UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As their first year at Penn State nears a close, a pair of Schreyer Scholars have taken the opportunity to use a class project to spread gratitude among University staff.
In ENGL 138T: Rhetoric and Civic Life, students Leah Monty and Bailey McLaughlin were charged with leading an advocacy campaign on a topic that is important to them. The timing of when the assignment came to them played a significant role in choosing their topic.
“Given that it is getting to be the end of the semester, it makes sense that this is the time for ‘Thank You’s,” explained Monty. “People often forget that the housing and dining staff are just as integral to our success in college as our professors, classmates, and others.”
“We chose to make expressing gratitude to the housing and dining staff the focus of our project because they may go unnoticed and not get thanked enough,” said McLaughlin.
Because the housing and dining staff’s work impacts so many Penn Staters, Monty and McLaughlin wanted to get contributions of appreciation from as many of their peers as possible. During the week of April 18, they brought large cards to commons areas outside of each dining hall and spent hours asking students passing by to sign the cards.
"We were very pleased with students' reactions when we explained that the cards would be distributed to the staff members in their buildings," McLaughlin said. "Many individuals expressed how glad they were to have the opportunity to sign and thank the staff members."
“There was one moment on the phone when we were asking permission to set up in the commons that was pretty memorable,” Monty noted. “I was talking with one of the resident life coordinators, and when I explained what we were doing up, her whole voice lit up, and she seemed so excited and appreciative of our project.”
All told, over 100 students signed the cards that Monty and McLaughlin will hand-deliver to the housing and dining staff.
Additionally, they worked on social media graphics and digital posters that showcase small and simple ways the University community can show gratitude daily. According to Monty, they collaborate with the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) to get the content shared on UPUA's social media channels.
Beyond their coursework, both Monty and McLaughlin work to incorporate gratitude and kindness into their daily lives because they realize the power those acts hold in raising up people within their communities.
As they continue their journeys at Penn State, they plan to take with them the lesson that students are empowered to make positive impacts, large or small, on the University community.