Ohio State students to take part in Make a Difference Day

Students from The Ohio State University will travel to Bloomington, Indiana late this week to partner with students from Indiana University (IU) as part of National Make a Difference Day on Saturday (10/22).

Approximately 100 Ohio State students will work with 85 of their IU counterparts to create, stuff and distribute Emergency Preparedness packets to the local community. The service, which is needed to help the community prepare for natural disasters, was coordinated by Ohio State's Project Community and Indiana University's Volunteer Students Bureau.

As a leading public land grant university, Ohio State encourages student participation in community service projects. Project Community, which is the Ohio Union's community service program, offers service opportunities and provides large-scale service projects for the Ohio State community.

Ohio State has been involved with National Make a Difference Day since 1998; each year traveling to the community in the Big Ten where our football team plays that weekend. Students stay overnight, perform community service alongside students from the host school the next morning, and following a substance-free tailgate/mini pep rally, attend the game to cheer on the Buckeyes.

By choosing to travel to the community of the Big Ten football rival, student organizers say the concept of "rivals on the field, partners in the community" benefits community agencies while building collaborations with host institutions.

WHAT:Ohio State students will travel to Indiana University for a service project as part of National Make a Difference Day

WHEN:Students leave campus on Friday afternoon (10/21) and join IU students in performing community service on Saturday morning (10/22)

WHERE:Bloomington, Indiana

WHY:To take part in the national Make a Difference Day.