Acts of Service

"It felt soul-filling to be in community with my peers, getting the food ready for the BHM event hosted by BSEEN. All hands were on deck, reminding us that we are better together."

"I performed my act of service by checking attendees in at the opening ceremonies at the Chicago campus, 122 S. Michigan Ave. I felt great meeting and greeting attendees and enjoyed connecting with people I don't often have a chance to interact with."

"After shoveling snow and salting the sidewalks in my neighborhood, I felt cold — but if I'm being honest, I also felt proud. Most of my neighbors are seniors who would have a tough time shoveling and risk slipping and injuring themselves. So I went around clearing their sidewalks and salting them while they remained safely indoors, warm and comfortable. Performing this service helped me embody the NLU spirit, which I understand to be about drawing closer to your community and helping those in need. Seniors, even if they are strangers to us, are the foundation upon which our future is built. Without them and their sacrifices, we would not have what we have today."

“I look forward to serving at the People's Resource Center (PRC) Food Pantry every Wednesday because the environment reminds me of the supportive, welcoming, personalized, high-touch culture that I find in every interaction at NLU. The warmth, camaraderie, teamwork, and personal initiative of the pantry volunteer team transforms food insecurity into a community-rich, mom-and-pop grocery store experience for our neighbors. At PRC, I find an energizing alignment to the values that also distinguish NLU - innovation, access, excellence, and equity - and serving in this way deepens my connection to the NLU spirit as well.”

“I volunteered on the Wheeling Campus today with the Welcome Week Therapy dog vision board and bag making event. I love these opportunities to connect with students in a fun and informal way!”

“I felt volunteering was fun and a great opportunity to meet students, staff and community members.”

"Packing boxes at St. Mary's Food Bank on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was a deeply meaningful experience, especially given NLU's long-standing commitment to community service. Following the government shutdown, food insecurity became increasingly visible in Phoenix, making the work feel urgent and necessary. In just two hours, our group of volunteers packed over 1,000 boxes of food for seniors — a powerful reminder of what collective effort can accomplish. Knowing that our work would help someone eat was profoundly humbling, and I would gladly volunteer again, because the need never ends."

“We gathered as a team to serve a meal at the Sunday Soup kitchen to show our spirit for serving our community!”

"I participated in theMLK Day of Service at my local library.  The Evanston chapter of AlphaKappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. coordinates a daylong service project forlocal  residents to come out and take part in annually.  The chapterorganizes an activity to sew pads for people in our town experiencinghomelessness, as well as students in Ghana who cannot attend school due to lackof access to sanitary supplies.  I was proud to wear my NLU shirt thisyear as I used my sewing skills to help my neighbors and promote access to education.”

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“I (on the far right in the photo) was honored to join a group of NLU colleagues – from the UGC, NCE, Student Affairs, Provost’s Office, and Advancement – at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Evanston to prepare and serve a meal to members of the community as part of the church’s weekly, volunteer-led Interfaith Action Sunday Soup Kitchen. Most of us live in Evanston and have started an informal group to foster connections. This act of service enabled us to get to know each other better, give back to the community we love, and demonstrate NLU’s Service Values of Collaboration, Responsiveness, and Empathy. Kudos to the UGC’s Lauren Anderson (third from right) for organizing this fun and rewarding event!”

“Access is one of National Louis University’s values. I embodied this through a simple act of service I performed. I went to the nearest donation box and placed packs of clothes and footwear. I hope these bags will be given to someone or some people who feel uncomfortable due to the cold this winter. Although it was a simple act of kindness, I was happy to realize that I can always be of help to someone, even in small ways. I hope it will make the recipient feel remembered and cared for."

"Volunteering as a dog walker and awareness advocate for Heartland Animal Shelter left me feeling genuinely connected — both to my community and to the animals in my care. Acts of service like this are how I embody NLU's spirit of inclusion, connection, and service."