Since 2010, every spring, Dakota Wesleyan University dedicates one full day for community service projects. The day known as “The Great Wesleyan Giveback” pays tribute to DWU’s motto: sacrifice or service.
This year, however, will be different. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Wesleyan Giveback will, for the first time in its history, be an online initiative.
This year, DWU is combining the Great Wesleyan Giveback Day and “A Day for Wesleyan,” an annual event designed to raise funds for the Wesleyan Scholarship Fund, into a two-day, online initiative – DWU Cares – Tuesday and Wednesday, April 28-29, 2020.
“This year, DWU Cares provides an opportunity for the entire DWU family to truly have a global impact. This event demonstrates how, despite all the uncertainty in the world right now, the compassion and strength of DWU’s servant leaders is never in doubt,” said DWU senior, Ryan Chase.
Chase was pivotal in spearheading efforts to continue the service tradition.
DWU Cares will allow every person to make an impact however they see fit. It could be writing encouraging notes to friends or members of the community, using your musical talents to lift others up through song, clean-up at a local park or making a gift to the Wesleyan Scholarship Fund to propel future generations of Tigers.
Students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends of the university are welcome and encouraged to post their remote service project on social media platforms and tag DWU, using the hashtag #DWUcares.
“Our student leadership truly inspired this revised event this year,” said DWU President, Amy Novak. “Even though we are not all on campus, our students rallied to honor our university’s commitment to service. For 135 years, service has been at the heart of the DWU educational experience and despite the challenging circumstances, we see this as an opportunity to continue to embrace this mission with outreach from our students across the U.S. and world,” she said.
In the face of adversity, DWU remains committed to living out its mission to give back through genuine service. Resources and options may be limited, but the spirit of Wesleyan remains the same.
Source: Dakota Wesleyan University