As the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service turns 20 years old this Saturday, The Villanovan has you covered with an in-depth look at the day and what Villanova students should expect from start to finish. While it may be an early start for all who are partaking in the day, all of the people behind it on the Day of Service Committee would agree that it’s certainly a worthwhile one.
For sophomore, junior and senior students, the day is one whose structure you’ll likely be familiar with, but for first-year students, transfer students or returning students that have never before partaken in Day of Service, this will be a new day and one both the University and this year’s committee is a fruitful and uplifting one. This year’s student chair, senior Victoria Diaz, believes that the expected 4500-plus student group leaders and volunteers are doing not just something good in the community, they’re undertaking a responsibility for all Villanovans.
“My mission that I’ve been very much instilling into my committee this year is that as I grew up, my parents raised me that if you’re fortunate enough to help someone else, you do so, no questions asked,” Diaz said. “From my own personal values, I think it’s very important that if you can, you’re willing to help the neighbor next to you.”
First started with the inauguration of University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. back in 2006, 20 years and 20 days of service later, Saturday will double as a celebration of what’s come before and what is still to come.
“[Father Peter] created this community that focuses on helping those in need and we are a community that helps [those surrounding us] because we’re in a position that we’re able to do that,” Diaz said. “I think from him, bringing in those values is very important, that we’re honoring his mission and this aspect of helping those that need help.”
When group leaders and students arrive at Villanova Stadium at around 8 a.m. on Saturday, the former will get a packet containing everything needed for the day – from keys for vans to pens, paper, nametags – and group leaders will meet the volunteers within that group at their service site number at about 8:30 a.m., marked by signs within the stadium.
Meanwhile, a few hours earlier, the committee will begin their Saturday at about 5 a.m. in the happy culmination of a months-long process and particularly this year, a very meaningful one.
“[We’ll] set up the whole stadium, basically organizing all the groups and cones and also all the lunches,” senior Patrick Casale, Marketing and Outreach Co-Director, said. “We have a lot of past alumni from the committee coming to this year’s Day of Service because it’s our 20th anniversary, so we’ll hear from them.”
In addition to the alumni, both Diaz and Father Peter will also say a few words, with the opening ceremony wrapping up at about 9 a.m. From there, group leaders and students will go to their respective vans and buses and off to their service sites for a number of hours until they return to campus for a post-day celebration, befitting the anniversary.
On the topic of service sites and keeping with the 20th anniversary, this year’s committee put an emphasis on the partnership aspect of Day of Service, leading up to the day, the day itself and afterwards to carry on until the next.
“This year specifically, we’ve been really focused on the partnership aspect of our committee,” junior Maddy Scoblick, Service Site Junior Co-Director, said. “We’ve really been focused on showcasing that it’s not just a one-sided interaction with these sites, but a double-sided interaction. [There’s also] going to be an event, post Day of Service, that really hammers in this idea.”
Day of Service also serves as the first real chance for first-year students at Villanova to give back to the surrounding community and the greater Philadelphia area and one that both the University and Committee marks the first of four days across their four years here.
While there are several different ways to get involved in service at Villanova, be it a student organization like Alpha Phi Omega or volunteer work, Day of Service represents the first step towards that and towards representing Villanova in a common cause.
“I hope my new students see Villanova’s core values of Caritas and Unitas in action,” Pat Cregan, Orientation counselor and Day of Service Group Leader, said. “Day of Service is a great introduction to the love and unity that powers the Villanova community. What makes Villanova so special is our shared passion for putting others first [and] I hope Villanovans keep in mind that service does not need to be some grand event. You can serve others in your day to day life by leading with kindness and understanding.”
For other organizations on campus, from fraternities and sororities to student life organizations to club sports, they too will partake in a variety of different service sites, giving their all from the moment they step off the buses to the moment they depart.
“Day of Service embodies what Villanova’s goal as a university is: giving back because we are part of something greater than ourselves,” junior Justin Sebelin, Co-President of Club Pickleball and a Day of Service Group Leader, said. “For Villanova pickleball, the opportunity to share our passion with individuals of all abilities allows us to witness firsthand the joy and inclusivity that pickleball fosters. You can hear about the impact the university students have on Day of Service, but once you are able to volunteer and experience it firsthand, you truly understand the Villanovan outreach into the community and beyond.”
While the day itself may be singular in nature, the work done and impact of each group will last beyond just one day and Villanovans should keep in mind that value, the value that this work is ongoing and that even in a day, a lot of good can be done.
“I hope our group understands the importance of the community we enter,” senior William Johansen, Vice President of Service for Alpha Phi Omega and a Day of Service Group Leader, said. “We should appreciate [the community’s] work, because while we help for one day, our partners [continue] their work throughout the year. This is the importance of Day of Service, to learn, to serve, and to appreciate their commitment to their community and to participate for a day in that work.”
Overall, Diaz hopes that both great, impactful work gets done and that the Villanova volunteers – despite the early wake up and perhaps challenging tasks that lie ahead of them on the day – gain positive experiences from Day of Service, as they’re doing a lot, perhaps even more than they think with seemingly small tasks.
“Just knowing that the site had a great experience, the volunteers had a great experience and we were able again to help the organization further their mission,” Diaz said. “Because a lot of these sites don’t have the financial resources to outsource help. You might be doing a small project for a site and you might not see the full completion of it all. You might not see the full picture but just know, volunteers, you’re helping them fulfill their organization and their needs and just supporting them the best they can.”
