January 22, 2013 (Jackson) - For over a decade Belhaven University students have participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day and the number of student volunteers keeps growing. Over 500 Belhaven students volunteered at charitable organizations around Jackson to serve the community on Monday, January 21. A total of 455 students participated in last year's service day.
JoBeth Petty, Director of Student Leadership, said, “The purpose of the campus-wide Martin Luther King Service Day is to give our students a chance to serve and emulate the work and spirit of Dr. King. Students, staff and faculty all serve alongside one other to impact the community by reflecting Christ through serving. The university motto is 'to serve, not to be served' and this day is dedicated to living that out in tangible ways.”
Places like the Mustard Seed, American Red Cross, Mission First, Habitat for Humanity, John Perkins Foundation and others received a helping hand from students. Students joined their respective athletic team, student organization or group of friends and gave their time to service projects like painting, cleaning, yard work, organizing, serving food, gardening and various other tasks.
The Belhaven Leadership Council (BLC) was the driving force behind this service project and is led by current students that serve the Belhaven student body. Katie Rowan is the Community Outreach Coordinator for the BLC said, “As a Christian University, Belhaven should be ministering in our surrounding community. MLK Service Day is a great day when Belhaven can do just that.”
Belhaven University stands among select Christian colleges and universities and has been repeatedly named one of “America's 100 Best College Buys." The University offers 30 academic majors across a full spectrum of disciplines as well as a variety of graduate programs. In addition, Belhaven has achieved the distinction of being among only 30 universities nationally accredited in each of the major arts - music, theatre, visual art and dance. All programs are taught from a Christian worldview perspective and are guided by the mission to prepare students academically and spiritually to serve Christ Jesus in their careers, in human relationships, and in the world of ideas.
Belhaven University serves over 3,700 students offering undergraduate and graduate degrees on its residential campus, an online degree program, and graduate and adult degree programs in Jackson, Memphis, Orlando, Houston, Chattanooga, and Atlanta.