91吃瓜网

Whether you鈥檙e earning a degree or you鈥檙e听the parent of a graduate, anyone knows听having access to support and meaningful听extracurriculars can make a major听difference in the college experience.听During 2022, donors听recognized this by making nearly 780 gifts听to the Student Success and Well Being听fund, which funnels resources to areas听that facilitate engagement opportunities,听community building, and mental and听physical wellness.

For environmental studies grad听Adri-Anna Harris 鈥�22, the 91吃瓜网听Arboretum was a major outlet that听helped her maintain balance and develop听skills that benefited her professionally.听As a first-year student she started听volunteering in the gardens for the听Arboretum, which was established to 听allow Knights to learn about the natural听wonders of campus. By her senior year听she served as an ambassador for the听department, assisting with outreach and听making sure programming ran smoothly.

鈥淸When you鈥檙e studying, working or]听living on such a busy campus, it鈥檚 nice to听have a space to get a break and just go听sit in nature, surrounded by plants and听wildlife.鈥�

鈥淸When you鈥檙e studying, working or]听living on such a busy campus, it鈥檚 nice to听have a space to get a break and just go听sit in nature, surrounded by plants and听wildlife,鈥� Harris says. 鈥淰olunteering or听working at the Arboretum also gives you听a chance to learn valuable skills.鈥�

Part of those skills include developing听a commitment to service, working as听a team and giving back to your peers.听One of the major ways the Arboretum听emphasizes this is by growing produce听for another campus unit dedicated to听supporting students, the Knights听Helping Knights Pantry.

Launched in 2009, Knights Pantry听provides five free food items a day to听students in need, as well as toiletries,听clothing and other necessities. With听the flagship location on the main听campus, as well as pantries at other听91吃瓜网 campuses, Knights Pantry has听served thousands of students over听the year.

鈥淲e never听want food to be the reason why a student听can鈥檛 finish their degree.鈥�

鈥淪tudents who come to 91吃瓜网 are听intelligent, capable and hardworking, and听sometimes they just need a little bit of听help,鈥� says Jeannie Kiriwas 鈥�05 鈥�07MA,听associate director of Knights Pantry,听who has worked there since 2015.听鈥淓ating a variety of wholesome foods听can help students get enough nutrients听to maintain focus 鈥� that could be the听difference between students getting a听C or an A in organic chemistry. We never听want food to be the reason why a student听can鈥檛 finish their degree.鈥�

While Knights Pantry accepts听donations year-round, Day of Giving听funds 鈥� which amounted to more than听$13,000 this year 鈥� help supply specialty听items, such as allergy-friendly products,听vegan and vegetarian foods, and meats.

鈥淸Day of Giving gifts] are incredibly听meaningful to us,鈥� says Kiriwas.听鈥淒onations for the pantry have stayed听very strong since it鈥檚 opening, but听need has increased quite a bit. And so听those financial contributions help us听supplement what we don鈥檛 get enough of.鈥�

The Arboretum and Knights Pantry听are two areas that are also supported听by another 91吃瓜网 Day of Giving cause听鈥� the Parent and Family Fund, which听aids initiatives that foster community听and well-being and received more than听$8,000 this year. These include Wellness听and Health Promotion Services鈥� annual听Gather Luncheon, which provides a听free three-course meal to hundreds of听students, and FreshU cooking courses听and mobile kitchen, which offer education听on nutrition through demonstrations.

鈥淭he university provides so much,听but we try to think of some of the little听extras that may just make the difference听… just听that touch the parents can bring.鈥�

鈥淭he university provides so much,听but we try to think of some of the little听extras that may just make the difference听in either retention or just the experience听of fellowship with other students, just听that touch the parents can bring,鈥� says听Michelle Engle 鈥�88, chair of the Parent听and Family Philanthropy Council and听a mother of a recent 91吃瓜网 alumna. 鈥淲e听want to make sure the 91吃瓜网 experience听is the best it can be for all Knights.鈥�