“I can volunteer and give back to the community without the stress of school weighing down on me.” This is the general student attitude toward Andrews University’s major philanthropic initiative, Change Day. Change Day was initiated by former Provost Christon Arthur in 2017 as a way to intermingle with and give back to the community that readily supports the university. Change Day sought to authentically live the Andrews mission—Seek Knowledge, Affirm Faith, and Change the World—giving students, staff, and faculty the chance to dedicate their time and effort to a community that had done the same for them. Sept. 14, 2023, marked the sixth anniversary of Change Day.
Despite all the positives of this initiative, this year Change Day will not be happening for a varying number of reasons. Instead of focusing on the reasons for the lack of Change Day, I decided to focus on how the student body feels about the unexpected change.
I have had the chance to participate in two Change Days, and I like it because I can volunteer and give back to the community without the stress of school and completing assignments. I think Change Day is important because Andrews is so closed off from the immediate community, literally and metaphorically. We send people as missionaries to help people overseas but there are so many local causes that need our attention that we ignore. The absence of Change Day feels almost disrespectful. We weren’t given a proper announcement or alternative. If we truly are World Changers, why get rid of the only day that truly shows that?
- Rohannah Riley, Junior
I’ve participated in only one Change Day, but I did like it. I enjoyed being able to go into the community and tangibly helping people; those kinds of things are kind of difficult to organize as an individual. I think it’s important for Christian institutions such as this one to reach out to the community and share the love of Jesus. Christians are called to witness to others and be a light to the world. Plus, it sucks to see a tradition to kick the bucket so soon.
- Anonymous, Sophomore
I’m a freshman and I do not know what Change Day entails, besides the small details and memories upperclassmen have shared with me. I can’t be certain of Change Day's importance because I’ve never participated in one, but I regret that isn’t happening this year. I would have liked to have participated in a day of community service and helped be a World Changer in some form.
- Mackenzie DeSilva, Freshman
I’ve never participated in Change Day, I've always just taken it as a day off. It’s just not something that has been called to me. I do think that it’s an important option to have, however, as community service is a key part of being Christ-like. I believe that a campus-sponsored service event is the easiest way to get many people to serve, and it’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be done away with. Personally, I still probably wouldn’t have participated this year, but I know a lot of people would have, and I think that to those who participated, it was a good experience that new students are now being robbed of.
- Anonymous, Junior
Like a lot of the people I interviewed, I have previously participated in a Change Day, and I enjoyed the experience. I think Change Day was another way of bringing the student, staff, and faculty bodies together and having them create connections, both on and off campus. I mourn the loss of an initiative that furthered and supported the mission statement that the university so proudly asserts to the public.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.