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.
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