Methodist University’s Community Service Fair gave students the chance to connect with local community partners and learn how their skills and efforts can make a difference beyond campus.
Methodist University’s Community Service Fair gave students the chance to connect with local community partners and learn how their skills and efforts can make a difference beyond campus.
Quincy Malloy, Ed.D. − MU’s vice president for Engagement, Community, and Belonging − said the goal of the fair is to align students’ passions with the needs of the community, explaining the connection to service and community and how it can help students feel rooted in Fayetteville while addressing real challenges in Cumberland County.
“Our city needs the energy of our students,” he said. “Whether it’s working with veterans, single parents, the homeless, or building homes with Habitat for Humanity, service helps them discover their mission and purpose.”
For students who couldn’t make the fair, MU’s Student Employment & Outreach Coordinator, Brittany Rose, emphasized that information about the ambassador program and upcoming projects will be shared on the Campus Engagement Instagram page and through flyers across campus. Beyond community service hours, she hopes students will see the bigger picture.
“It’s resume building, it’s networking, and hopefully by the time they graduate, they’ve created a strong foundation here,” Rose said.
First-year students also saw the fair as a chance to explore new opportunities. Azareah Kelly ’29 said she appreciated the chance to see what is available in her new community. Her classmate, Corbin Hales ’29, gravitated toward the Special Olympics table, where he hopes to continue work he began in high school.
“It’s great for the community and great for the kids,” Hales said. “It’s something that really matters to me.”
For more on upcoming community service events or details about the United Way Ambassadorship Program, visit the Campus Engagement Instagram or the Engagement, Community, and Belonging Office at methodist.edu/offices-services/ecb.
This Year’s Community Service Fair Partners List:
3HC
American Red Cross
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh – Fayetteville Regional Office
Connections of Cumberland County
Cool Spring Downtown District
Cumberland County Council on Older Adults
Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity
Fayetteville Cares
Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation / Special Olympics Cumberland County
Fayetteville Urban Ministry
Fayetteville YMCA of the Sandhills
Gentiva Hospice
Greater Life of Fayetteville
Money Box Academy
ROOTS Mentoring
Salem Methodist Church
The Rick Herrema Foundation
United Way of Cumberland County
Veterans Bridge Home