Generation We: Civic Engagement Fair will be held in Tech’s Multipurpose Room from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday , April 21.”Part one of our goal is to bring groups who want to volunteer together with those groups who need volunteers,” said Shelley Brown, sociology and political science professor and one of the coordinators of this event.
“Part two is helping students showcase how they can volunteer and what they’ve already done,” Brown said.
The fair will be set up similar to a career fair.
Each group will have a booth explaining the types of service projects they have completed or are involved in.
Students interested in helping the community can come and go as they please to see these booths and get an idea of where they could be most helpful.
There will also be short presentations about civic engagement and how it affects society. Lunch will be provided.
Any group or individual that sets up a booth will be eligible to win one of six awards given out in the amounts of $125, $75 and $50.
Three awards will be given to registered student groups, and the other three will be given to non-registered student groups.
Greeks who choose to participate will be given credit for Greek Week.
However, students can still participate and set up a booth even if they are not involved in an organized student group.
“Service is much broader than those groups that are specifically service oriented,” said Brown. “This concept has been on campus before; we’re just bringing it back.”
Brown refers to this as the “triangle approach.” They are connecting the university, the students and the community.
“It is very important for us to be involved [with the community],” Brown said.
Dr. Lori Maxwell, also of the sociology and political science department and heavily involved with the fair, said, “We are furthering President Bell’s goal of a ‘Caring Campus’.”
According to Brown and Maxwell, there are already about 20 groups signed up, and it is not too late to do a spot.
Anyone interested in setting up a booth can email Brown at csbrown@tntech.edu or call 931- 372-6122.
