Leadership Through Service
Monthly Service Events for All Students
Community Service Fair – Mid-September
Held in conjunction with the Club Fair, representatives from area human service agencies as well as campus service programs are on hand to talk about their organizations and service opportunities. Students can sign up to volunteer with organizations or simply get more information.
Halloween Event - Late October
Each year close to Halloween, the Humanics in Action Club hosts a fun, family-friendly event called Treat Fest. Local children and their families are invited to campus to trick-or-treat and play games facilitated by student clubs.
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week – Mid-November
The week before Thanksgiving, Springfield College students take part in an effort to bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by people who are hungry and/or without a home. This program is part of National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week, and includes activities such as speakers, art presentations, and making bag lunches that will be donated to a local soup kitchen.
Food and Clothing Drive: Mid-December
Food and clothing are collected at the end of the fall semester as students are packing up for the winter break. The items are donated to the Mary Ann Coughlin Pride Pantry on campus, which is accessible to students and employees experiencing food insecurity.
Random Acts of Kindness Week – Month of February
Springfield College students celebrate National Random Acts of Kindness Month by participating in small, everyday acts of kindness to spread empathy and compassion.
Alternative Break Program: Mid-March
During the March spring break week, groups of students commit their week off to serving others. Small groups of students travel across the country to serve with and learn from other communities. Each trip focuses on specific themes like affordable housing, food insecurity and food justice, and youth development. The groups have been hosted by community churches, YMCAs, and Habitat for Humanity. This program requires an application and some financial commitment.
Earth Day – Late April
Earth Day is a national day promoting awareness and action in safeguarding our planet. Activities vary each year, but usually include involvement in local cleanup efforts in the city of Springfield, speakers, and awareness campaigns.
Student Service Clubs
Alternative Break Club: This club is comprised of students traveling during break times to immerse themselves in service to communities across the country. Club members must complete an interest form to join this group and must plan on participating in one of the break-time trips.
Best Buddies: Best Buddies is an international organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Best Buddies Chapter at Springfield College provides an opportunity for college students to be paired with a buddy to create a meaningful friendship and improve communication, advocacy skills, and leadership skills. The buddy pairs meet both on campus and in the community as a group with all club members.
Food Recovery Network: The Food Recovery Network is a student-led movement mobilized against hunger and food waste in the United States. The chapter at Springfield College meets minimally once a week to recover perishable food from the dining hall that would normally go to waste. The students package the food for distribution through the College’s food pantry, called the Mary Ann Coughlin Pride Pantry, and through a local organization addressing food insecurity in the surrounding community.
Habitat for Humanity: Habitat for Humanity is an international organization working to help build and improve homes for families of low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds. The Springfield College chapter assists with local building projects and fundraising opportunities for the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.
Humanics in Action (HIA) Club: This is Springfield College’s primary student service club. The HIA club coordinates and facilitates many of the annual community service events as well as an ongoing series of service projects, many of which take place on campus to benefit the surrounding community.
