On Saturday, February 20, 2016, the Honor Student Organization (HSO) from Alcorn State University participated in a community service activity at the New Christian Volunteer Services (Joey’s Place) in Port Gibson, Mississippi from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. HSO is recognized for engaging students not only in academic projects but in service projects as well.
Over the course of the past three years, the Honor Student Organization has volunteered both their time and services within the local community. Dr. Wanda Arrington, HSO Advisor and Assistant Director of the Honors Curriculum Program stated, “This service activity helps the students to enhance their leadership skills, time management, and team work experience. I want our students to realize that engaging in activities helps to service the needs of the people within the community. It shows them that compassion and understanding are wonderful attributes to have.”
Seven members of the organization along with Dr. Arrington, New Christian Center staff members and residents, undertook and fulfilled a number of obligations which included emptying and taking out the trash, cleaning, vacuuming and mopping rooms, bathrooms, kitchen areas, storage areas, lodging areas, folding and packaging clothes to be donated to the Salvation Army, wiping down walls and appliances and more. This was all done in preparation for homeless guests and evangelists from all over the country. Several of the HSO members also helped make sack lunches for individuals residing in the center as well as for the volunteers.
Alessandria Aikerson-Russell, Vice President of HSO says, “I really enjoyed the service activity today. It was a really good experience to go out into the community and help, especially at a place that gives so much to the community itself.”
The center’s staff benefited from having the HSO members assist with performing these services. Mrs. Louise Lockhart, Assistant Director of the New Christian Center says, “I would just like to humbly thank the honor students for coming out to the center and helping us out. I really appreciate them because it’s only two of us [directors] and we don’t have a lot of people to come and help us out. I just don’t have the words to say how truly thankful we are.”
The Honor Student Organization is for students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character. Students must maintain an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.
For more information about the Honor Student Organization, please contact Dr. Wandra Arrington, HSO Advisor and Assistant Director of the Honors Curriculum Program, at warrington@alcorn.edu or (601) 877-6138.
For more information about the New Christian Volunteer Services, please contact New Christian Center’s Assistant Director, Louise Lockhart, at (601) 437-2594.