Students Come to Georgia Southern Ready to BUILD

August 5, 2014

More than 100 incoming Georgia Southern University freshmen learned that leadership and hard work go hand in hand when they came to campus early this summer for the annual Building Undergraduate Involvement in Leadership Development, or BUILD, program. Offered through the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement (OSLCE), BUILD is a weeklong program held twice each summer that allows students to stay on campus, meet fellow new students, work on community service projects and learn leadership skills. Upperclassmen serve as BUILD leaders, mentoring and helping the new students during the program. “Freshmen leave BUILD having met numerous other students who are in the same place they are - transitioning to college, unsure about the years ahead and nervous about making friends,” said Jodi Kennedy, OSLCE associate director and BUILD coordinator. “Now when they come back in a couple weeks to start classes, they already have a support group consisting of their peers and the professional staff in the OSLCE.  Students also get to know campus better, as well as Statesboro. So they leave BUILD having a better sense of their new home and what it has to offer them.” Kennedy said students who participated in this summer’s projects worked at places like The Food Bank and Rebecca’s Cafe, which is run by volunteers and provides one meal a week to those in need. Other organizations the students worked with include Habitat for Humanity, Safe Haven, Westwood Nursing Home and Kiwanis Ogeechee Fairgrounds among others. Students who participated in the Summer 2014 program came from all over Georgia and the United States, some from as far as Pennsylvania. Danielle Souza, an out of state student, initially signed up to meet new friends, but took away much more. “BUILD has also helped me learn more about my leadership potential, and has transformed my outlook on community service and the numerous ways I can serve the Statesboro and surrounding communities,” Souza said. Others who attended the program were surprised at their outlook on college after completing the program. “BUILD has been a great eye-opening experience, and the opportunities granted here are life-changing,” said Will Grider. “I think BUILD has changed my entire mindset going into college and I’ve enjoyed it tremendously. I would highly recommend it to anyone trying to put their life in perspective.” Jessie Singer agreed. “In less than a week I’ve made close new friends and had once in a lifetime experiences. I never thought I would enjoy painting and organizing closets as much as I have. The hard work of the day is made worth it by the thanks we receive and the fun we have after dinner and in small groups. I am truly grateful for this experience and so glad I came.” Kennedy said the BUILD program has grown tremendously over the years. From starting with one local agency to branching out into surrounding towns, the program continues to grow. “The focus of the program has changed from simply building, or construction projects, to encouraging these incoming freshmen to build relationships with their peers and connections with their home for the next four years,” she said. “We want them to be invested in Statesboro and help make our community a better place, not only in the week they are at BUILD, but in their remaining time at Georgia Southern University.” For more information about BUILD, visit www.georgiasouthern.edu/LeadServe/build.