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STATESBORO, Ga. () — On Wednesday, Georgia Southern University (GSU) athletes traded their usual sports arenas for classrooms and community centers, showcasing their dedication to service.
The occasion was the second annual APEX Day of Service, where GSU student-athletes stepped up to make a difference.
Gleen Hart, GSU’s senior associate athletic director for student-athlete development, reported that 165 athletes from 10 different teams volunteered at seven locations between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. that day.
had the opportunity to interact with volunteers from the university’s volleyball team, who spent the day engaging with young students at Julia P. Bryant Elementary School.
“This event highlights the spirit of our athletic programs and is a significant day for Georgia Southern volleyball,” remarked GSU Volleyball Head Coach Chad Willis. “Each year, through our APEX Program, we come together as a community to connect with various groups and make a positive impact.”
The coach added, “We got some [student-athletes] that are working at [Bulloch County] Habitat for Humanity and the [Statesboro] Food Bank and just doing various service projects throughout Bulloch County. It’s just a great opportunity for us to give back to the local community.”
The APEX, or Athletes Preparing for Employment Experiences, program is designed to further prepare Georgia Southern student-athletes for life after graduation, according to the GSU athletic foundation website.
Other areas student-athletes volunteered on Wednesday include:
- Langston Chapel Elementary School
- Keep Statesboro-Bulloch Beautiful
- Bulloch County Schools’ Book Bus
- Willow Pond Senior Care.
One of the volleyball athletes who volunteered Wednesday was Reagan Barth. Barth also serves as the vice president of the university’s student-athlete advisory committee.
She detailed her experience Wednesday.
“Today we came in the classroom, and we started by just talking with them, getting to know them,” Barth said. “We drew some pictures, we wrote some letters and then we finished the day off with a good recess, my favorite growing up.”
Barth added that events like Day of Service allow for students to connect with the greater Statesboro and Bulloch County community.
“I think it’s opportunities like this where it’s not really like we have to do this; it’s more of we get to do this,” she said. “This is something that we all love to do. One, it takes us back to our recesses, but two, we just love spending time with them; this kind of keeps us grounded in who we are and what we do.”