Monday at 10 p.m., students waited in anticipation to find out what service opportunities would be offered this spring break. Through Project Serve, teams of students travel to locations throughout the United States and Latin America during spring break to minister and serve.
A packed room 125 played host to a party filled with ice cream sandwiches and a musical number from “Space Jam,” all with the purpose of revealing information about “Project 2% Serve,” with special emphasis on how the week of Project Serve only makes up 2 percent of a student’s year.
“It’s 2 percent that will really change the rest of the year,” said senior Christine Liewald, Project Serve Coordinator.
With so many Project Serve programs being offered, some of the older programs are taking a break this year. The Waco, Texas, program was one of the three programs that were dropped to cycle in new programs.
“There’s no student interest,” Liewald said. “We’re really emphasizing passion over interest this year.”
In addition to the Waco program, the Panama and Chicago programs were also cycled out. This made room for programs that deal with things like HIV/AIDS clinics in Washington D.C. area, rebuilding tornado-ravaged areas of Missouri and Alabama and environmental preservation in Puerto Rico.
“Bring in a little new, give some a couple of rests,” said senior Jack Murphy, Project Serve coordinator about the addition of the newer programs.
In addition to the typical Project Serve programs, students have the opportunity to be a part of two other programs. Project LEAD and Project E(X) will run parallel to Project Serve this spring.
Project LEAD focuses on leadership and the application of leadership principals. Students who participate in this program will have the opportunity to conduct leadership workshops at local schools, and host small-group meetings with prominent national leaders ranging from business to social activism. The entire trip is student led.
On the other hand, Project E(X) provides students with an externship by exposing them to work experience at the workplace of a Pepperdine alumnus. The program is designed to provide students with informational interviews and two to three days of job shadowing.
Liewald said that students will gain valuable experience regardless of which program they choose.
“Out of everything I’ve done at Pepperdine, this has been the most amazing experience,” Liewald said. “And I’m so blessed to do it.”
Team leader applications for the three programs are due Oct. 3 and team member applications are due Oct. 7. For more information, students can visit www.pepperdine.edu/volunteercenter.
