MLK Day of Service brings out the best in students, members of campus community

It was 31 years ago when the United States Congress designated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a National Day of Service, sounding the call to create change through service. 

���鵺��̳ answered the call, and for the past 21 years has offered the campus community opportunities to give back and honor the life and legacy of the Civil Rights icon.

Organized through the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ), this year’s MLK Day of Service took place Saturday, Jan. 25. 

The event is a great way to invite students to get involved, said Jen Thibodeau, MRISJ director of programs.

“By offering one-time opportunities like the MLK Day of Service, we give students convenient ways to engage in community service,” she said. “Service can be beneficial in so many ways. Students develop empathy, expand their comfort zones, and learn new skills that they can apply in different aspects of their lives.”

Volunteers signed up to work at one of the six off-site or on-campus events. The service projects were identified by the community organizations MRISJ works with to ensure the help is needed and truly benefits the organization, Thibodeau said. 

The first of the projects took place in Pembroke, where volunteers packaged meals with the Outreach Program End Hunger New England for people facing food insecurity.

Volunteers also traveled to Acushnet to work with Gifts to Give and processed donations to create gift packages for local children living in poverty. 

Meanwhile in Attleboro, at the Old Colony Habitat for Humanity, volunteers assisted with the organization of donated items and a general inventory.

Kimbery Thomas, ’93, Old Colony’s CEO/executive director, was excited for the collaboration with her alma mater.

“We appreciate the support and are grateful for the help from ���鵺��̳,” Thomas said. “As a small non-profit we really value the time that people are willing to give us.” 

Back on campus, volunteers worked with Project Pack to assemble Post Assault Comfort Kits for survivors of sexual assault. Project Pack was started by ���鵺��̳ alumna Tamara Dzialo, ’02 (see story here). 

Also on campus was the opportunity to work with School on Wheels. Volunteers created fleece tie blankets for the organization’s winter warm & wellness bags that are distributed locally. 

A new partnership with the National Marrow Donor, the Be the Match program created a new on-campus opportunity this year. Volunteers helped to assemble and label cheek-swab kits used for the bone marrow donation registry. 

What impresses Thibodeau most about the Day of Service is the way Martin Luther King Jr. continues to impact generations of young people.

“He inspired, persisted and ultimately brought about positive social change. I see these traits in our students, and I continue to be inspired by their persistence and desire to fight the complex injustices that surround us,” she said. 

 Do you have a ���鵺��̳ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu

By offering one-time opportunities like the MLK Day of Service, we give students convenient ways to engage in community service. Service can be beneficial in so many ways. Students develop empathy, expand their comfort zones, and learn new skills that they can apply in different aspects of their lives.

���鵺��̳ students volunteer to feed the hungry

As the new semester begins, ���鵺��̳ students have learned to adjust to new schedules, classes and finding their social circles, some have even discovered opportunities where they can help others in need. 

 On Saturday, September 7 over 30 ���鵺��̳ volunteers traveled to Pembroke to pack 13,000 meals for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Southeast Massachusetts. 

“This event offers students a way to connect to one another early on in the academic year before it gets too busy and helps connect them to the region,” said Laura Mulvey, assistant director of outreach and engagement at the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ). 

The kickoff service event was held in conjunction with the 9/11 Day of Service & Remembrance.  It is the sixth year ���鵺��̳ has participated in the national program.

Senior criminal justice major Jemima Saint Leger volunteered at last year’s event and was so inspired, opted to participate again this year. 

“It was such a good experience, all of us helping, talking and working together...it felt very powerful,” she said. 

Saint Leger said, all of the volunteers came from different disciplines and backgrounds and likes that ���鵺��̳ offers this opportunity so early on in the school year. 

“I feel it’s a way, especially for freshman or those who have never participated in something like this, to connect to ���鵺��̳ and with other students,” she said. “It’s very rewarding working with others who also enjoy doing community service, and it’s great the school supports these types of efforts.”

To pack and distribute the meals to local organizations, MRISJ partners with the Outreach Program. 

According to Mulvey, ���鵺��̳ is one of 426 campuses that the Outreach Program partners with. 

The group keeps a friendly running total, highlighting the schools who pack the most meals and this year ���鵺��̳ is ranked 13^th for having packed a total of 119,394 meals since first joining the program. 

This year’s meals consisted of flavored oatmeal, minestrone soup, pasta with tomato basil sauce, cheesy rice, Spanish rice and macaroni and cheese. The 13,000 meals ���鵺��̳ put together were then donated to, My Brother’s Keeper, Old Colony Y, Family Pantry, Damien’s Place Food Pantry and Brockton Interfaith Community. 

Mulvey encourages students to be on the lookout for other MRISJ sponsored service project opportunities, including the upcoming  scheduled for Sept. 28.

“It’s important for students to get involved with these types of events because it creates community and opens doors for them to learn about other ways they can be actively involved in issues they care about on campus and within their local community,” Mulvey said. 

Do you have a ���鵺��̳ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu 

It was such a good experience, all of us helping, talking and working together...it felt very powerful.

Students give back during alternative spring break trips

Instead of heading to the beach over spring break, a select group of ���鵺��̳ students devoted time to making a difference.

Every year, the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ) offers an alternative spring break program that gives students the opportunity to gain knowledge through civic engagement, direct service, and critical reflection.  

“It’s a fun way to spend spring break. Instead of going on an expensive or unsafe trip, you can do something that will further your personal growth and connect you to the Bridgewater community and beyond,” said student co-leader Maggie Kalstein, ’24.

Three different trips were offered this year, the Coalition for Social Justice in Southeastern Massachusetts; The Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation in Selma, Alabama; and the Steinbruck Center at Luther Place in Washington, DC. 

“Coming out of this experience, I learned a lot,” said Keneen Maisonneuve, ’25, who served as a student team co-leader on the Selma trip. “It helped me have a better understanding of who I am, the type of person I am, and will help shape what type of career I want to have.”

Eight students led by Learning Partners Diane Bell, vice president of Outreach and Engagement, Michael Sandy, director of Study Abroad at the Minnock Institute for Global Engagement, and Margaret Lowe, history professor traveled to Selma where they collaborated with the Selma Center for Nonviolence. 

This was the first time ���鵺��̳ has offered an alternative spring break trip to Selma, which is best known as the home of the brutal March 7, 1965, “Bloody Sunday” beatings on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, during the first march for voting rights. Selma is home to many Civil Rights sites.

Students worked with volunteers from the center at a local farm that provides fresh produce to area locals and serves as an educational tool teaching planting, cooking, and sustainability skills. 

According to Lowe, the group also visited The National Memorial for Peace and Justice Museum, dedicated to the victims of racial terror lynchings as well as The Legacy Museum, that provided first-person historical accounts and interactive content covering topics like enslavement and racial terrorism. 

“It was a lot to process for our students, the exhibits were really moving,” Lowe said. 

The overall experience was so impactful, that Keneen signed up to be a Selma Center Ambassador. 

“Now that I’m back home, I continue to use my voice to spread awareness of the work they are doing in Selma,” she said. “I felt such a strong sense of belonging and community there and want to help Selma get to where it wants to go.”

Bringing the knowledge gained back to ���鵺��̳ is important, said Genesis Guerroro, ’24, a social work major who was a student co-leader on the Washington DC trip.  Anthropology professor Simone Poliandri and Victoria Field, assistant director of the Center for Student Engagement, served as learning partners. 

“All experiences are focused on service and reflection,” Genesis said. “We aren’t just going somewhere for a week and then we’re done. We reflect on the root causes...what can we bring back to the Bridgewater community or communities? What can we do with what we learned?”

The Washington DC group concentrated on food insecurity and homelessness and spent a week working with the Steinbruck Center. They volunteered at a domestic violence shelter for women, and nonprofit groups DC Central Kitchen and Bread for the City. 

“We went to DC to really just learn and educate ourselves. We didn’t want to go down and do the work and that was it,” said student co-leader and psychology major Summa Slater, ’25. “These opportunities really fuel the passion in my heart for the work I want to be doing.”

Locally, Maggie Kalstein and Sophia Quish, ’27, led a group in the local alternative break program with the Coalition for Social Justice (CSJ) Education Fund. 

Through the CSJ, students took a trip to the State House where they met with members of the state legislature and had the opportunity to share issues important to them. They also visited Norton High School to discuss civic engagement with youth and participated in activism art. 

“We talk a lot about social justice and wanting to make a difference, but it’s often an abstract thought,” Maggie said. “The alternative break program really does show you that it’s not just a possibility, but pretty easy to reach out to legislators.” 

Applications for the Spring 2025 alternative spring break program will open in early fall 2024. MRISJ Director of Programs Jennifer Thibodeau encourages interested students to check out the MRISJ website and social media accounts (Instagram: @bsumrisj, X: @bsumrisj, Facebook: ).

Do you have a ���鵺��̳ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu 

We aren't just going somewhere for a week and then we're done. We reflect on the root causes...what can we bring back to the Bridgewater community or communities? What can we do with what we learned?

 

 

 

When ���鵺��̳ hosted its inaugural MLK Day of Service in 2004, Vinda Butler, ’08, was one of the first students to participate, now, 20 years later, the alumna returned to ���鵺��̳ to once again volunteer at the annual event, this time with her 12-year-old daughter Anaiya.  

“Although ���鵺��̳ was a place where I came to pursue my education, I immediately saw that community service was a staple on campus and it fueled my desire to help others,” she said. “Volunteering as a student allowed me to explore my interest and passion while making a positive impact in the community.” 

Today Butler has carved out a career working in advocacy and currently serves as a community outreach manager for the Peabody Companies, assisting with elder care. 

Over the years, Butler has continued to volunteer for a variety of causes, including serving as president of ���鵺��̳’s Afro-American Alumni Association; she is presently a member of the Bridgewater Alumni Association.  

When she learned ���鵺��̳ was looking for alumni to help with planning this year’s MLK Day of Service, she jumped at the chance.  

“This year’s 20^th annual MLK Day of Service is just as impactful as the very first one I attended because it continues to allow me to honor the legacy of Dr. King while making a difference,” the alumna said. 

Butler, and 130 others, volunteered their time this year to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on Jan. 20.  

Sponsored by the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ), the event allowed volunteers to choose from eight service projects, held both off and on campus. 

While MLK Day is traditionally observed on the third Monday of January, MRISJ hosts it at the beginning of spring semester to make it easier for students to participate when they return to campus.  

This year was the first that MRISJ included alumni.  

“It was great to have alumni help us plan and take on leadership roles, because of their help we were able to really make this event happen in a way we haven’t done in the past,” said Jennifer Thibodeau, MRISJ director of programs.  

Butler and her daughter, Anaiya, signed up to work with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth. Together with other volunteers, they worked on a home renovation.  

“It was great to have ���鵺��̳ alumni like myself able to connect with current students and a greater community,” Butler said. “As a mother, I bring my oldest daughter to instill the value of giving back without wanting anything in return.” 

Junior Summa Slater, a psychology major, also volunteered this year. She opted to work with the Coalition for Social Justice Education Fund in New Bedford where she participated in an “I Have a Dream Storytelling” workshop.  

Slater works at MRISJ as an alternative break team leader. In March, over spring break, she will lead a group of students on a service project in Washington DC. She agrees with Butler as to why volunteering is important.  

“When you volunteer and perform acts of service you gain a sense of community, you get to be part of something by working with others on the same goals,” she said. 

Other organizations that participated in this year’s MLK Day of Service were the End Hunger New England Outreach Program, Father Bill’s & MainSpring, Gifts to Give, the Old Colony YMCA, Project PACK and School on Wheels of Massachusetts.  

Beyond MLK Day of Service, MRISJ offers many different volunteer opportunities throughout the year and Butler encourages students to get involved.  

“Volunteering doesn’t cost a thing,” she said. “Your time is the greatest thing you can give a community. It’s important to remember that one person can make a huge impact.” 

Do you have a ���鵺��̳ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu 

Your time is the greatest thing you can give a community. It’s important to remember that one person can make a huge impact.

Last year when Tyeisha Gilchrist, ‘26, learned she was the first recipient of the Martin Richard Fellow Scholarship, she was excited, it meant her dream of working as a private investigator could become a reality.

Established in 2021 by Bill and Denise Richard (both members of the class of 1993), the Martin Richard Fellow Scholarship fully funds tuition, fees, on campus-housing and a meal plan. Each student selected will receive $100,000 to fund four years at ���鵺��̳.

“This scholarship means I get to live on campus for free and I get the full college experience,” Tyeisha said. “Since being on campus I’ve been able to connect with people and have access to different resources. I’ve been able to get academic counseling and scholarship counseling. All of the layers of support have been helpful.”

Ten years ago when Bill and Denise lost their son Martin, then 8, during the Boston Marathon bombing tragedy, they founded a charity in their son’s name to honor his memory.

The Martin Richard Foundation invests in programs that advance their late son’s values of sportsmanship, inclusion, kindness and peace, programs like the Martin Richard Fellow Scholarship.

“This scholarship transforms lives,” said Ellen Cuttle Oliver, chief development officer of alumni and development. “Awards like this provide students with opportunities they never imagined. It frees them up from worrying about how to pay the bills and allows them to focus on how to change the world.”

To qualify, recipients of the scholarship must be graduates of Dorchester’s Neighborhood House Charter School, where Martin and his siblings attended and where Denise worked as a volunteer librarian.

The scholarship is merit based and provides opportunities for students to deepen their knowledge and commitment to civics and social justice.

In addition to covering all institutional fees, the recipient also becomes a Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ) fellow.

MRISJ Director of Outreach and Engagement Jennifer Thibodeau, along with other members of the ���鵺��̳ community and Neighborhood House Charter School, decide which candidate is most deserving.

“First, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA, or the equivalent, but what we are really looking for are students who are excited and passionate about community service,” Thibodeau said, adding that Tyeisha stood out because of her participation in Outward Bound, where she served in a leadership role.

This past year, as a MRISJ fellow, Tyeisha has performed multiple service projects, including her work with School on Wheels, a local program that provides school supplies and other resources for homeless students.

She has also been involved with other projects through the Old Colony Y in Brockton.

“Giving back is important to me because if you live in a community, you should do all you can to help those who are struggling. I want to help others as best I can, I want to take action, instead of sitting by and doing nothing,” she said.

Watching Tyeisha transition from high school to ���鵺��̳ as she pursues a degree in criminal justice; witnessing her growth as a student, it has been inspiring, Thibodeau said.

“We couldn’t be more thankful that Tyeisha is our first scholar. She is so open, honest and willing to do the work that needs to be done. She is helping us build this and helps us better define what this scholarship will look for in terms of future scholars,” Thibodeau said.

Do you have a ���鵺��̳ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu 

Awards like this provide students with opportunities they never imagined. It frees them up from worrying about how to pay the bills and allows them to focus on how to change the world.

On September 10, members of the ���鵺��̳ community volunteered their time to help pack 25,000 meals for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Southeastern Massachusetts.

The event was part of the 9/11 National Day of Service, which encourages people to transform the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks into a day of doing good deeds and acts of kindness.

Justice fellow and political science major Meredith Beckett, ’23, was happy to volunteer.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to give back and show gratitude for the heroes of 9/11 than to spend a day serving people experiencing food insecurity on an otherwise somber day of remembrance,” Meredith said.

The event was co-sponsored by the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ), Center for Student Engagement, Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services, and Program Council.

“It was a great community builder and gave students a chance to get to know each other and start off on a strong foot,” said Laura Mulvey MRISJ assistant director. “We encourage students to volunteer not only to get involved and give back to their local communities, but also to build connections with their peers to gain a sense of belonging.”

It is the fourth year Bridgewater State has partnered with  on the 9/11 National Day of Service. The organization’s mission is to end hunger across New England.

The meals they donate consist of food items that have a long storage life and are also simple to make and don’t require additional ingredients, like the tomato basil pasta and apple cinnamon oatmeal ���鵺��̳ volunteers packed up on Sept. 10.

The food ���鵺��̳ volunteers put together were distributed to local food pantries, churches, and other organizations, including the Bridgewater Senior Center, Old Colony Y, Massasoit Community College Food Pantry, and Center Square Congregational Church.

“It’s a nice way to help some of our local community partners,” Mulvey said. “What’s also great about this is it always leads to students volunteering again. It inspires service.”

Beyond the 9/11 National Day of Service, students can find ongoing volunteer opportunities on campus, including working in the ���鵺��̳ permaculture garden, or the Schools on Wheels program, operated through the Old Colony Y. For more information on ways to volunteer visit the MRISJ website.

“More ���鵺��̳ students should find ways to get involved in service and volunteerism because it is an integral part of professional growth and development, especially as an undergrad,” Meredith said. “Service and volunteerism aren’t only about giving back. Another huge pillar is self-reflection and an invoking of compassion and understanding for others.”

Do you have a ���鵺��̳ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu 

I couldn’t think of a better way to give back and show gratitude for the heroes of 9/11 than to spend a day serving people experiencing food insecurity on an otherwise somber day of remembrance.