Together in Service
Working for the betterment of humankind is at the core of MIT’s mission—a vital part of which is being a good neighbor.
Throughout March and April of 2016, the Together in Service program united students, faculty, staff, and alumni with local partners as we worked to strengthen our communities and learn from one another.
Together in Service opportunities
CityDays: MIT2016
CityDays is a series of one-day volunteer opportunities for all members of the MIT community, run by the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center. On April 19, CityDays: MIT2016 mobilized 500+ MIT community members to engage with the Cambridge and Greater Boston community by volunteering with neighborhood agencies. CityDays offered a great way for living groups, lab partners, athletic teams, and other student groups to strengthen bonds by serving together. More information
Cambridge Civic Engagement Serve-a-thon: April 19
On Tuesday, April 19, the Graduate Student Council at MIT (GSC) conducted an all-day service event in a hackathon-style format with a focus on cross-Institute collaboration. The GSC sought proposals from city officials and interested community members in the City of Cambridge for pressing civic needs that could be addressed (fully or in part) in one day by motivated teams that included MIT graduate and undergraduate students from the various MIT Schools. Contact the GSC.
Community Giving at MIT Collection Drive: March & April
An MIT-wide collection drive in March and April benefited Cambridge nonprofits and provided a spectrum of direct services to our neighbors. The participation goal was 100 departments, centers, laboratories, employee groups, and student groups. The collection drive was coordinated by the Community Services Office and the Office of Government and Community Relations. Contact Traci Swartz or Anya Alexandra Bear
MIT Alumni Day of Service
The MIT Alumni Day of Service, organized by the MIT Alumni Association and the MIT Sloan Alumni Club network in conjunction with the CityDays event, engaged alumni around the world as volunteers in their local communities. Contact Shannan Clarke.
TECHnically Art: A Collaborative Mural
In celebration of MIT’s 100 years in Cambridge, the MIT Museum invited the community to take part in creating a collaborative mural of the city by combining creativity, conductivity, and magnetism! On April 19, participants conspired with MIT Museum staff, local artists, and Chibitronics founder Jie Qi to create a community art piece at the MIT Museum.
First Aid and CPR Workshops: April 19
The community was invited to free workshops in Adult CPR, Infant CPR, or First Aid Training. The national organization Delete Blood Cancer was also on campus with information about the bone marrow donation process.
Photos: (top) courtesy of the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center, (1) courtesy of the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center, (2) By Daderot (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons, (3) Dominick Reuter, (4) Wen Zeng, courtesy of the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center, (5) By John Phelan (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons