Our mission at Southwestern Adventist University is to inspire knowledge, faith, and service through Christ-centered education. Last week, our mission of inspiring students to service was expressed through Ignite Service Day, a campus-wide event that provides further opportunities for students to come together to serve the local community. 

Founded in 2018 by Samson Seremba, a student at the time, Ignite Service Day was meant to create opportunities for SWAU students to serve their local community. Since then, Service Day has become an event, with more than 310 students supporting dozens of organizations across Johnson and Tarrant counties in Texas each year. 

Some of those organizations that are supported by our students include Meals on Wheels, Christmas in Action, Operation Blessing, and Feed My People. Students are also able to support the local Keene community in various projects, such as painting the fire hydrants, maintaining SWAU’s hiking and biking trail, and even engaging with residents at the Community Living Concepts facility. Although those are a few examples, there are over 25 different projects that students and faculty members can participate in during Service Day.

Susan Grady, the lead coordinator for Ignite Service, is responsible for organizing and overseeing the day – from selecting the projects and running registration to all the details that make the day work.

“I get plenty of assistance from the Ignite Service Committee, SLAD student workers, and faculty group leaders,” she says.

“I would love to serve on a project, but because of my role, I need to stay behind to monitor the day’s activities, so my favorite part is seeing the positive impact the day had on the students upon their return.”

One of those students who felt a positive impact from Service Day was Jason Garcia. Garcia, a member of the men’s basketball team, says he was tasked with doing maintenance along the SWAU hiking trail. 

“I didn't realize how unkempt the grass was on the trail until we got out there,” he said, “But it made me happy to know that there are people who run or walk on this trail every day, who will come back here after today and be able to hike comfortably.”

Dorie Cruz, a counselor here at SWAU, was also grateful for the experience she had participating in Service Day. She was a part of the Operation Blessing project, a food bank in Cleburne.

“The people at Operation Blessing were so thankful for our help,” said Mrs. Cruz, “I love that they ask all their clients if they know Jesus and pray with them.”

Pastor Kent Rufo, assistant chaplain of SLAD, also helps in organizing the event as well as participates in the projects. He says that through events like Service Day, he hopes that students serve people for the rest of their lives. 

“We cancel classes for an entire day just to do service in our community. The reason we do this is because we want to inspire our students to have a heart of service that extends beyond graduation.”

A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Susan Grady and the Service Day Committee, SLAD, and all of the students, faculty, and staff who made this special day possible. Although Service Day is one day out of the school year, we want to encourage everyone to participate in service projects all year long, and as Mrs. Grady says, thus experiencing the many blessings that come from being the hands and feet of Jesus while also making a difference in the community.

View the Ignite Service Day photo album here https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBKYfM