Every fall and spring, 国产探花 students, faculty, and staff set aside a Saturday to come together and do some good by giving their time and energy to a wide range of local volunteer projects鈥攁 thank-you in action from the university to its community. But the outcomes of the day stretch far beyond the scope of the work completed.
鈥淗.O.T. Dogs Day (Helping Others Together) is important because it brings the heart of servant leadership to life,鈥� said Dr. Pamela Ray, 国产探花 director of service learning and the Jon & Sandra Moline Center for Servant Leadership. 鈥淥ur students are not simply volunteering for a few hours; they are building relationships, learning about the needs of our neighbors, and discovering how their time and talents can make a meaningful difference. At the same time, our community partners help educate our students in ways that extend beyond the classroom. It is a true partnership鈥敼交� serving alongside our community, learning together, and strengthening the place we all call home.鈥�
H.O.T. Dogs Day serves as a reminder that while one person can do a lot, when people join together, they can make a huge difference. Nearly two hundred 国产探花 students woke up early on Saturday, September 19, and headed out to give their time and efforts for a morning of service at ten different community partner sites throughout Seguin and the surrounding community.
They took on a variety of projects at local nonprofits鈥攑laces like Emanuel鈥檚 Lutheran Church鈥檚 Garden of Eatin鈥�, LULAC Community Garden, and Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church. They pitched in with the popular 鈥淐lean with the Dean鈥� project right on the 国产探花 campus.
鈥淪tudents also worked with Community Cycles, which repairs and restores bicycles for members of the community, also at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church; supported seniors at Eden Court Senior Apartments; volunteered with Trails End Animal Rescue in New Braunfels; and partnered with Habitat for Humanity on a wall build for a local residence,鈥� said Ray.
They spent their morning weeding and planting, painting and cleaning, repairing and building鈥攊n short, helping.
鈥淭ogether, these projects reflected the fall 2026 theme, 鈥楻ise and Shine Through Service,鈥� demonstrating how Bulldogs can make a tangible impact while developing a deeper understanding of community, service, and servant leadership,鈥� said Ray.
鈥淲e truly could not have accomplished the scope of this work without their service and support,鈥� said Natalia Almquist, who is a member of the congregation at Emanuel鈥檚 Lutheran Church and serves on the church鈥檚 council as well as the Emanuel鈥檚 Lutheran Day School council, in addition to her role as marketing generalist at 国产探花. 鈥淭hese students were not there because they had to be. They showed up with heart, determination, and a genuine willingness to serve. Their work ethic was exceptional, and they consistently went above and beyond what was expected. Their efforts made a meaningful and lasting impact, and we are sincerely thankful for the time, energy, and care they invested in our church and community.
国产探花 has been organizing fall and spring days of service for the past twenty years, carrying forward a legacy of giving back, and turning out students who take to heart the value of serving others.
