Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) demonstrated its commitment to community engagement and spiritual growth through its annualIgnite Service Day, held on October 1. This full-day event brought together 335 students, faculty, and staff in a united effort to serve the community through 35 projects in the Johnson and Tarrant counties.

The participants gathered in the Leiske-Pultar Gymnasium where they started their day with worship and orientation, then went off to their different service opportunities. Volunteers participated in a wide range of projects, including partnerships with organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Feed My People, Community Living Concepts of Keene, Christmas in Action, Operation Blessing, Fort Worth Nature Center, Children’s Advocacy Center, and the Texas Children’s Museum. Different groups around campus were also able to use their skills in service: our music department performed at four different senior living centers before volunteering at the Tarrant County Food Bank and JN Long Cultural Center, the sports teams conducted sports clinics at North Dallas Adventist Academy, our computer science students provided technical support to local schools, and our nursing students volunteered at Mercy Clinic and assisted at a flu clinic at Cook Children’s Hospital.

Ignite Service Day was first launched in 2018 by students who envisioned a campus-wide pause from classes to focus on serving others. What began as a half-day initiative has grown into a full-day movement, with over 300 participants annually. An Ignite Service Committee, led by Susan Grady, was established in 2024 to expand the service day beyond just a single day. SWAU now hosts more than 10 projects throughout the year, in addition to those implemented for the Ignite Service Day.

This event is now a cornerstone of SWAU’s mission to inspire knowledge, faith, and service. Student leaders, like Timothy Eapen and Joya Mitchell, continue to champion service initiatives and encourage their peers to reflect Christ’s character through acts of kindness and compassion. With students like these, and the support from the committee and Mrs. Grady’s leadership, this service day will continue to grow, and the campus will continue to better serve its communities.