Days of Service

Fresh START Day of Service is one of Penn State's largest days of service, designed for incoming first-year, change-of-campus, transfer, and world campus students who are new to the University Park campus. The primary goals of Fresh START are: 

1. Introduce new students to the many service and civic engagement opportunities available in the State College community as well as organizations at Penn State students can become a part of
2. Help students build new friendships with other students transitioning to Penn State
3. Get students engaged with involvement at Penn State and in the community, all while having FUN!

Fresh START Day of Service encourages new students to “get rooted” in service opportunities in Happy Valley and within student organizations, that they can then engage with throughout their academic careers at Penn State. Our hope is that, through Fresh START, new students will develop a passion for giving back to the community and will continue to engage in service and civic engagement throughout their lives.

Fresh START Day of Service: Details Coming Soon!

Student Organizations and Faculty & Staff Volunteers can register to be a part of the biggest Day of Service at Penn State University Park Campus! Volunteers are needed!

Typical Fresh START Schedule:

• 8:30 am. -9:45 am.: Check in outside of Alumni Hall in the HUB-Robeson Center
• 10:00 am. - 10:30 am.: Snacks & Team Building Activities
• 10:30 am.: Begin Dismissing to Community Partner Sites
• 11:00 am. - 3:00 pm.: Volunteering with Community Partners
• 3:00 pm. - 4:30 pm.: Meal & Service Organization Fair to learn more about how to get involved

BE SURE TO WEAR CLOSED-TOE SHOES AS WELL AS CLOTHING THAT YOU ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT GETTING DIRTY! For Participating you will receive FREE Lunch, FREE Snacks, and a FREE T-shirt.

The MLK, Jr. Day of Service takes place each year nationally on Martin Luther King Day in January. This Day of Service is hosted by the Dr. MLK, Jr. Commemoration Committee and the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement. It is designed to engage students in their community and to answer the Dr. King quote;

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Summer Day of Service occurs each summer during the month of July and brings together students who are here for the summer (many from the LEAP program for incoming students) to engage with the local community and do something meaningful over the summer break.