On August 18, the Elon Law Class of 2014 participated in the fifth annual "Elon Law Reaches Out" community service day. During this annual orientation event, the entering class assisted several nonprofit organizations in the Greensboro community.
Law students volunteered with the following programs across the area:
- Greensboro Downtown Greenway
- Bryan Family YMCA
- Housing Greensboro
- The Boys and Girls Club
- The American Red Cross
- the Greensboro Public Library System
- the Welfare Reform Liaison Project
- the Center for New North Carolinians
- the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- the Adult Center for Enrichment, and,
- the Newcomer’s School.
Begun in 2007, “Elon Law Reaches Out” has become one of the law school’s important traditions, introducing first-year students to nonprofit leaders in the region, while providing an opportunity to give back to the community through volunteer work in a wide range of settings.
“I’m really excited to start the school year,” said Mitchell Baroody, a first-year student who volunteered helping the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation prepare for an upcoming charity walk.
“I chose Elon because I like the emphasis on leadership and public service mixed with the law curriculum,” Baroody continued. “Elon talks about giving back to the community and we’re starting that at the beginning of our tenure here.”
“Everything they’ve had us do is out of purpose,” said first-year student Thomas Brown who also volunteered with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
“I think this is a great opportunity to not only help the community, but we get to meet more and more people and reach out into the community that we’re going to be living in for the next few years,” Brown said.
Several members of the classes of 2012 and 2013, serving as student advisers to first-year law students, also participated in Elon Reaches Out.
Elon University School of Law encourages student engagement and service as part of its overall program of study. The Class of 2011, for example, contributed over 20,000 hours of community service during their three years of law school.
“I think it’s important to give back to the community because the community is supporting you in all that you do, especially with the law school,” said first-year student Katherine Koone who volunteered at the American Red Cross.
“I think service is very important, just having the opportunity to do this instead of just book work allows us to be more well rounded people,” said Brian Park who also volunteered at the Red Cross. “I’ve really enjoyed this experience.”
By Ashley Smith, L’12