New Utica University students spend day volunteering at various nonprofits for annual Pioneer Pitch-In
New Utica students moved onto campus and were already making a difference in their community.
Utica University’s third Pioneer Pitch-In took place Thursday, August 24 - an annual event dedicated to community service for new students during their orientation.
Pioneer Pitch-In aims to provide students with an immersive opportunity and help them learn the importance of contributing to the community.
Hundreds of first-year and transfer Pioneers partnered with 30 nonprofit organizations across Central New York to complete service projects together. Projects included community clean-ups, organizing/sorting, mentoring/tutoring children, spending time with animals, and more.
Around 9 a.m., Pioneer Pitch-In participants boarded a bus with their group and headed off-campus to their designated assignment.
This year, Utica University students will volunteer at the following sites:
- 50 Forward Mohawk Valley
- Apple Tree Preschool
- Brookdale Senior Living
- Catholic Charities Oneida/Madison County
- Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County
- GreenUtica
- ICAN
- Kirkland Art Center
- Masonic Child Care Center
- Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency
- Mohawk Valley Perinatal Network at The Neighborhood Center
- Mother Marianne's West Side Kitchen/Boutique
- Notre Dame Elementary School
- Olmsted City
- On Point for College Utica
- Oneida County History Center
- People First
- Rome Art and Community Center
- Rome Rescue Mission
- Sculpture Space Inc.
- Sleep In Heavenly Peace NY-Utica
- The Arc, Oneida Lewis
- The Landmarks Society of Greater Utica
- The Root Farm
- Upstate Caring Partners
- Utica Bike Rescue
- Utica Food Pantry
- Utica Public Library
- Utica Zoo
Students wrapped up at volunteer sites around noon and after volunteering, Pioneers participated in a guided reflection with their groups to discuss the experience, what they learned, and what they will take away from it.
For more photos from Pioneer Pitch-In, visit the Utica University Facebook Page.
More Stories
From Malaysia to Masonic (and beyond)
A Rohingya refugee naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2025, Nurhaliza Syukur ’26 was born and raised in Malaysia, coming to the United States in 2019 with aspirations of a career in medicine.
Big little sister
Dr. Franits' book examines texts and other artistic works rendered by siblings of individuals with disabilities, interrogating the impact of disability on the identity of non-disabled siblings.
Local Organizations Give to Utica University’s Tangerine Group Food Pantry
Tangerine Grove received a $5,000 gift from The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties and a $300 gift from the Genesis Group.
I would like to see logins and resources for:
For a general list of frequently used logins, you can also visit our logins page.