The Southern Utah University Alumni Association will be holding a Random Acts of T-Birds Initiative from Nov. 16 to Jan. 2.
“In its simplest form, we are asking T-Bird Nation to focus on ways to make their corner of the world better and kinder,” said Myndee Larsen, president of the National Alumni Council.
To participate, students must complete seven random acts of kindness before Jan. 2, and either post a photo completing the act of service on social media using #SUUserve or send an email to alumni@suu.edu with the service opportunities they have completed. After doing so, participants will earn a free t-shirt.
Larsen, an alumna of SUU, brainstormed with Vice President Mindy Benson and Director of Alumni Ron Cardon, to instill a “theme of connection” within the extended campus community.
“Random Acts of T-Birds is a service-oriented program meant to provide that community connection in a way that recognizes needs alumni and students can meet for their fellow humans,” Larsen said.
The SUU Alumni Council and SUU Alumni and Community Relations put together a list of ideas acts of service to help students get started. These random acts of kindness include picking up someone’s groceries, thanking a teacher of front line worker, donating toys to a charity or shoveling snow for someone in need. For the extended list, click here.
“[The initiative] is an attempt to live in the mindset of recognizing opportunities to serve and creating an impact that exists beyond ourselves,” Larsen said.
Larsen hopes the community can create a “synergy” with the university by taking care of others in spontaneous ways.
“I think it is a way to represent SUU in a way that is compassionate and aware of the need to to support one another through a pandemic,” Larsen said.
In addition to creating that sense of community, Larsen said that if executed correctly, Random Acts of T-Birds could be a great recruiting tool to excite prospective students about what SUU has to offer.
When recalling her experience at SUU, graduating with degrees in journalism, public relations and advertising in 1998, Larsen said that “it was nothing that I expected and more than she could’ve hoped for.”
After playing basketball at SUU, (her No. 00 jersey still hangs in the America First Event Center) Larsen became an assistant basketball coach at the university and was the associate athletic director for Student Services. She began her term as president of the NAC in June 2019.
“One of the things that impressed me most about SUU is the sense of community and the support systems that the university provides as students earn their degrees,” Larsen said. “This is one of the reasons I am passionate about the Random Acts of T-Birds Initiative. It’s an opportunity to give back to the university that did so much for me as a scholar and individual.”
“Anyone who has been shown an unexpected act of kindness realizes the feelings of comfort the act creates. That’s why students should get involved,” Larsen said.
Story by: Elizabeth Armstrong
news@suunews.net
Photos courtesy of: Myndee Larsen
