First-year students at St. Ambrose University in Davenport work on a project for Habitat for Humanity in Davenport Aug. 20. Beecoming Ambrosian Day sent out about 350 students throughout the community to do service.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — First-year students of St. Ambrose University buzzed around the Quad-City area getting to know their new community and helping with service projects.
Nicky Gant, the university’s service and justice coordinator for campus ministry, said about 350 students, along with 50 staff and upperclassmen volunteers participated in Beecoming Ambrosian Day on Aug. 20.
The service event is part of welcome week, Gant said. “From the beginning of their time at St. Ambrose, we want to encourage all of our new students to understand that a big part of what it means to Be Ambrosian is to care for the common good like our patron, St. Ambrose of Milan, did. St. Ambrose was known for his generosity and open-hearted service to the poor. Beecoming Ambrosian Day is also a great way for our students to more deeply understand and begin to live out our core values of service, wisdom, justice, courage and mercy, which are deeply rooted in our Catholic identity.”
The service factor is highly recommended for all new students because “it can help with their adjustment to life here at St. Ambrose,” Gant said.
In addition to serving the community, Beecoming Ambrosian Day is an opportunity for students to begin to “build relationships with one another because let’s face it: the first week of college is a vulnerable time for first-year students,” she said. “All of our staff and upperclassman students try to support our new bees to facilitate connections with one another to help with their initial adjustment to college. Service work is a natural way create shared memories that are fundamental to building relationships.”
The bees headed out to 19 sites to do a variety of jobs indoors and outdoors.
Hilltop Campus Village, not far from the St. Ambrose campus, was one site for service. Students added colorful paint and designs to crosswalks to keep pedestrians safe.
At Humility Homes and Services Inc., students tidied up gardens and flower beds, moved furniture, sorted donations and restocked the thrift store.
Some other sites included Habitat for Humanity QC, Clothing Center at Minnie’s Maison at Sacred Heart Cathedral and Project Renewal.
