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by Anna Wagner -
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Dozens of our AIChE student chapters are helping to give back to their local community or to a philanthropic cause. The Executive Student Committee (ESC) is excited to feature three of these student chapters with an outstanding history of philanthropic work.
Texas Tech University (TTU)
Last semester, the Texas Tech University (TTU) Student Chapter of AIChE started MyCleanLBK, an initiative whose goal is to "beautify the city of Lubbock by cleaning up trash in Lubbock neighborhoods," as described by Chiagoziem Mark Aneke, TTU Student Chapter president. One of the TTU Student Chapter's members, Yogi Paturu, started the initiative after becoming frustrated by the amount of litter in the community. The initiative grew to include the whole TTU Student Chapter body. Now, every Sunday afternoon from 3:30-5:00pm, student volunteers gather to beautify the local community. MyCleanLBK has shown tremendous results. Since its start, MyCleanLBK has properly disposed of 1,494 lbs. of litter covering 4 square miles during the 120 hours of total volunteering time. MyCleanLBK has engaged other student organizations on campus, including even sports and arts organizations. MyCleanLBK will continue to expand its outreach to engage more volunteers under the future leadership of current freshman and student chapter member Jazmine Good.
To learn more about the MyCleanLBK initiative, you can check out its Facebook page. Additionally, you can find out more about TTU AIChE on its website or Facebook page.
University of Cincinnati (UC)
Last semester, the University of Cincinnati (UC) Student Chapter of AIChE held its first ever "Charit-Eweek," a play on words based on E-Week, the national engineering week. During November 13-17, 2017, UC AIChE hosted college-wide philanthropic events. Sam Locke, the Student Chapter president, shares with us that nearly $1,000 was raised, over 800 lbs. of food were collected, 33 pints of blood were donated, and 15 blankets were made for hospice patients. Around 20-30 Student Chapter members were involved in planning and participating in Charit-Eweek. The blood drive itself was so successful, the "bloodmobile" wasn't able to support the number of volunteers ready to donate their blood! When asked why the Student Chapter organized this week-long event, Locke said, "We may never be able to pay back everyone that helped us get to where we are, but we can most certainly pay the gifts forward."
Check out UC AIChE's Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram accounts to follow their future philanthropic events.
New Mexico State University (NMSU)
At least once a semester, the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Student Chapter of AIChE volunteers at El Caldito Soup Kitchen in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Working with this local soup kitchen is a long-standing tradition at the chapter. Sicilee Macklin, the Student Chapter president, explains to us, "the NMSU AIChE Student Chapter places a strong emphasis on community outreach." The chapter normally has at least ten student chapter members volunteer, and when they once showed up with 13+ people they were told by El Caldito that "there have never been that many people there to help before!" Macklin continues, "we are a close-knit group and treat each other as family, so we desire to spread that sense of community to others outside of the CHME Department and NMSU as a whole." Starting this semester, NMSU AIChE plans to volunteer more frequently at El Caldito.
To learn more about El Caldito Soup Kitchen, you can check out its website. Additionally, you can find out more about NMSU AIChE on its Facebook page.
How does your own AIChE student chapter give back? Let us know at aiche.esc@gmail.com.