August 2005

CAMPUS NEWS

Freshmen Volunteer More Than 10,000 Community Service Hours Before Starting Classes

2005 Freshman Service Experience coordinators

Before they begin classes next week, more than 500 AU freshmen will have contributed more than 10,000 hours of community service at 46 different sites around the Washington, D.C. area - rebuilding homes, preparing meals, cleaning parks, and working with children and the disabled.

Some of the sites and projects students worked on include:

• Wilson High School in Tenleytown; students will be making a garden
• Hart Middle School in SE; students will be preparing the school grounds/classrooms
• Sarah's Circle; students will help the elderly with craft projects and a BBQ
• Goodwill Car Wash in Arlington, Va. on Columbia Pike

Since 1991, the Freshman Service Experience (FSE) has been a tradition that celebrates the spirit of service at AU. More than 3,600 students have participated, working to turn ideas into action and action into service.

FSE is a four-day program built on community service, academic changes, leadership development, and orientation to AU and Washington, D.C. During the day, student-led volunteer groups work at more than 50 different nonprofit work sites throughout the city. In the evenings, participants meet with faculty, alumni, deans, community leaders, and policy makers to discuss how the work they have done in the community relates to the academic challenges that lie ahead.

AU takes pride in being a private university with a public responsibility and emphasizes making use of Washington's varied resources. FSE introduces first-year students to this tradition. Not only do freshman gain firsthand experience in addressing real community problems, but they also get to know the campus and the city's metro system.

For more information on this year’s Freshman Service Experience, go to: www.american.edu/ocl/volunteer/fse/fsenews.html

Back to newsletter