sociology, the service learning course is designed to help students better understand community needs and acquire the skills for solving community problems. Miller also hopes the experiences will create an appetite for service among students.

“I hope it gets them excited to see the difference they can make and encourage them to do this again,” Miller said.

The class was divided into five teams, with each team partnering with a community group, setting goals, and working out a plan of action.

Several students participated in a Clean Closets Clothing Drive for the People’s City Mission in Lincoln, Neb.  The team placed collection bins around campus and other locations in Seward and collected 2,083 pounds of gently used clothing and bedding to donate to the Mission.

“You should never underestimate what a small group can do,” said senior Ryan Fiero. “I never dreamed we would get such a huge response from people. It’s incredible what people will do if you just ask them to help.”

A student team partnered with Blue Valley Community Action to collect personal hygiene products. The group held a concert and collection event at JD’s Coffee Shop in Seward, and put together a resource binder for Blue Valley that included ways to collect more hygiene products in the future.

A third team of students worked with Bridges to Hope, an organization based in Lincoln, Neb., that assists former correctional facility inmates to transition back into society. The group created a presentation for the organization to use, held collections at two local churches and put together a resource binder to help Bridges to Hope raise awareness.

Seward Foodnet, an organization that salvages surplus food and redistributes it to those in need, also received help from a team of students. The team focused its attention on helping Foodnet acquire more nutritious foods and on gaining publicity for the organization by creating a website, www.sewardfoodnet.weebly.com. The team’s efforts raised money to buy approximately 100 gallons of milk for community members relying on Foodnet.

Another student team helped expand the recycling program on Concordia’s campus. The students worked with the university’s buildings and grounds department, Student Senate and the student life office to place more recycling containers in and around dorms and other campus buildings. Two students from the group looked into composting options on campus, and the group launched a poster campaign to raise awareness about the benefits and ease of recycling.

According to senior Travis Ferguson, who participated in the Bridges to Hope project, working directly with the community taught him that most social problems have solutions.

“That solution is us. If we want to see a change in this world, we have to be a change. What a great message that is to us as humans and to us as Christians.”

Students in the class include:

Travis Ferguson, Senior, Lincoln, Neb

Ryan Fiero, Senior, Austin, Texas

Andrew Fugett, Senior, Beatrice, Neb.

Chelsea Haack, Sophomore, Columbus, Neb.

Angela Harstad, Senior, Saint Charles, Minn.

Mallory Hicks, Senior, Aurora, Colo.

Jillian Janousek, Junior, Clarkson, Neb.

Andrew Keseman, Senior, Freeburg, Ill.

Amy McDaniel, Sophomore, Cypress, Calif.

Melissa McIntosh, Sophomore, Raymond, Neb.

Daniel Miller, Senior, West Point, Neb.

Katrina Muther, Sophomore, Rockford, Ill.

Jami Nekoliczak, Sophomore, Greeley, Neb.

Raegan Nelson, Sophomore, Deshler, Neb.

Bethany Osberg, Senior, Norfolk, Neb.

Zach Pilfold, Junior, Seward, Neb.

Tai Pleasant, Junior, Seward, Neb.

Brandon Rehm, Junior, Perham, Minn.

Maria Sasieta, Freshman, Carrollton, Ill.

Wendy Scharp, Senior, Lincoln, Neb.

Paul Schmidt, Senior, Alta, Iowa

Jordan Schultz, Senior, Beemer, Neb.

Nick Sheppard, Junior, Engelwood, Colo.

Colin Spilker, Junior, Beatrice, Neb.

Brennan Talcott, Sophomore, Phoenix, Ariz.

Will Vann, Senior, Castle Rock, Colo.

Aaron Walker, Sophomore, Eads, Tenn.

Serena Weber, Senior, Sioux City, Iowa

Daniel Wilkerson, Sophomore, Santa Fe, Texas