For the past three years, the Center for Community Engaged Leadership, Learning, and Research (CCELLR) has been working on a project called the Kindness Campaign. The Kindness Campaign originated in 2020, with the local Evangelical Hospital speaking with Susquehanna Valley regional United Way about starting a positive youth kindness campaign, which they would fund. That year, the campaign lasted for a week with its biggest highlights being at a Bucknell men’s basketball game, where the campaign was shared with the community, merch was given out, and really the core of this campaign was started.
Stacey Piecuch, the Assistant Director for Community Engaged Leadership at Bucknell, works within the CCELLR to help continue to support this campaign. This year, the campaign ran from February through spring break (March 7), with the key focus on community and highlighting people throughout both the Bucknell and local communities. The main goal of the campaign is to “further the idea of a community, positivity, empathy, and compassion… also focusing on the outside community trying to encourage people to step off campus or to learn more about the local communities that need support” (Stacey Pecuch).
Some students participated in this event by doing random acts of kindness with the “Tag your it” kindness cards, fraternities like Sigma Phi Epsilon helped move furniture at the DIG Furniture bank, Sigma Alpha Epsilon volunteered at Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Bucknell acapella groups having a concert to raise proceeds for Transitions of PA, and appreciation cards for faculty and dining services!
There are plenty of ways for students to get involved or to stay involved with the community. Things such as donation drives, food programs, or in-person service are great ways to connect and stay engaged. The CCE has a platform called Engaged Bucknell, where they can find different service events both within walking or driving distance. Some of the events include food drives, hygiene drives, the downtown Union County clothing closet, downtown community theater, before/after school program, and more with the over 100 community partners that Bucknell has!
One unique program that Bucknell offers is the federal community service work study program. If students are eligible for work study, they can connect with the CCELLR (Becky Rice) to get set up with a community partner that needs the help. These jobs can be both in-person or even remote, which makes it a really great opportunity for students!
Lastly, the CCELLR wants to make it clear that, “we are not asking only to be kind for this [kindness campaign], but also year around” (Stacey Piecuch). Their goal is to always promote kindness and service to help students stay engaged on campus, while offering the guidance to be able to do so.
If you have any questions or want to be more engaged, reach out to the CCELLR through Stacey Piecuch (sjp022@bucknell.edu) or Becky Rice (rmw012@bucknell.edu).