UT Dallas Viva Volunteer 2014

Monalisa Amidar (top), assistant director of the Office of Student Volunteerism, and student worker Aakriti Gupta prepared for Viva Volunteer, the largest service day of the year.

More than 400 UT Dallas students gave up a recent Saturday morning to make a difference in the community.

Some planted 27 trees on campus — and named them. Others sorted 710 canned items donated at an area food pantry. Still others assembled 500 activity books and snack kits for foster children.

UT Dallas students were making life easier for staff and volunteers at 24 area nonprofit agencies during Viva Volunteer, held annually in conjunction with the national Make a Difference Day.

Gathering at 5:30 a.m. on Oct. 25, students piled on buses at the University and headed out to tackle projects across the community as well as on campus. They provided a total of 2,045 volunteer hours, giving agencies nearly $48,000 of service that day.   

UT Dallas Volunteers

UT Dallas students Maiqui Jimena (left) and Karen Beserra cleaned towels and pet bedding at the Plano Animal Shelter as part of Viva Volunteer. Jimena, a chemistry junior from the Philippines, volunteered to be the site leader for the team of six.

“Many of our Viva Volunteer participants were inspired and excited about their volunteer time as well as about making new Comet friends, and gaining new knowledge and skills,” said Monalisa Amidar, assistant director of the Office of Student Volunteerism.

“Many agencies are eager to have UT Dallas volunteers return. Connecting one another in doing the most good is one of the best parts of my job,” Amidar said.

Maiqui Jimena, a chemistry junior from the Philippines, volunteered to be a site leader for a team of six at the Plano Animal Shelter. Her team laundered pet bedding, washed windows and cleaned dog dishes.

“They didn’t even take breaks,” Jimena said. “I think it sets a good example. We see the needs and it plants the thought in our mind that maybe I can do something. Maybe I can be the person to give that help.”

UT Dallas Volunteers

Members of UT Dallas’ African Student Union volunteer at the Genesis Children’s Theatre in Plano.

One staff member at the shelter told Jimena’s group at the end of the day, “You might not know this, but you really made a difference. You did things we can’t get to, and you let us take care of the animals.”

Chris McAlpine, assistant director for Recreational Sports, led a team of students that helped clear a path for new park trails with Groundwork Dallas.

“We chopped bamboo and pulled stumps for three hours,” McAlpine said. “There’ll be soreness on Sunday, for sure.”

Some students who participate in Viva Volunteer end up volunteering on a regular basis with their agencies. Others go on to do a weeklong project during spring break.

Jimena said she would participate again in Viva Volunteer.

“I made a self-commitment early in the semester to do some community service, and I heard this was fun. It was fun. I will be doing it again,” she said.

The Office of Student Volunteerism will organize activities associated with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which begins Monday. The 2015 Alternative Spring Break trip information and registration is available on the office’s website.