[107] MTSU freshmen pack 2,513 healthy snacks for ‘Day of Service’!

MURFREESBORO — MTSU freshmen paused from their first-year college instruction Friday to give back to the community in a big way.

The Freshmen Day of Service took place from noon to 3 p.m. Friday in the Student Union Ballroom.

MTSU freshmen assembled snack packs to be delivered to local schools to encourage healthy eating among children involved in afterschool programs in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.

Hannah Fox, philanthropic coordinator for MTSU’s Student Government Association, said more than 400 bags had been packed within the first hour of the event. Fox said the goal was 2,017 snack packs because 2017 is the year most of this year’s freshmen will graduate.

They easily surpassed their goal with 2,513 packs.

“I remember my schools had programs like this where we’d give to the community for free, and some people couldn’t afford it, especially where I came from,” said Brandon Fischer, a freshman from Kansas City, Mo.

Each snack pack includes granola bars, crackers and cheese or peanut butter, applesauce cups and a juice box or bottled water.

“The Freshmen Day of Service is a great way for incoming students to immediately live out the True Blue Pledge by being engaged in the life of the Rutherford County community,” said Jackie Victory, director of leadership and service.

Freshmen were invited to volunteer for 20 minutes between classes or for the duration of the event.

“I never think it’s too soon to be engaged and especially be engaged in the local community,” said Meagan Flippin, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, a co-sponsor of the event. “So I think it’s excellent that MTSU has engaged the freshmen early on in being good corporate and volunteer citizens.”

The event was a “Connection Point,” part of a program designed to connect new students with the MTSU community and help them become fully integrated into campus life.

“Students who are involved with campus life tend to perform better academically and are more likely to graduate than those that don't,” states the Connection Point webpage at http://www.mtsu.edu/stuaff/connect/.

The Freshman Day of Service was sponsored by MTSU’s Student Government Association, the Office of Leadership and Service and United Way.

For more information, call 615-898-5812 or go to www.mtsu.edu/leadandserve.

To view a video of the Freshmen Day of Service, go to http://youtu.be/U_vByHB__mg.