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“Can we come back sometime and do more?” asked Matthew Johnson, senior
chemistry major at Union College while repainting a group home.
Questions like Johnson's echoed across the city as over 900 volunteers
at more than 50 agencies celebrated the 25th anniversary of Project
Impact, Union College's annual community service day. The spirit of
volunteerism that has made the event a success since 1981 continues
throughout the year. Students who want to do more build upon a legacy of
community involvement.

Project Impact primarily serves those who serve the needs of the Lincoln
community by doing the odd jobs that non-profit organizations don't have
the man power to keep up with. “We wouldn't have this many working on a
huge project like that without Project Impact's help,” said Renee Cohen,
volunteer relations coordinator at Goodwill, where students sorted piles
of clothing donated to the organization.

Partner sites included caring for the feet of the homeless at the Matt
Talbot Soup Kitchen, distributing fliers and posters for the Alzheimer's
Association and reading to children at public libraries. Most sites have
less contact with the end recipients of the services. Students and
faculty cleaned, sorted, pulled weeds, mulched flower beds and did
clerical work behind the scenes. These aren't the sort of activities
that give volunteers touching stories of having directly affected
someone's life.

Sometimes the the lack of a touching story is the greatest story of all.
“I don't know what to tell you,” said Tyler Henry, junior exercise
science major at Union College. “I pulled weeds for a few hours, nothing
too special.” Yet Henry, with feet and legs caked in mud, exhausted on a
95 degree day, was ready to do more. According to Justin Okimi,
assistant chaplain, that's what Project Impact is about, serving because
Union College is a part of a community, serving for the sake of being
servants.

This year, students and employees of the college have already done more.
For the 25th anniversary, the activities expanded from a half day to a
full day of work, adding a special urban renewal project in two of
Lincoln's poorest neighborhoods in the afternoon. Groups from Union,
joined by about 120 workers from Lincoln Action Program, painted over
graffiti, picked up litter, weeded and disposed of garbage for residents
of the Clinton and Hartley neighborhoods.

“It was amazing to see so many students stay through the afternoon,”
said Jesse Proctor, senior business administration major and
neighborhood revitalization coordinator, “They went out, finished up
projects and came back looking for more ways to help. Everyone worked
harder and longer than we could have hoped for.”

At supper time, the college provided a barbecue for volunteers and local
residents at Peter Pan Park in north central Lincoln. Later in the
evening, Jose Rojas, director of the Office of Volunteer Ministries for
the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, urged the
students to continue building upon the experience they had during
Project Impact, and shared the role volunteers have played in his life.
Rojas had worked along side Union College volunteers during the day and
said, “I have never felt so proud of a group of students as I did today.”

For more about Project Impact, read the Lincoln Journal-Star's coverage
of the day here
(PDF).

Lincoln—The stairwells of the Everett Dick Building once again
reverberate with the sounds of reunions and students making new
acquaintances. More stations are open in Union Market and the lines are
a bit longer. Across campus, lost-looking new students get pointed in
the right directions. The energy brought by the return of students can
be felt everywhere on campus.

At Union College, school is back in session.

Besides starting classes, the day's events included an academic
convocation with a spiritual twist. Tanya Cochran, assistant professor
of English, delivered a message encouraging students to approach life
with questions rather than preconceived answers and to cultivate an
attitude of wonderment. Cochran shared her own testimony as well as
specific ways students could apply her message. Read an excerpt of her address here (PDF).

Registration will continue until Aug. 25th. The number of students
enrolled cannot be determined until that time; however, preliminary
estimates show an increase over last year.

Lincoln, Neb.—Union College students are known for singing the school
pep song “Slinga de ink” for most of the 115-year history of the school.
But on Aug. 24, you will find almost the entire campus slinging paint or
rakes, shovels, mops and scrub brushes instead. An anticipated 800+
volunteers will start the academic year as they have for 25 years with
Project Impact, an annual community service event. Project Impact is the
longest-running and largest ongoing collegiate volunteer event in the
country. From available research, no campus has a bigger event by
percentage and few have as many volunteers despite 10 to 20 times as
many students to draw from.

In the last quarter-century, some 13,500 Union College students and
employees have shared 90,000 volunteer hours. In recent years, Union has
averaged higher than 80 percent campus participation, which is totally
voluntary. A week into the fall semester, students could be expected to
be more excited about catching up on sleep than waking up early to paint
houses, sort clothes or pull weeds especially if participation isn’t
required. But for Project Impact, attendance is not taken and there are
no incentives other than a free T-shirt, doughnuts and the joy of
helping others.

Heather Dickman, first-year physician assistant student from Savannah,
Tenn., says her motivation to participate in Project Impact has grown
since she was a freshman three years ago. “Through Project Impact, my
eyes were opened to the wide range of volunteer activities available in
Lincoln,” she said. “Project Impact is a great way to start off the
school year. I saw the difference it made in peoples lives and wanted to
make an impact all year long.”

Union College volunteers will serve 50 agencies in the community by
helping with the tasks that the full-time staff has a hard time fitting
into their work such as painting, raking, sorting and deep cleaning.
Project Impact volunteers assist the people who work at organizations
who serve the whole community. In other words, Union College Project
Impact helps the helpers.

Over the decades, local agencies have come to welcome and even depend
upon Project Impact volunteers. Shanna Letcher, volunteer coordinator
for Cedars Youth Service, a Lincoln area childcare and support
organization, looks forward to working with Union College volunteers.
“They’re never negative; they’re always so cheerful. It’s like they
really want to be here.”

“We are excited about service,” says Justin Okimi, a 2006 graduate,
current assistant chaplain at Union College and former student
coordinator of the event. Project Impact is student-led. With more than
80 percent of Union’s student body originating from out of state, the
leaders and participants are serving their adopted community. Okimi says
that he, along with the event leaders, feel privileged to organize the
event details. “By making students really feel like they are part of the
community, Project Impact perpetuates the volunteer process. It makes
students realize, ‘Hey, I’m not just going to college here, I live here.
I’m a part of this community.’”

Rich Carlson, vice president for spiritual life at Union College, has
been the campus chaplain for 25 years, since the first community service
event, which was then called Project BRUSH. Carlson explains why Union,
a Christian, Seventh-day Adventist college, makes time in the academic
calendar for volunteer opportunities. “When Jesus was here on earth, He
went out to where the people were,” Carlson said. “He ministered to
their needs: He healed the sick, fed the hungry, played with the
children—and then He said to those who watched, ‘Follow me.’ To follow
Jesus’ example, we prioritize community service—caring for peoples’
needs—as an integral part of the holistic education process at Union
College.”

Pat Pittman from Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
describes the impact of Union’s service. “These kids work their hearts
out to organize, file, make up packets, clean up the clutter and give us
hope in the younger generation.”

According to Okimi, through this year's 25th Project Impact celebration,
Union College is ready to be a catalyst for other organizations and to
take the volunteer event formula that has worked and translate it to
businesses and other campuses. One part of this celebration is a
partnership with Lincoln Action Program—a private, nonprofit community
action agency. In the afternoon, Union College participants will be
joined by an additional 150 Lincoln Action Program employees for a
revitalization project in the Clinton and Hartley neighborhoods. The
combined volunteer force will clean yards, plant trees and remove litter
and graffiti.

Other special projects include the following:

• Offering Project iCamp, a day of fun games and activities free for
Clinton and Hartley neighborhood kids (9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.).

• Participating in the national Read for the Record initiative by
reading The Little Engine that Could to children at the Lincoln City
Libraries (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.).

• Providing foot care to children at Matt Talbot Kitchen (afternoon).

The layers of Project Impact events on Aug. 24 all point to the same
goal. “It’s about making a difference,” Okimi said. “We take time to
sort food for the hungry and clothes for those in need. We visit the
elderly and play with the children. We help the overworked staff who
serve our community all year long. And why shouldn’t we? We’re here, so
we should care…and we do.”

To learn more, visit the Project
Impact section of the Web site, which includes a
complete list of sites that will be served this year and a
fact sheet (PDF).

LINCOLN—Construction
is completed on a new student housing complex on the campus of Union
College. In May 2005, Lincoln developers Rick Krueger (’74) and Kent
Thompson initiated a collaborative investment project to add
contemporary student housing to campus. Construction on the project
began in November and was completed on time this month.

On Wednesday, Aug. 16, Union College will celebrate the opening of the
Cooper Place located at Cooper Ave. and South 52nd Street. Krueger and
Thompson along with their wives, Valeree Krueger and Sarah Thompson will
be honored for their visionary collaboration with Union. The celebration
will coincide with Union’s welcome back pizza feed sponsored by the
Student Alumni Association. Union students, employees and guests will
have the chance to tour the new facility.

Costing approximately $2 million, the construction project has added
contemporary student residence options to Union College’s campus. The
24-unit apartment-style housing features amenities such as a washer and
dryer in each unit, dishwasher, microwave, computer and cable hookups,
electric furnaces and off-street parking. The new campus housing is
available to students who are at least 22 years of age or students with
senior status or who are 21 and meet academic and citizenship
requirements. About half of the new residents have already moved in.

President Smith described the opportunity this project funding
arrangement created for Union. “Being able to meet a strong existing
need in a creative, timely way is a tremendous blessing that continues
Union’s momentum toward a bright future,” Smith said. “We are grateful
to the Kruegers and Thompsons for setting an example for others who may
catch a vision of what can happen when the college is able to meet some
of its needs without draining institutional resources.”

Project Overview

Cost: approximately $2 million

Timeline: Construction began in November 2005 and was completed on time
in August 2006.

Financing: provided by Lincoln developers Kent Thompson and Rick Krueger

Units: 24 total (unfurnished)

16 one-bedroom, one-bath units (725 square feet)

8 two-bedroom, two-bath units (1,042 square feet)

Amenities:

• Outside entrances for each unit

• Bedroom closets (large walk-in or two single closets to accommodate
married or single occupants)

• Washer and dryer in each unit

• Eat-in kitchen

• Entry closet

• Linen closet in bathroom

• Dishwasher, disposal, microwave

• Computer and cable hookups

• Vinyl, double-hung windows

• Electric furnaces

• Off-street resident parking

LINCOLN—If you can't spend three weeks exploring tropical countries for college credit, venture into the photos of the Union College students who did.

A photograph exhibit gives a remarkable view of the 15 students and three faculty members' journey through Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras this summer, and is on display in Union College's McClelland Art Gallery from Aug. 13–Sept. 10.