OU Students Served Hispanic Communities During 'Big Event'

By <a href="http://www.ou.edu/publicaffairs">Public Affairs,</a> (405) 325-1701

OU students volunteered to assist many communities in the metro area, including three sites that serve predominantly Hispanic communities.

Contact: Kathryn Hillis
Big Event Executive Team
khillis@ou.edu

As part of the University of Oklahoma’s Big Event, an official day of community service, OU students volunteered to assist many communities in the metro area, including three sites that serve predominantly Hispanic communities.

Each year, more than 5,000 OU students serve as volunteers at non-profits, churches, schools, and other community organizations throughout the Norman and Oklahoma City areas. Now in its 16th year at OU, the Big Event took place April 11, 2015.

This year, OU’s Big Event Executive Team made it a priority to continue expanding the reach of the Big Event’s impact. This included reaching out to new sites in predominantly Hispanic communities. These sites include Calle Dos Cinco in Historic Capitol Hill, Santa Fe South schools, and Oklahoma City Public Schools. More than 85 students volunteered at these specific sites. By working closely with these businesses and non-profit organizations, these OU students seek to develop stronger relationships with these communities.

“I grow more proud and impressed every year with the commitment of our students to give back and serve our surrounding communities,” said OU President David L. Boren. “As this outreach into new communities grows, OU students continue to show what makes this University such a special place.”

“This day is an opportunity for our students to give back to the communities that support them,” said Crystal Garcia, Assistant Director of Student Life. “Several students on OU’s Big Event Executive Team are also active in our Latino Student Life programs, and felt strongly about reaching out to these Hispanic communities.”

The Big Event continues to grow in size every year. Last year’s Big Event saw a record number of OU students who completed over 20,000 hours of community service at 151 different job sites. This year, more than 5,800 OU students volunteered, which is the most in OU history, to improve more than 155 agencies in the greater Oklahoma City area.

For more information on OU’s Big Event, visit ou.edu/bigevent.